Aidan O'Brien

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features the second foal out of the ill-fated Classic winner Just The Judge. 12.45 Newmarket, Mdn, £10,000, 2yo, 7fT NASH NASHA (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of three Godolphin representatives here but the most significant on breeding as a daughter of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Insights features a full-brother to dual Classic winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). 1.05 Navan, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, c/g, 8fT BRAZIL (IRE) (Galileo {Ire}) represents Ballydoyle and is a surefire future stayer as a full-brother to the G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger hero Capri (Ire) and this...

Before we go any further, let's just make one thing clear: for all the excitement of Saturday and the fact that the Oaks and the Derby were even able to take place this year, let's not lose our heads and start to think that they should in future take place on the same day in July. They should not. This is an extraordinary year for one big reason beyond our control and it should remain just that. Right, where were we? Ah, Epsom. I'll go to my grave failing to...

It was a clear-record eighth G1 Investec Derby at Epsom on Saturday for Aidan O'Brien, but not necessarily with the expected one as Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) went off on his own under Emmet McNamara and did a "Slip Anchor" to score by 5 1/2 lengths. Always clear at the head of affairs, the previous Saturday's nine-length Curragh maiden winner was still dangerously out of reach swinging around Tattenham Corner and kept grinding to lead home a shock trifecta. Khalifa Sat (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}), Andrew Balding's second string behind...

Already an emphatic winner of the G1 1000 Guineas, Coolmore's Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) entered elite territory on Saturday with a nine-length romp in the G1 Investec Oaks at Epsom. While not quite in the arena of the 12-length 1983 heroine Sun Princess (GB), this winning margin equalled that of the 1996 heroine Lady Carla (GB) (Caerleon) and there have been only four fillies in this race's history to have won by further. Settled behind a duo among the main six-strong group racing adrift of the runaway pacemakers Tiempo Vuela...

By 3.35pm on Sunday, the Derby and Oaks will already be old news and the dust will be settling after Chantilly's early-afternoon prestige races. As if all the Classics that played out over the longest weekend were mere support acts, Juddmonte's sovereign Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is back to take up most of the headline inches in a renewal of Sandown's G1 Coral-Eclipse which rates as one of the finest in its recent history. No horse in training has the same draw as the 6-year-old and although the Classic generation...

Saturday sees racing continue its measured defiance of the chaos around the globe, with the 241st renewal of one of the beautiful races, the G1 Investec Derby, emanating light as a beacon to the world's audience from its traditional home of Epsom Downs in Surrey. As it is, this will likely be the only post-Royal Ascot one, which adds a fascinating new dimension to a dramatically purse-reduced renewal and also to the stage-sharing G1 Investec Oaks. Due to the vagaries of the current situation, only one of the 24 colts...

Aidan O'Brien has a top squad of British-based jockeys at the ready for his team of seven potential G1 Investec Derby runners, among them William Buick, James Doyle and Adam Kirby. Ryan Moore will have first choice of whatever the Ballydoyle master opts to leave in the race, but with coronavirus health restrictions continuing to make it complicated for riders to travel across Europe, as at Royal Ascot and with the Guineas O'Brien's Irish-based riders are unlikely to travel. "We don't know what Ryan will ride. He'll always make that...

Aidan O'Brien is likely to split his 1000 Guineas winners Peaceful (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with the former, the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner, pencilled in for Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane and the latter, the G1 1000 Guineas winner, likely for the G1 Investec Oaks on July 4. "I was talking to the lads [John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor] this morning and it looks like Love, Passion (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ennistymon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will go to Epsom," said O'Brien. "Peaceful might...

Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas, heads 11 entries for the G1 Investec Oaks at Epsom on Saturday. The daughter of Galileo has headed the ante-post market since her impressive victory by 4 1/4 lengths over the Rowley Mile. Love bids to become the first filly since Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in 2016 to win both Classics. She is one of four possibles from the Aidan O'Brien stable as the Ballydoyle handler goes for a seventh Oaks success. O'Brien's other fillies in the mix are...

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has revealed that the door is still open for Saturday's G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) to attempt to make it two Derbies in seven days in the Epsom version on July 4. Santiago and his five stablemates that contested the Curragh Classic could be entered for the G1 Investec Derby on Monday, O'Brien told Racing TV's Luck On Sunday programme. "It's very possible [those that ran in Irish Derby could run at Epsom]," O'Brien said. "If any of them come out...

Playing host to a Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in full swing, Sunday's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh was as good as over after less than a furlong as Seamie Heffernan committed to front-running duties on the returning 2-5 favourite. Kept in training for good reason, the G1 English and Irish Champion S. and G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup heroine of 2019 showed no mercy to her opposition and took off heading to two out en route to a 4 1/2-length dismissal of the 3-year-old Cayenne Pepper (Ire) (Australia...