Joseph O'Brien sits out tomorrow night's card at Dundalk as Ryan Moore comes over for one ride on the all-weather aboard War Envoy. O'Brien made his debut over jumps at Limerick on Sunday but had stated that he expected to return to action on the level on Wednesday night. The two-time champion jockey has no rides on the card, however. It another sign of the growing role he is set to play at Ballydoyle Moore travels to the Louth course for a sole mount in the featured Listed Patton Stakes. War Envoy, who was placed twice in Group Two company, last season heads a eight-runner field for a quality seven-furlong contest. Other smart two-year-olds making their return to action include Rapid Applause and Convergence.
Joseph O Brien: does not have a ride at Dundalk on Wednesday
PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
O'Brien misses Dundalk as Moore rides Envoy
BY DAVID JENNINGS11:30AM 31 MAR 2015
RYAN MOORE will be on duty at Dundalk on Wednesday night to partner War Envoy in the Listed Patton Stakes, fuelling further speculation that he and not Joseph O'Brien will be on the Ballydoyle big guns this season. Despite stating at Limerick on Sunday that he would be back in Flat action at Dundalk on Wednesday night, Joseph O'Brien has no mounts on the card and instead it will be Moore who partners War Envoy, who carries 9st 3lb, in the feature contest.
Moore has been on board War Envoy twice before, chasing home Estidhkaar in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last September before finishing fifth in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.
The son of War Font has the highest rating of the eight runners with a mark of 111, 1lb clear of Rapid Applause.
Speaking on Sunday when he took fifth on Egyptian Warrior at Limerick on his first jumps ride, O'Brien said. "I will be back riding again on the Flat and will be at Dundalk on Wednesday. After that I might ride over jumps whenever we have a few runners."
John F Kennedy and Joseph O'Brien (Healy Racing Photos)
John F Kennedy has hardened as ante-post favourite for the Investec Derby with Coral following support for Aidan O'Brien's charge on Monday.
An impressive winner of two of his three starts as a juvenile, the son of Galileo was part of the Ballydoyle army working after racing at the Curragh on Sunday.
O'Brien confirmed his charge would follow a well-trodden path to Epsom by running in the major Irish trials and punters have seemingly taken that as a positive, with Coral trimming him to 4-1 from 5-1 for the June Classic.
"Aidan O'Brien has stated that John F Kennedy will head to Epsom via the Ballysax Stakes and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, the path his first two Derby winners - Galileo and High Chaparral - took, and that news seems to have prompted further support for the ante-post favourite," said Coral's David Stevens.
John F Kennedy's stable companions Ol' Man River and Highland Reel are second and third in Coral's Derby market at 8-1 and 10-1 respectively.
Gleneagles (white cap and sleeves) gallops at the Curragh on Sunday
PICTURE: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)
Reel and Gleneagles top O'Brien's Guineas team
BY TONY O'HEHIR7:48PM 29 MAR 2015
BATTLE plans for Aidan O'Brien's Classic contenders became clearer on Sunday with Gleneagles and Highland Reel spearheading the trainer's assault on the Qipco 2,000 Guineas.
O'Brien took a team of over 60 horses for a steady gallop at the Curragh after racing on Sunday as the Ballydoyle maestro begins to ready his star names for the months ahead.
While the soft ground at the Curragh resulted in the workout being less strenuous than planned, the likes of Ryan Moore and Joseph O'Brien were able to get a feel for their potential Classic mounts on the racecourse.
Discussing plans for his runners, O'Brien said ante-post 2,000 Guineas favourite Gleneagles was likely to be joined by as many as three stablemates at Newmarket on May 2.
"Gleneagles and Highland Reel look like being our main two for the Guineas and it's possible that Sir Isaac Newton could go there too," O'Brien said. "We're not ruling out Ol' Man River either although he could go for one of the Derby trials instead.
"Joseph said Gleneagles didn't like the ground [today] and that was not a surprise. We were planning to do more with them but the rain they got here last night and the night before changed the ground and our plans. Joseph and Ryan were happy with the horses they rode."
O'Brien's Qipco 1,000 Guineas possibles were also in action at the Curragh, although the trainer revealed Newmarket favourite Found only did a light workout following a temperature.
He said: "Ryan was very happy with Together Forever while Found did very little today as she had a temperature about three weeks ago. We're looking at the 1,000 Guineas for them."
Aidan O'Brien trained horses are pictured working out after racing at the Curragh (Healy Racing Photos)
Aidan O'Brien has nominated Gleneagles and Highland Reel as his two likely Qipco 2000 Guineas contenders after the trainer sent a huge string to gallop after racing at the Curragh.
Over 60 of O'Brien's massive team had an away day, including those towards the head of the betting for the Classics.
