Aidan O'Brien

After all the speculation leading up to Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby, TDN Rising Star City Of Troy (Justify--Together Forever {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) gave an emphatic and euphoric answer to grace Epsom's Blue Riband with one of its finest displays. In huge contrast to Newmarket, where Ryan Moore became embroiled in a half-mile drag race, the champion juvenile of 2023 was in a hack-canter from stall one so often a disadvantage but which for this talented colt turned out a blessing. Able to let the pace play out in front...

In it seems no time at all, Coolmore's big horse City Of Troy (Justify) has gone from "our Frankel" to a colt carrying a huge symbolic question mark over a head that appeared poised to carry racing's crown. There have been few greater anti-climaxes in the history of Ballydoyle than that which accompanied his abject 2,000 Guineas performance and, following the roller-coaster experience of last year's Derby, we are unexpectedly back in familiar territory. What occurred at Epsom last June was heralded as a feat of training without equal as...

As brave as they come, Ballydoyle's Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Attire {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) relished a supreme ride from the front by Ryan Moore to register a first mile-and-a-half career success in Friday's G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom. Having set steady fractions for the first half of the contest, the 9-4 second favourite was asked to stretch running to Tattenham Corner and was all heart in response to get to the line a length ahead of the beloved Haggas veteran Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}). Denied the chance to run...

Yoshito Yahagi has provided a sprinkling of stardust to the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion S. by pencilling the €1.25m Leopardstown highlight in for the Japanese star Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}).  With numerous big-race wins in his home country and international Grade 1 success to his name in Hong Kong and at the Breeders' Cup, Yahagi has now set his sights on Leopardstown on Saturday, September 14 with a colt who finished third in the Japanese Derby last weekend.  Of course, the brother to Sottsass (Fr), who fetched €2.1m at...

Aidan O'Brien will be represented by a trio in Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby, with Ryan Moore staying loyal to last year's champion juvenile City Of Troy (Justify) over the stable's other kingpin Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). As the draw for the Blue Riband took place on Epsom High Street, there was a very public blow to TDN Rising Star City Of Troy's chances as he was handed the dreaded stall one with all its disadvantages, with Los Angeles who will be partnered by Wayne Lordan faring slightly better in...

Twelve fillies will line up in Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks at Epsom, with Aidan O'Brien set to be represented by a duo headed by the likely favourite and TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) drawn on the outside in 12. Ryan Moore sticks with last year's G1 Fillies' Mile winner, with Wayne Lordan on the stable's Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial runner-up Rubies Are Red (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who has drawn six. Their compatriot Ezeliya (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), The Aga Khan homebred from the Dermot Weld stable who captured the...

Almost certainly bred for further than the five furlongs she started over on Tuesday evening, Ballydoyle's regally-bred Truly Enchanting (Ire) (No Nay Never--Alluringly, by Fastnet Rock {Aus}) duly overcame in the style of a top-class prospect to earn TDN Rising Star status in the Visit Tipperary Fillies Maiden at the Limerick Junction track. Niggled along early by Ryan Moore to keep tabs on more precocious rivals, the daughter of the Oaks third Alluringly and half-sister to the G2 Kilboy Estate S. winner Lily Pond (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) really began to...

Aidan O'Brien has confirmed City Of Troy (Justify), Los Angeles (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and outsider Euphoric (GB) (Frankel {GB}) as his three intended runners in the G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday. "That is what we're thinking of, maybe the three," O'Brien said in a Zoom call hosted by France Galop on Tuesday. "Everything seems well with them all at the moment, so that's what we're thinking. "They're giving Friday and Saturday dry [forecast], so you often see the ground can be slow for the Oaks and perfect for...

The sight of a son of Galileo (Ire) out on his own from pillar-to-post at The Curragh might be something soon to be available only in re-runs, but on Sunday his son Chief Little Rock (Ire) offered at least one more exhibition in his honour as Wayne Lordan dominated the G3 Heider Family Stables Gallinule S. Coming on from his return third in Epsom's Listed Blue Riband Trial last month, the G2 Beresford S. and G3 Autumn S. runner-up who started as the 11-4 second favourite had clear daylight on...

Aidan O'Brien has issued a positive bulletin on his big hopes for Classic glory at Epsom, with Betfred Derby favourite City Of Troy (Justify) and Oaks market leader Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) reported in good spirits. City Of Troy must bounce back from a disappointing display in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket where he trailed home in ninth behind Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). However, he was an odds-on shot for that contest on the back of last year's sensational juvenile exploits, which featured an ultra-impressive Dewhurst triumph, and...

Day two of the Curragh's Irish Guineas Festival concluded with a bang when Coolmore and Westerberg's hithero unraced 3-year-old colt Jan Brueghel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Devoted To You {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) outclassed nine rivals in imperious fashion to garner the €20,000 McDonnells Bar Newbridge Irish EBF Maiden and a 'TDN Rising Star' rosette. He becomes the 43rd Rising Star for the Coolmore icon. The June 21 G2 King Edward VII and June 30 G1 Irish Derby entry was swiftly away and raced in a close-up second through halfway in...

Fourteen fillies will line up for Sunday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh, with Ballydoyle's Opera Singer (Justify) the key name among them. Joined by three others from the stable, the impressive G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine was forced to miss Newmarket due to a setback and has stall 13 to contend with under Ryan Moore. Joining her are the G1 Cheveley Park S. runner-up Pearls And Rubies (No Nay Never), the G3 Mutamakina S. runner-up Buttons (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and G3 Salsabil S. third Everlasting (Ire) (Kingman...