Pierre Bonnard (Ire)

Declarations for Epsom's G1 Betfred Derby and G1 Betfred Oaks were confirmed Wednesday morning with 14 standing their ground for Saturday's Blue Riband and G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Precise (Starspangledbanner) the only notable absentee from Friday's Oaks. Last month's G3 Chester Vase winner Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) is joined by Aidan O'Brien stablemates Action (Frankel), Christmas Day (Camelot) and Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) as the trainer seeks to enhance his record haul of 11 in the Derby. Other leading contenders Ancient Egypt (Frankel), Bay Of Brilliance (New Bay), Maltese Cross (Sea...

Springing a minor surprise in Sunday's G3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown, Aziz Kheir's James J Braddock (Zarak) swooped late to deny Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) for Joseph in the all-O'Brien affair. Sent off at 9-1 for the 10-furlong prep, the Ballysax fifth was waited with by Dylan Browne McMonagle and delivered in the nick of time to oust Ballydoyle's long-time ante-post Derby favourite in the shade of the post for a short-head verdict. Pierre Bonnard's pacemaking stablemate Endorsement (Wootton Bassett) stuck to his task to be a...

All eyes were on the returning Pierre Bonnard in Sunday's G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes, but it was another of Ballydoyle's sons of Camelot who stepped forward into the Derby picture in Christmas Day. While the former showed how short of a peak he was in a lethargic seventh, last year's G3 Eyrefield Stakes winner delivered under Wayne Lordan to cause an 11-1 upset at the chief expense of another stablemate in Endorsement (Wootton Bassett). Aidan O'Brien had warned before the established Derby trial that last year's Criterium de...

This particular October weekend is so important when it comes to next year's Classics and Aidan O'Brien has simply dominated it in 2025 with Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) bringing up a Sunday Group 1 double at Saint-Cloud and a third overall following the previous day's action at Doncaster. Sent off the 7-10 favourite for the 10-furlong Criterium de Saint-Cloud, the impressive Zetland winner travelled easily for Christophe Soumillon tracking the early pace and when sent on inside the two opened up to score with authority by two lengths from the Donnacha...

Aidan O'Brien will have some of his big guns in action at the weekend, with both Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) and Hawk Mountain (Wootton Bassett) headlining the cast for Doncaster's G1 William Hill Futurity Trophy and Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) supplemented for Sunday's G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. While the impressive G2 Champions Juvenile winner Benvenuto Cellini was initially thought the main hope for Doncaster, O'Brien has added spice by confirming the Beresford winner Hawk Mountain as well as Lambourn's half-brother Action (Frankel). Completing the six-strong line-up for the two-year-old Group...

The subject of a major gamble prior to Saturday's G3 Night Of Thunder Zetland Stakes at Newmarket, Ballydoyle's Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) went through the 10-furlong test smoothly to stake his 2026 Derby claims. Delivered from the pack by Christophe Soumillon to lead passing the two pole, the 6-4 favourite was coaxed clear of stablemate Endorsement (Wootton Bassett) to score by 1 1/2 lengths, with Godolphin's €850,000 BBAG September topper Del Maro (Camelot) a further length away in third. "He looked amazing in the paddock and went to the start so...

5th-Dundalk, €18,000, Mdn, 8-15, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:38.02, st. PIERRE BONNARD (IRE) (c, 2, Camelot {GB}--Sultanina {GB} {G1SW-Eng, $303,395}, by New Approach {Ire}), one place behind the yard's subsequent TDN Rising Star Montreal when fourth on debut at Leopardstown last month, raced in front of the main pack behind the clear early leader. In front approaching the final furlong, the 6-5 favourite stayed on strongly to score by 2 1/4 lengths from Shaihaan (Night Of Thunder). "He's a lovely horse," Ballydoyle's representative Chris Armstrong said of the son of the...