Among the first group of 23 in action were Gleneagles, ridden by Joseph O'Brien, who had earlier been riding over hurdles at Limerick, and Highland Reel, partnered by Ryan Moore.
Other notable horses taking part included Ol' Man River, the sprinter Due Diligence and Dick Whittington.
In the second group of 23 Moore was on John F Kennedy, who moved particularly strongly, with O'Brien on Jamaica and Seamie Heffernan on Giovanni Canaletto.
The third and final group included Tapestry, ridden by Brian O'Neill, Together Forever (Moore) and Found (Michael Hussey).
"The ground was very heavy, and they only half-speeded on the bridle. They weren't asked to do a lot, a bit like we did with Australia last year. We had intended doing more with them but the ground went against us over the weekend," said O'Brien.
"Ryan (Moore) was very happy with all his (Highland Reel, John F Kennedy and Together Forever). Joseph said Gleneagles would not be mad about the ground, and Ryan said the same about Highland Reel.
"Gleneagles and Highland Reel look like our two Guineas horses at this stage. Sir Isaac Newton is a Galileo with plenty of speed and could be another to run in the Guineas.
"It's possible Ol' Man River could run in the Guineas with a view to stepping him up in trip to the Derby after that. John F Kennedy will probably run in the Ballysax and the Derrinstown Derby Trial.
"Found had a temperature about three weeks ago and only cantered up today. It was just a day out for her.
"I'm not sure that Dick Whittington will stay as he behaves like a sprinter. He could run in a Guineas Trial but I'd not be sure he'll stay a mile.
"Tapestry went nicely today and could run before the Tattersalls (Gold Cup), but she wouldn't want bad ground.
"I have the Listed race over a mile at Leopardstown (Heritage Stakes) in mind for Cougar Mountain. He could always step back in trip after that. I blame myself for running him in the wrong races last year, and I went back too quick with him in the July Cup.
"Due Diligence may go for the Gladness. I'm not sure he will stay, and think he could be a six-furlong horse. Nina (Carberry) said he didn't like the ground.
"I was happy with Geoffrey Chaucer and he'll probably run in the Mooresbridge."
Aidan O'Brien has confirmed Ryan Moore will ride more for Ballydoyle this year than he has in previous seasons.
The multiple champion trainer revealed on Friday his son Joseph was "a little heavy" to resume Flat racing duties at the start of the season and as a result, Moore jetted back from Dubai to ride for O'Brien at the Curragh on Sunday.
While the Ballydoyle handler confirmed Joseph will return to ride on the level, after having his first ride over jumps on Sunday's card at Limerick, he admits his weight is becoming an increasingly difficult problem and Moore looks set to be used on a more regular basis.
"We've a good relationship with Ryan and we always have. We used Ryan more last year than we did the year before and hopefully it will be that way again this year - we'll use him more this year than we did last year," O'Brien told At The Races.
"We're delighted Ryan is there and he is riding for us."
O'Brien junior, meanwhile, is set to return to Flat racing at Dundalk on Wednesday, but his father is unsure how long he can go on battling his weight.
He said: "Obviously nine stone has been a problem for the last two seasons and last year it was a big problem. This year he's heavier than he was this time last year.
"He'll go gently and we'll see what will happen. There's no doubt he'll come back down to the Flat gently and how far down he'll go, we'll wait and see. The Guineas is only just over a month away, so we'll play it by ear for the moment.
"It's fun and enjoyment for Joseph (riding over jumps) and he loves doing it. I suppose it was me that was keeping him away all the time really. "
O'Brien jnr finished down the field on his first appearance over jumps at Limerick on the JP McManus-owned Egyptian Warrior in the Family Fun Day Rated Novice Hurdle. His mount jumped neatly and travelled well for a long way, but was a well-beaten fifth.
On returning, the jockey said: "It was different, but I enjoyed it. He popped away although the ground was a bit slow for him.
"I'll be back at Dundalk on Wednesday and af ter that I might ride over jumps whenever we have a few runners. I will be back riding again on the Flat."
He then left for the Curragh to ride some of the Ballydoyle top-notchers in their work after racing, including 2000 Guineas favourite Gleneagles.
Despite being virtually friendless with punters The Warrior got off the mark on his fifth career start as he took the Big Bad Bob Maiden under Ryan Moore for Aidan.
Available at 5/4 last night he opened on-course at 9/4, touching 3/1, before going off the market leader at 11/4.
Drawn near the rail in stall twenty-two he was settled in mid-division and was pushed along two furlongs out.
He made progress through the field from over a furlong out and came through to lead in the final 150 yards, going on to score by two and a half lengths.
Aidan commented in the aftermath: "He'd good runs last year and was rated (106) to do that. You are never sure first time how they are. I usually come here thinking they are fit and find out that they aren't.
