Joseph O'Brien

Wells Watson's 400,000gns Book 1 Graduate Sinmara (Kingman), a Joseph O'Brien trainee, shaped with a deal of promise tackling seven furlongs at the Curragh last October and continued her progression with an impressive breakthrough score in Wednesday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Gowran Park. Sinmara retains tickets for the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, G1 Oaks and G1 Irish Oaks. "It's a real pleasure to train such a nice group of horses for Wells Watson," O'Brien told TDN Europe. "We have Sinmara, as well as a nice filly, Johanna...

Connections of some of the leading European-trained Dubai World Cup entries are said to be taking a watching brief on the conflict in the Middle East before firming up running plans for the fixture that boasts over $30 million in prize-money on Saturday, March 28. On Wednesday, it was confirmed that Shadai Race Horse Company's Masquerade Ball and Jantar Mantar would not travel from Japan to Meydan for their intended starts in the Dubai Sheema Classic and Dubai Turf. However, leading Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien and the Aga Khan Stud's...

Goffs has announced the first wave of nominated bonus races available for qualified horses that were sold at last year's Orby Sale. Bonuses of €50,000 will be on offer for the Orby graduates whose connections have paid a €5,000 entry to the scheme.  Similarly to last year, there will be €1m in bonuses on offer, split down the middle between Britain and Ireland. The first qualifying race of the season in Ireland will be the opening two-year-old maiden over 5f at the Curragh on March 15. Meanwhile, the Brocklesby at...

The Irish Flat season is a matter of weeks away, with the opening day of the season kicking off at the Curragh on March 15, where the €100,000 Irish Lincoln takes centre stage. There will be Classic clues aplenty on April 12, when the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas Trials, along with the Ballysax Stakes, a key Derby trial, takes place at Leopardstown. TDN Europe's Brian Sheerin has had a look at some of the under-the-radar three-year-olds who could have a big role to play that weekend and indeed for the...

During the Second World War, in the early years of what has grown into a world-renowned breeding operation, the Aga Khan III leased Barton Stud, not far outside Newmarket, where his resident stallions included Dastur and Umidwar. It is a link that echoes in Barton's new recruit, Scorthy Champ, whose arrival sees a return to the stallion business for the farm owned for exactly a century by the Broughton family and run by Tom Blain. Skip back four generations in Scorthy Champ's female line and you will find the name...

The connections of the half-dozen European raiders among a field of 11 for Sunday's HK$26-million Longines Hong Kong Vase (2400m) will have been mostly pleased with the outcome of the barrier draw, which was held in the state-of-the-art parade ring at Sha Tin Racecourse Thursday morning. Resolute Racing and Baron Philip Von Ullman's Goliath (Adlerflug) makes a second trip across to Hong Kong in the space of eight months, having finished a disappointing ninth to Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) at a fairly short price in the G1 FWD QE...

DEAUVILLE, FRANCE -- "Deep German family" was an oft-uttered phrase during Sunday's session of the Arqana Vente d'Elevage, most notably in the case of top lot Qualixia (lot 464), who is set to continue her racing career with Joseph O'Brien after being bought by Blandford Bloodstock's Stuart Boman for €320,000. Last seen making a black-type breakthrough in the Listed Grand Prix de Fontainebleau, Qualixia was offered by trainer Philippe Decouz as the winner of four of her 11 career starts. Bred by Gestut Fahrhof, the four-year-old daughter of Blue Point...

A week out from the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup, the Australian Bloodstock team is increasingly confident that it has both the right horse and the right man for the job, having put its faith in the Joseph O'Brien-trained Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett). The syndicate will be seeking a third success in 'the race that stops a nation', having previously lifted the famous trophy after the wins of Andreas Wohler's Protectionist in 2014 and the ex-French runner Gold Trip in 2022. This year the Australian Bloodstock colours will be strongly represented...

Debuts simply don't come much more encouraging than that of The Publican's Son (Beau Liam) at the Curragh last month - so encouraging that this maiden is now being readied to test his mettle against some of the best sprinting juveniles that Europe has to offer in Saturday's G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket. Already highly tried when debuting in the G3 Round Tower Stakes over six furlongs, the 40/1 shot was the slowest of the 10 runners from the stalls there, betraying his inexperience in a race where each...

Very few debutantes are capable of winning a Listed contest against established peers, but that's exactly what the Joseph O'Brien-trained Yaupon De Replay (Yaupon) achieved on Monday evening in Fairyhouse's Ballyhane Blenheim Stakes. Sent off at 20-1 for the six-furlong feature, the daughter of Spendthrift Farm's exciting first-crop sire was able to overcome any greenness under Chris Hayes and swamp her rivals a furlong out en route to a neck success from Chicago Call (Oasis Dream). "We liked what we saw at home, but you are never sure starting off in...

It should never be underestimated the magical journey that just one horse can bring a person on and owner-breeder John Farrell is a good example of exactly that. Taking the advice of his wife - which is always a wise thing to do - , Farrell purchased an unraced filly by Derby winner Alamshar before putting her into training with Joanna Morgan back in 2008.  That was 16 years ago now and the filly in question, Snap Alam, won five races before  producing a host of winners that carried the...

Australian Bloodstock's Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) was the only Group 1 winner lining up for Sunday's G1 Comer Group International Irish St Leger and as he crossed the line alone at The Curragh it certainly looked like it. Always cruising throughout the generously-paced 14-furlong test under a clinically-judged ride from Dylan Browne McMonagle, the 3-1 shot swamped the three-year-old Amiloc (Postponed) a furlong out before powering to a four-length success. "I was able to take my time and every time I asked him he was there," the rider said of...