Donnacha O'Brien

They have reached dizzy heights as breeders and now Gillian and Vimal Khosla are concentrating on achieving big-race success as owners with Fennela (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a daughter of their outstanding broodmare Green Room (Theatrical {Ire}), in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks. The Khoslas know a thing or two about breeding top-notchers. Green Room is the dam of three Group 1 or Classic winners and the owner-breeders behind the 20-year-old blue hen are hoping there is still more to come.  Lord Shanakill (Speightstown) was the first horse to...

In as tight a finish as it gets, the result of Wednesday's Listed Tipperary S. was decided merely by the way each of the trio Wodao (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}), Ardad's Great (GB) (Ardad {Ire}) and The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) were bobbing as the photo was taken with the former getting the luck as his nose thrust briefly in front of his two rivals. Admirably consistent since his introduction when fifth in the hot six-furlong Curragh maiden Apr. 10 contested by Tough Talk (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), Little Big Bear (Ire)...

After a brief hiatus during Royal Ascot, TDN Europe's weekly Q&A series is back with Real Madrid and Spanish football star Alvaro Odriozola telling Brian Sheerin all about his endeavours in racing so far, his friendship with Joseph O'Brien and his ambitions to own a "horse of a lifetime."  At just 25 years of age, Odriozola has already enjoyed a hugely successful career as a footballer and revealed how he adopts a similar mindset to racehorse ownership and breeding by saying "you have to dream big in order to get...

Aidan O'Brien has supplemented Cazoo Oaks winner Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Saturday.  Tuesday will be ridden by Ryan Moore as she bids to become the third horse to win the Oaks and the Irish Derby, following on from Salsabil (GB) (Sadler's Wells) in 1990 and Balanchine (Storm Bird {Can}) four years later.  O'Brien, a record-breaking 14-time winner of the Irish Derby, has also left Anchorage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and...

ROSEGREEN, Ireland--Ryan Moore will find it difficult to ride anything other than Stone Age (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the Cazoo Derby, according to Aidan O'Brien, who may be without the ace--Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB})--in his Epsom pack, but expects to run up to six colts as he bids for a record-extending ninth win in the race on June 4. Stone Age didn't just open the door to a tilt at the Derby in winning the G3 Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday, he kicked it open and announced himself as...

He won the Oaks as a rider and now Donnacha O'Brien is concentrating on securing more big-race riches at Epsom by confirming Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) to be on course for the Cazoo Derby June 4. Piz Badile announced himself as a genuine Derby contender when fighting tooth and nail to beat Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G3 Ballysax S. at Leopardstown last month and, while O'Brien suggested a return to Leopardstown for the G3 Derrinstown Derby Trial could be a possibility at the time, the trainer...

Aidan, Joseph and Donnacha O'Brien were responsible for six of the nine runners in Saturday's G3 P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax S. and it was the pair of juniors who played out the finish with the youngest prevailing after a thriller involving Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) and Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Flaxman Stables Ireland's Piz Badile had been a half-length second to TDN Rising Star Duke de Sessa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the nine-furlong G3 Eyrefield S. here in October, but had a three-pound pull with that rival...

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. Sunday's Insights features a colt out of Group 1 winner Together Forever. 1.00 Dundalk, Mdn, €14,000, 2yo, 8f (AWT) ABSOLUTE RULER (War Front) is the third foal out of the G1 Fillies' Mile winner Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with her previous two being last year's G3 Tyros S....

Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who won the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at two, is in good form ahead of a start in the G1 Tattersalls 1000 Guineas on May 23. Trainer Donnacha O'Brien reported that the daughter of Guineas winner Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) had emerged from her fifth-place run in the G3 Ballylinch Stud "Priory Belle" 1000 Guineas Trial S. at Leopardstown in April in good order. Breaking her maiden at second asking in July last year, Shale defeated Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) in the...

Classic heroine Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}-Chenchikova {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells) has been retired, according to a tweet from Paul Smith, son of co-owner Derrick Smith. Bred by Coolmore, the bay raced for a Coolmore partnership. "Fancy Blue retires," Derrick's son Paul Smith tweeted of the 3-year-old who sustained a tendon injury in training. "Thank you to Donnacha O'Brien and all connected with her." A winner of a Naas maiden last September and of the Listed Staffordstown Stud S. a month later for Aidan O'Brien at two, Fancy Blue...

After a weekend of intensive testing of GAIN's equine feed ranges, batches and individual ingredients, progress has been made in the investigation into the presence of Zilpaterol in the contaminated feeds, the company announced late on Monday evening. The synthetic beta-agonist Zilpaterol, approved for use as a performance-enhancer in some beef production systems outside the EU, was found in some positive tests on horses that had consumed GAIN products in France last week. GAIN stressed that Zilpaterol has never formed part of any formulation in any GAIN animal nutrition ranges....

Sunday's G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh looked of vintage variety on paper and although it lost a notable in Ballydoyle's Battleground (War Front), an incident-packed renewal ultimately witnessed a colt to quicken the pulse in TDN Rising Star Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Purchased by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez from Anne Marie O'Brien following his scintillating debut success over this course and distance Aug. 9, the 15-2 shot tracked the pace but was holed up with nowhere to go inside the final two furlongs. Declan McDonogh was looking...