"It will be interesting to see how the other horses get on today.
"We have brought 63 horses to work after racing, and all the main three-year-olds are here. They will go in three groups with two groups of 23 and another of 20. They will all probably do a mile."
Did Not Go Through The Sales Ring - Dams First Foal.
Montjeu (IRE) — Honorlina (FR) (by Linamix) (14Mar13 b c)
675,000 GNS Purchase at Tatts 2014 - Sire holds the record for amount of Derby winners sired and this colt is one of the few remaining yearlings by Montjeu. Dam ran twice, winning one over 1m in France and yearling is a sister to Vahorimix, top class miler Volisix, dual 10f winner at 3, Kiddy Sing dual 9-10f winner at 3 and is also a half sister to Greenvador who was a dual 6-7f winner at 3.
Montjeu (IRE) — Moving Diamonds (by Lomitas)
Did Not Go Through The Sales Ring - Half Brother to Listed winner Dinkum Diamond & multiple race winner Clock Opera.
Montjeu (IRE) — Seatone (USA) (by Mizzen Mast)
Did Not Go Through The Sales Ring - Dams first foal. Dam was a race winner in France.
Joseph O'Brien: rides Egyptian Warrior for his father and JP McManus
PICTURE: Patrick McCann (raciingpost.com/photos)
Hurdles debut for Flat champion O'Brien
BY JOHNNY WARD6:51AM 29 MAR 2015
LIMERICK is expecting its crowd to be swollen today as Joseph O’Brien has his first ride over hurdles in a development very few envisaged would happen so soon.
Twice champion Flat jockey, O’Brien was expected to be riding at the Curragh today, and although he will be present there it will be after racing to ride work on some of his father Aidan’s large team of horses, many of whom are bound for the Classics.
O’Brien, 21, surprised the racing world on Friday when admitting he was too heavy to ride at the Curragh and there was even more amazement when he was declared as the rider of Egyptian Warrior, trained by his father and owned by JP McManus, in the Family Fun Day Rated Novice Hurdle (3.30).
Limerick general manager Conor O’Neill said: “It’s fantastic to have Joseph riding over hurdles here. He’s a dual champion Flat jockey and certainly it’s a massive attraction. We’re delighted to be welcoming him here to make his debut over hurdles, particularly on a horse trained by his father in JP’s silks.
“It adds to the occasion and it’s one of those things people are going to come to see – it’s a bit like Tony McCoy retiring. It will be a very special day.”
Carlo Bugatti (Right) Pokes his head in front to win on his 2nd start in Australia
Carlo Bugatti has managed to win at the second attempt in Australia. He Finished a promising 3rd at Flemmington on Debut Down under earlier this month but yesterday found his way to the winners enclosure at Mornington getting the money in the $50,000 Land Engineering Handicap.
Ryan Moore refuses to quell speculation of closer links with Ballydoyle
Ryan Moore declined to comment in Dubai on speculation that has linked him with a move to join Aidan O’Brien’s powerful Ballydoyle stable in Ireland.
Moore rode The Grey Gatsby into second place in the Dubai Turf, one of the most valuable turf races of the year, and was due to fly to Ireland immediately after the world’s richest meeting to ride four horses for O’Brien at The Curragh on Sunday. Moore was booked for the rides after it emerged on Friday that Joseph O’Brien, the trainer’s son and stable jockey, is “a little heavy” to ride on the Flat at present and will ride instead over hurdles at Limerick the same afternoon.
Moore, who is married and a father, has insisted that he is settled in Newmarket, where he is stable jockey to Sir Michael Stoute. Moore is already established as the main backup rider to Joseph O’Brien when his commitments to Stoute allow, and rode Ruler Of The World to win the Derby for Ballydoyle in 2013.
Should Joseph O’Brien prove unable to continue in his role as his father’s stable jockey, it is possible that Moore would hope to take on as many of the significant rides at Ballydoyle as possible without moving from his home in Newmarket.
A more pressing question than Moore’s immediate status, however, is just how many pounds O’Brien needs to lose before he can return to his role as Ballydoyle’s main jockey. If he is just a pound or two above his usual weight at this point in the season, he has several weeks in which to lose it before his first significant engagement of the season, aboard his father’s colt Gleneagles in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket. If the normal growing process has left another 5lb or 6lb on O’Brien’s 6ft frame over the winter, however, there may be little or nothing that the 21-year-old can do to shed it.
Competitive Edge 2012 BC Super Saver x Magdalena's Rose made a winning return to the races yesterday at Gulfstream Park in taking the Tamarac Stakes by just over 8 lengths. Making his first start since winning the G1 Hopeful at Saratoga last year, due to a hairline fracture. He is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Nancy Favreau, Kathy Psoinos & Micheal Tabor who bought a stake in the horse after winning his debut by over 12 lengths.
