Aidan O'Brien

During a time where rising costs and a shaky underbelly to the yearling and foal market is causing many producers to rejig their approach to the breeding season, James Cloney certainly did his bit to provide smaller breeders either side of the Irish Sea with some much-needed encouragement when Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) entered the Royal Ascot picture by making a winning debut for Aidan O'Brien at Navan last weekend. Sold by the breeder to Coolmore's MV Magnier and Peter Brant's White Birch Farm for 1.25 million gns...

The phrase "we'll never see his or her like again" is poignant, heartfelt, and often not true. To say the all-time greatest in sport has already been and gone traps us in the past. When Frankel won the 2011 2,000 Guineas with radiant ease I called the sports desk of The Observer from the football match I had been sent to cover and urged them to clear the decks for their Newmarket report. "The 2,000 Guineas isn't meant to be won like that," I told my sports editor. A wonder...

Aidan O'Brien annexed the two latest editions of Saturday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at Navan with subsequent Group 2 winners Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never) and River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and he secured the hattrick after 1.25-million guineas Tattersalls Book 1 graduate Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) produced a 'TDN Rising Star' display in the extended five-furlong contest. Aesop's Fables and River Tiber also earned Rising Stars in this event and Camille Pissarro becomes Wootton Bassett's seventh Rising Star. Camille Pissarro dwelt slightly as the...

Twenty-one colts have stood their ground at the latest forfeit stage for the G1 Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, May 4. They include the outstanding juvenile of 2023, City Of Troy (Justify), last seen winning the G1 Dewhurst S. on the Rowley Mile by three and a half lengths. City Of Troy is one of four entries left in the 2,000 Guineas for Aidan O'Brien, the most successful trainer in the history of the Classic with 10 wins. The potential challenge from Ballydoyle is completed by Diego Velazquez...

Long absent but certainly not forgotten by the racing intelligentsia, TDN Rising Star Matrika (Ire) (No Nay Never) stages her comeback in a renewal of Newmarket's G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S. on Wednesday that could yet determine the shape of next month's G1 1000 Guineas. While seen generally as an understudy to Ballydoyle's sidelined Opera Singer (Justify) and other TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Classic picture throughout the winter weeks, there is time for her to emerge as a leading light with this seven-furlong...

Ballydoyle's season cranked up a gear at Leopardstown on Sunday as the No Nay Never pair Battle Cry (Ire) and Samuel Colt (Ire) completed a one-two in the G3 Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" S. Runner-up in the Listed Star Appeal S. at Dundalk in October, Battle Cry who is a son of the listed scorer I'll Have Another (Ire) (Dragon Pulse) was switched off in rear early by Ryan Moore. Launched wide in the straight, the 10-1 shot overhauled his stablemate passing the furlong marker for a half-length success, with...

Class came to the fore in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup as Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ran out an authoritative winner for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. A brother to St Leger hero Capri (Ire), Tower Of London came into the Group 2 contest at Meydan off the back of a cheeky victory in the G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. in Saudi Arabia. Tower Of London built on that victory to post a career best at odds of 2-1, storming home from the rear to run out...

The extended 10-furlong View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Maiden has been used by Aidan O'Brien for his potential Derby colts in recent years and Tuesday's renewal was no exception as Agenda (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}--Different League {Fr}, by Dabirsim {Fr}) became the stable's latest TDN Rising Star. Following on from Galileo's Changingoftheguard (Ire) who two years earlier had won this en route to taking the G3 Chester Vase and G2 King Edward VII S., the highly encouraging third in a seven-furlong Curragh maiden in October was able to fully justify 11-10...

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Headed by the first appearance from the seven World Cup night horses from the yard of Aidan O'Brien, there was a buzz of activity on both the dirt track and turf course Tuesday morning at Meydan proper as well as back on the Tapeta track a couple of furlongs down the road. The Ballydoyle septet slowly ambled out of the tunnel near the 1600-metre starting point on the the dirt surface, led by G3 Red Sea Turf H. hero Tower of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire},...

Group 3 winner Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) has been purchased by Refai Alghuraban, a leading owner in Kuwait. The deal was brokered by Avenue Bloodstock's Mark McStay. Successful in the G3 Killavullan S. in 2022 for the Coolmore partners and trainer Aidan O'Brien, the bay was second in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas to Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) last May. He kick-started his 4-year-old campaign in his 10th lifetime start with a close runner-up effort in the $500,000 Listed Irish Marketing Cup in Doha, Qatar, in February. The son of...

Ryan Moore would have faced a straightforward decision to ride Opera Singer (Justify) in the 1,000 Guineas had Ballydoyle arrived at Newmarket with a full strength squad, according to Aidan O'Brien, who hopes Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) can prove an able deputy to the runaway Prix Marcel Boussac winner on May 5 . O'Brien revealed on Monday that Opera Singer was unlikely to make the 1,000 Guineas after suffering a minor setback which resulted in Ylang Ylang's odds tumbling from 8-1 into as short as 7-2 in places. Speaking...

Aidan O'Brien is busy preparing for what could turn out to be one of his boldest ever campaigns at Ballydoyle with plans in place for City Of Troy (Justify) to tackle the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby followed by an audacious tilt at the Travers S. on the dirt at Saratoga later this summer. Meanwhile, dual Derby and Breeders' Cup hero Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact {Jpn}), arguably the most important older horse to have been kept in training at Ballydoyle for many years, is set to get his campaign underway...