Aidan O'Brien

As Derby week heads towards the blue riband itself, Aidan O'Brien launched one who could conceivably be a headline act for the 2022 version in Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) who proved enormously impressive at The Curragh. Sent off the 7-4 favourite for the card's opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden for colts and geldings over seven furlongs, the full-brother to the stable's multiple group winner Broome (Ire) who cost 575,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 was quick to dispute the lead with the experienced Barud (GB)...

The 1 1/2-mile £395,000 G1 Cazoo Oaks has drawn a field of 14, including ante-post favourite and 'TDN Rising Star' Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) for Coolmore partners and Aidan O'Brien who will leave from stall four. Joining the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas fourth from Ballydoyle is G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. heroine Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), G3 Kilcarn Stud Flame Of Tara Irish EBF S. victress Divinely (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Group 3 placed Willow (Ire) (American Pharoah), and La Joconde (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay...

Group 1-placed Innisfree (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), second in the 2019 G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy in his last start, is making progress toward a start later this year, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien. Second at Naas in July of 2019, the colt broke his maiden at Galway in July and captured the G2 Beresford S. at The Curragh that September, just like his year-younger full-brother High Definition (Ire), who is headed to the G1 Cazoo Derby on Saturday. After his Vertem Futurity Trophy second, Innisfree sustained an injury in 2020 and...

Dual Classic heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will no longer take part in the G1 Coral Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs on June 4, according to trainer Aidan O'Brien. A winner of the G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks, the blaze-faced chestnut has been benched since August as her intended targets keep having unsuitable ground on the day. She will instead point to the G1 Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot later this month, as she has not made her seasonal bow yet. "Everything is good...

The G1 Cazoo Derby field is currently at 19, with as many as six Aidan O'Brien colts set to compete, including the ante-post favourite dual Group 3 winner Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G2 Beresford S. hero and G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. third High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was the Derby favourite over the winter. French Group 1 winner Van Gogh (American Pharoah), third in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas is possible, although he is also one of 20 left in the G1 Qatar...

There are 19 colts remaining in the 1 1/2-mile G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 5. Leading the way is current favourite and G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial S. hero Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of six for Aidan O'Brien and the various Coolmore partners. Joining the G3 Ballysax S. victor from Ballydoyle are: former race favourite High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G2 Beresford S. at two and was third in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. to Godolphin's Hurricane Lane...

Dual Classic heroine Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Oaks in 2020, will make her 4-year-old bow in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot, trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed on Sunday. The blaze-faced chestnut was due to contest the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh, but was withdrawn due to ground concerns. It was a similar story when the G1 Yorkshire Oaks victress did not contest the boggy 2020 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last October. "I wanted to...

Now that the abnormally dry Spring has given way to an ongoing wet spell, Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at The Curragh looks poised for John Oxley's Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) to re-impose herself on a division she had largely mastered by the end of 2020. Labelled a 'TDN Rising Star' on her impressive debut at Bellewstown in July, she remained unbeaten on ground softer than good thereafter, adding this track's G2 Debutante S. and Newmarket's G1 Fillies' Mile to her tally. Second to Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})...

Twenty years ago, Aidan O'Brien won the Derby for the first of his record eight times with Galileo (Ire), whose son Bolshoi Ballet (Ire) is currently ante-post favourite for the Cazooo Derby on June 5. The Ballydoyle trainer also has the favourite for the Cazoo Oaks, Santa Barbara (Ire), who is by another of his Derby winners, Camelot (GB). Issuing an update on the G3 Ballysax S. winner Bolshoi Ballet, O'Brien said, "I am very happy with him, everything has gone well so far. He is a very well-balanced horse....

Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), the winner of the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas, is among the 14 entries for the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas. The bay Jim Bolger homebred won the G3 Killavullan S. at two, and was first past the post in the Listed Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" 2000 Guineas Trial S. on Apr. 11 prior to his 2000 Guineas score. He most recently contested the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp in very soft ground to finish sixth. His Group 1-winning stablemate Mac Swiney...

Fifty years on from Mill Reef (Never Bend)'s victory in the Blue Riband at Epsom Downs, 29 horses have stood their ground after the latest scratching stage for the 2021 G1 Cazoo Derby on June 5. G3 Chester Vase scorer Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is doing well ahead of the Blue Riband. His best showing as a juvenile was a third in the G2 Veuve Clicquot Vintage S. and he was fourth in his seasonal opener-the Apr. 13 Listed bet365 Feilden S. at HQ. Andrew Balding, the son of...

Erstwhile G1 Cazoo Derby hopeful High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has emerged from his third-place run in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. in good order. Trainer Aidan O'Brien is expecting more improvement from the previously unbeaten G2 Beresford S. victor. The colt had turned in unsatisfactory bloodwork earlier this month which had ruled him out of a start in the Lingfield Derby Trial and instead had seen him re-directed to the Knavesmire. "High Definition is in good form," said Aidan O'Brien of the Coolmore parterns/Westerberg runner. "He...