Aidan O'Brien

Coolmore's first-season sire Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (by No Nay Never) was the latest freshman off the blocks on Tuesday as the Ballydoyle newcomer Brighter (Fr) duelled to success in Dundalk's five-furlong Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. Sent off the 13-8 second favourite behind the 11-8 choice Vanity Pays (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), the €110,000 Arqana Deauville October purchase who is a half to the Listed Prix Volterra scorer Charm Appeal (Fr) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) was swiftly away under Ryan Moore and on the flanks of the leader Love Ya (Ire)...

With her sights set firmly on sprinting in 2023, TDN Rising Star Tenebrism (Caravaggio--Immortal Verse {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}) issued an early warning to that brigade with a smooth comeback win in the Listed Cork S. on Saturday. Keen initially for Ryan Moore, the 11-10 favourite eventually settled behind the pace and when cajoled to the front approaching the furlong pole showed her familiar surge to take control and register a 1 3/4-length success from the 3-year-old Wodao (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}). "She could go to Naas in two weeks and...

Observations web blurb: Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring.Wednesday's Observations features a pair of Justify colts debuting for Ballydole at Leopardstown. 1.55 Leopardstown, Mdn, €15,000, 3yo, f, 10fT ALL TIME GREAT (Justify) is the third foal out of the GI E. P. Taylor S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine Curvy (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who has...

4th-Navan, Mdn, 3-29, 3yo, 10fT. GOOLOOGONG (IRE) (c, 3, Australia {GB}--Muwakaba, by Elusive Quality). O-Westerberg, Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith; B-Capital Bloodstock (Ire); T-Aidan O'Brien. The name of Navan winner Gooloogong has an impeccable Down Under connection, being by renowned sire (and Epsom & Irish Derby winner) Australia. In fact, "Gooloogong is a village located in New South Wales, Australia, population 295", according to Wikipedia. The name of the hamlet also evokes (with a very slightly different spelling) that of Australian tennis phenomenon Evonne Goolagong, who was born...

Following on where stablemate Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}) had left off half an hour earlier, Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Athena {Ire}, by Camelot {GB}) supplied further notice that Ballydoyle hold many of the aces in the Classic pack as she swept aside her rivals in Leopardstown's G3 Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" 1,000 Guineas Trial S. on Sunday. Successful in the G3 Silver Flash S. over this seven-furlong trip and track in July, the 2-1 favourite who had last been seen finishing third in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac...

Just a notch below the top at two, TDN Rising Star Hans Andersen (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shadow Hunter {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}) enjoyed the ideal confidence boost on his return in a depleted renewal of Leopardstown's G3 Ballylinch Stud "Red Rocks" 2,000 Guineas Trial S. on Sunday. Second in the G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh in August and fifth in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. back at that venue when last seen the following month, the 8-13 favourite was held up early by Ryan Moore as fellow Ballydoyle runner...

Providing it survives a morning inspection, with the ground currently heavy and more rain forecast, Leopardstown's intriguing Sunday fixture will see a trio of Classic trials flooded with a big Ballydoyle presence including the exciting 'TDN Rising Star' Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Due to make his eagerly-awaited second career start in the G3 P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax S., the centre of much attention at Rosegreen oozed class when beating his talented stablemate and eventual G1 Criterium International runner-up Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the extended mile maiden at Galway...

Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), the Aga Khan's 2022 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up, is likely to renew his rivalry in an early-season rematch with Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G1 Prix Ganay after connections confirmed that is his most likely target on Wednesday. In last year's G1 Irish Champion S., it was the Aidan O'Brien trainee Luxembourg who struck first by beating Jean-Claude Rouget's charge over soft ground at Leopardstown on Sept. 10. With even more give in the ground a month later, the Aga Khan colt...

Aidan O'Brien's 3-year-olds were described as a "strong" group by the trainer on Monday and there was further proof of that at Navan 48 hours later as the yard took the two maidens including the closer with Drumroll (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a full-brother to the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Saxon Warrior (Jpn). Slowly away and forced to play catch-up for much of the Vintage Crop Raceday April 22nd Maiden over a mile, the 13-2 shot stuck to his guns late on as the leaders...

Aidan O'Brien opened the gates of Ballydoyle to the Irish press on Monday morning. It was at this event 12 months ago where the trainer nominated Little Big Bear as being his two-year-old to follow for the year ahead. Without major prompting, O'Brien selected another No Nay Never colt, a brother to Sioux Nation who goes by the name of Alabama, as being the one to keep the right side of this season. He also went into detail about his main Classic contenders and older horses, all of which can...

Aidan O'Brien has nominated Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the ante-post favourite for the 2000 Guineas and the Derby, as being the horse who is most capable of emulating Nijinsky by winning the Triple Crown this season.  If successful, Auguste Rodin would bridge a 53-year gap, and complete a long-held ambition for the master of Ballydoyle, who came agonisingly close to achieving the feat with Camelot (GB) in 2013. Auguste Rodin is understood to have come out of an exercise gallop at the Curragh racecourse on Saturday in good...

After the Mar. 7 scratching stage, 83 horses remain signed on for the 2023 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3. Worth £1.5 million, the 1 1/2-mile contest is the richest race in Britain. Of the 83, 45 are trained in Ireland and of that number, 29 are trained by Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O'Brien for various Coolmore partnerships. Top of the heap are Deep Impact (Jpn)'s G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy hero Auguste Rodin (Jpn) and the late Shadai kingpin's son's Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). The last-named...