Aidan O'Brien

Wednesday's Royal Ascot cards were finalised on Monday, with the feature G1 Prince of Wales's S. made up of 10 runners but not, as expected, White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}). The G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup winner's absence is one less obstacle for Ballydoyle's star colt of 2023, Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), with Cheveley Park Stud's Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Yeguada Centurion's Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) looking the chief threats to the Ballydoyle runner. Blue Rose Cen is joined by compatriots Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}),...

Handed a tough task on debut last month in the G3 Marble Hill S., Ballydoyle's The Parthenon (Ire) (Kingman {GB}--Wonder Of Wonders, by Kingmambo) had finished close enough to Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev) and Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) when fifth in that Curragh contest to justify the audacity of that decision. In calmer waters on Sunday at Gowran Park, the descendant of Urban Sea (Miswaki) showed tenacity as well as class to master the seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. Keen for Wayne Lordan early, the 4-11...

Sunday saw the confirmations for 2024 Royal Ascot's opening day fixture, where the G1 St James's Palace S. is the rightful stage for the coming together of the 2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroes Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}). The latter has been supplemented for the mile contest and is joined by fellow French raider Darlinghurst (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), while Ballydoyle rely on last year's G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. hero Henry Longfellow (Ire)...

The big rematch between Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) is on as the pair are set to line out in the Prince Of Wales's S. at Royal Ascot on Wednesday. Last season's dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin had the edge in those Classic contests, but it was John Murphy's White Birch who accounted for Aidan O'Brien's colt in the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh last month. Nevertheless, the bookmakers have the Ballydoyle runner as their favourite at odds of 7-4, expecting...

The G1 St James's Palace S. is shaping up to be one of the hottest races at Royal Ascot this year and both Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) received positive reports from their respective trainers on Tuesday as they prepare to try and topple Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the day one highlight. Trained by Charlie Appleby, Notable Speech heads the ante-post betting for the St James's Palace following his striking success in the G1 2,000 Guineas, but Richard Hannon has not given...

Coolmore juvenile Easy Mover (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Rain Goddess {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), whose Group 3-winning dam ran second in both G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Pretty Polly S., opened Friday's card at Fairyhouse with a narrow success in the six-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden. The Aidan O'Brien trainee, who is a half-sister to last year's ill-fated Listed Dee S. winner San Antonio (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), prevailed by a head from Ado McGuinness representative Canto Della Terra (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).   1st-Fairyhouse, €18,000, Mdn, 6-7, 2yo, 6fT, 1:15.13, gd....

The seven-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden staged on Leopardstown's Thursday evening card has often played host to a future luminary and the latest renewal could have thrown up another as Ballydoyle's Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Mecca's Angel {Ire}, by Dark Angel {Ire}) earned instant TDN Rising Star status. Settled in mid-division early by Wayne Lordan, the 5-1 shot enjoyed an untroubled run down the outer in the straight as the stable's 8-11 favourite Giselle (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) became ensnared in traffic deeper towards the rail. Surging ahead from...

3rd-Curragh, €20,000, Mdn, 6-5, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:35.75, gd. GRATEFUL (IRE) (f, 3, Galileo {Ire}--Tepin {GISW-Can, G1SW-Eng, MGISW-US, $4,437,918}, by Bernstein), the third foal out of the six-times top-level-winning dual champion turf mare, had not been seen since finishing ninth in this track's seven-furlong conditions race in August in which A Lilac Rolla (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Opera Singer (Justify) were first and second. Racing in mid-pack early, the 13-2 shot stayed on strongly to reel in stablemate Mother Nature (Ire) (Justify) in the final strides and prevail by a...

On the 15th anniversary of the passing of Vincent O'Brien, his successor at Ballydoyle, Aidan O'Brien, extended his record at Epsom to 10 wins in the Derby. Vincent O'Brien's daughter and son-in-law Sue and John Magnier were not at Epsom on Saturday but several of the late, great trainer's grandchildren were in the winner's circle to greet City Of Troy. Their own family is now so strongly enmeshed with the man who shares their grandfather's surname but is no relation to the creator of Ballydoyle. Just like City Of Troy,...

After successfully claiming redemption in the G1 Betfred Derby on Saturday, City of Troy (Justify) has returned to his homebase at Ballydoyle and is going well since arriving late that evening. Aidan O'Brien's stable representative Chris Armstrong gave a positive report for the Derby victor, adding that the goal is to gradually build him back up to full training. "City Of Troy obviously flew over yesterday and got back last night at 10pm. He pulled out well this morning, went out, had a hand-walk and a pick of grass, had...

EPSOM, UK -- This is what vindication looks like: a usually composed superstar trainer with a hint of tears in his eyes, his chest heaving, the emotion a bit too much. City Of Troy was Aidan O'Brien's 10th Derby winner - but this one felt different. It would be ludicrous to say his credibility was on the line, but his words certainly were, and perhaps his judgment, at least in relation to last year's No 1 two-year-old, whose balloon had popped three furlongs out in the 2,000 Guineas. O'Brien has...

EPSOM, UK -- Ryan Moore wouldn't admit to sleepless nights ahead of the Derby despite some intense speculation regarding his mount but he did concede, "It's the one race of the year that you want to win." Moore kept the faith, kept his head, and just like that Coolmore has another enticing stallion prospect.  The legend of Galileo still stalks the Epsom Downs some three years after the horse's death, and there he was again, as the broodmare sire of this year's Derby winner City Of Troy, just as he...