Ballydoyle

Aidan O'Brien trainee Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel), a G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes entry and son of dual Grade I winner Newspaperofrecord, went into every notebook when encountering the TDN Rising Star display of Dorset (Wootton Bassett) at the Curragh last month and duly delivered a breakthrough success in Monday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Killarney. "He was very babyish at the Curragh, and again today where he jumped out and led, and Wayne [Lordan] said he was looking at the cars on the inside," said Ballydoyle's Chris Armstrong. "It...

Just six runners will line up for Sunday's €600,000 G1 Cygames Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp after final declarations for the 12-furlong test were confirmed Friday morning. Aidan O'Brien has five prior renewals in the books, some way shy of Andre Fabre's record 14, and relies on G1 Prix du Jockey Club fourth Trinity College (Dubawi), who was last seen annexing Royal Ascot's G3 Hampton Court Stakes. He will depart from stall five. Jockey Club seventh Frankly Good Cen (Frankel) and 17th Leffard (Le Havre) reoppose from stalls six...

Aidan O'Brien already has Lambourn for the St Leger, but judged by the way Scandinavia went through Thursday's G3 Bahrain Trophy plans for the Doncaster Classic could yet evolve. Storming to an 8 1/2-length success in the July Festival's 13-furlong opener, the son of Justify who was making a big leap from the Queen's Vase is seen as a key staying prospect by connections. "We could have some fun with him over those longer distances now," Paul Smith said of the heavily-supported 11-8 favourite. "He seems to be progressing nicely...

Directly after the Eclipse, Aidan O'Brien was enjoying another notable success in his native Ireland as the 2-year-old colt Daytona (Wootton Bassett) captured the inaugural Listed Irish EBF Pat Smullen Stakes at Naas. Sent off the 4-5 favourite for the mile contest, the Gowran Park debut winner moved to market-rival North Coast (Starman) approaching the final furlong and soon had the race wrapped up. At the line, the Wayne Lordan-ridden 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate had 3 1/4-lengths to spare over that Joseph O'Brien trainee as Ballydoyle collected another...

In the race that Ryan Moore is coming to call his own, Coolmore's number one delivered his Ballydoyle pick Delacroix to deny Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) in the dying strides of a dramatic G1 Coral-Eclipse on Saturday. Having ditched a Classic winner for the dream Dubawi-Tepin creation who had been undone by Epsom last month, the rider had already caused a stir and he needed all of his guile to rescue a seemingly lost cause to reel in the 6-4 favourite close home. "It was a steadily-run race for that...

Aidan O'Brien trainee Lambourn (Australia) was afforded the freedom of Epsom when making all for a wide-margin triumph in the G1 Derby and, prevented from enjoying a moment's relief in Sunday's Irish equivalent at the Curragh, was all heart in becoming the 20th horse to complete the Classic double. He found plenty, and then some, under Ryan Moore's forceful urgings inside final half-mile to provide the Ballydoyle maestro with a record-extending 17th, and third straight, success in the race. "He's a very straightforward horse that gets the trip well," said...

As if Saturday's action at The Curragh hadn't already championed Cooomore's stratospheric Wootton Bassett, along came Whirl to hammer home the point in a thrilling renewal of the feature G1 Pretty Polly Stakes. Outgunning Juddmonte's accomplished Kalpana (Study Of Man) following a prolonged tussle between the elite mastercraftsmen Ryan Moore and Colin Keane, Ballydoyle's Oaks runner-up followed on where the stable's Dorset and Beautify had led earlier in the afternoon. Reminding the world that he remains a racing fan, Aidan O'Brien was quick to pay tribute to the actors involved...

Making it a quickfire double on The Curragh's Saturday card for the lethal combination of Aidan O'Brien, Ryan Moore and Wootton Bassett, Beautify ended the unbeaten run of Lady Iman (Starman) in a demanding renewal of the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes. "Ryan was very impressed. He said he'd love to go up to seven with her, that's a very good sign when you hear him talking like that," the Ballydoyle handler said. "Obviously she's a Moyglare-type filly when Ryan says that, but obviously gets six very strong and travelled very...

2nd-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 6-27, 2yo, 7fT, 1:26.43, gd. COMPOSING (IRE) (f, 2, Wootton Bassett {GB}--Epona Plays {Ire} {MGSW-Ire, $208,285}, by Australia {GB}), the subject of support into 3-1 second favouritism, was up in the front line from the outset in this maiden won 12 months ago by stablemate Lake Victoria. Pressed by Cape Sounion (No Nay Never) inside the final two furlongs, the first foal out of the Group 2-winning dam stayed on to score by 3/4 of a length. "She's a filly that will get further, she's uncomplicated," Aidan...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-bred horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Friday's Observations features a Ballydoyle juvenile in what is traditionally an informative maiden. 5.20 The Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 2yo, f, 7fT MINERVA (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) bids to build on her debut third at Leopardstown earlier this month in the maiden won 12 months ago by stablemate Lake Victoria and...

You don't spend 26 years working as travelling head lad for Aidan O'Brien without becoming one of the most recognisable faces on the racing circuit but, after closing the chapter on his career at Ballydoyle last Christmas, TJ Comerford shot to prominence in his own right by consigning two of the most expensive lots at the Goffs Arkle Sale.  That debut consignment from Ballintogher Stud, the Monasterevin base that Comerford now operates from alongside his partner Stephanie Ocsko-Moore, featured only two horses - both of which were foal pinhooks belonging...

Bouncing out of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, Ballydoyle's Trinity College (Dubawi) made all to turn Thursday's G3 Hampton Court Stakes into a procession. Sent off the 5-2 favourite having been fourth in that Chantilly Classic, the son of the 1,000 Guineas heroine Hermosa (Galileo) was placed on the front end from the outset and had plenty left when asked to kick in the straight by Ryan Moore. Surging to the line to record a 3 1/2-length success from the 2,000 Guineas fourth Tornado Alert (Too Darn Hot), he...