Also Alice Bamford & Michael Tabor have teamed up to purchase a 2011 G/R Filly Clodovil (IRE) x Sweet Times (GB) named Thewandaofu (IRE). Previously trained by Jamie Osbourne, she is now in the United States for trainer Simon Callaghan. She has a record of 8 - 2- 3 - 0 $21,132
JOSEPH O’BRIEN FLAT RECORD (2009-2014) By Andrew O'Brien
Joseph O'Brien, son of legendary trainer Aidan O’Brien, was born on 23rd May 1993. He won a bronze medal at the 2009 European Pony Championships and was one of three jockeys who shared the Irish champion apprentice jockeys title in 2010. When winning his first jockeys championship at the age of 19 in 2012, he was the first jockey in over 60 years to be crowned apprentice one year and champion jockey the next.
He rode his first winner on Johann Zoffany, trained by his father, at Leopardstownon 28th May 2009, five days after his 16th birthday, and gained his first classic success when Roderic O'Connor won the 2011 Irish 2,000 Guineas, two days before his 18th birthday.
His first Group 1 victory in Britain was on Camelot (2011 Racing Post Trophy) and amazingly became the youngest jockey ever to win a Breeders Cup race at the age of 18 when partnering St Nicholas Abbey to victory in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Turf.
In 2012 Aidan and Joseph, became the first father-son/trainer-jockey combination to win the Epsom Derby, with Camelot
In October 2013, O'Brien broke a 20-year-old record with a treble at Navan to get his 117th winner of the season and beat the previous record set by Mick Kinane.
On 27th March 2015, It was announced his weight was heavy, and he would be going jumping on Sunday in Limerick, instead of the Curragh for the start of the flat season.
After news broke today that Joseph O'Brien is going to be riding over jumps at Limerick on Sunday with Ryan Moore stepping in for Ballydoyle at the Curragh, more news has emerged tonight that Ryan will take a more advanced role in the Ballydoyle ranks this season.
Rumours circulated last season that Ryan was already getting second pick on the Ballydoyle string in major races, and to see he will be riding more often for Ballydoyle now can only suggest that he is slowly but surely creeping away from Sir Michael Stoute, for whom he has been stable jockey now for a number of seasons.
As mentioned earlier on today, Moore has a tremendous record when riding for Aidan O'Brien, and he won four Group 1's last season, starting with Marvellous in the Irish 1000 Guineas and finishing with Adelaide in the Cox Plate, a first Australian triumph for Aidan, with Found (Prix Marcel-Boussac) and a Secretariat Stakes triumph also on Adelaide.
Moore's bookings on Sunday at the Curragh are The Warrior (2:40), Easter (3:45) and Jacobean (5:25) who all have big chances of getting their seasons off to a flyer.
It now seems with Joseph admitting earlier today to the Racing Post that he is still a bit heavy, he is starting to edge towards the National Hunt side of the game and we could well see that transition come before the season is out.
(By Kingsbarns - Journalist for aidanobrienfansite.com)
General manager Paul Hensey is relishing the prospect of the likes of Gleneagles, Ol' Man River and John F Kennedy working after racing at the Curragh on Sunday.
Paul Hensey (Left)
Curragh General manager Paul Hensey is relishing the prospect of the likes of Gleneagles, Ol' Man River and John F Kennedy working after racing at the Curragh on Sunday.
Gleneagles tops the ante-post betting for the Qipco 2000 Guineas while his two stablemates are also high in the list for the Newmarket Classic as well as heading the market for the Investec Derby.
"It's something that has become a bit of a tradition. Aidan has a big team of horses booked in," Hensey told At The Races.
"He has 70 horses booked in to gallop after racing on Sunday. It will be lovely to see those horses and see how they've wintered.
"It's great for people to see the horses for the first time in the new season."
This photo is Cherry Hinton winner You'resothrilling and her filly foal by Galileo last week.
YOUNG Coolmore broodmare You'resothrilling has achieved a feat even those two legendary producers of the modern era, Urban Sea and Hasili, did not: she has delivered two Group 1 winners from her first two foals. Extraordinarily, that accomplishment could be converted into two Classic winners from her first two foals if ante-post betting is a reliable guide. After her first foal, Marvellous, landed the Irish 1000 Guineas last year, that filly's brother Gleneagles, winner of the National Stakes and first past the post in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, has been the subject of a recent gamble and is now clear favourite for the 2000 Guineas in May. Although such a stunning start to a stud career is astonishing, it is not entirely surprising they if any mare was going to do it, it should have been You'resothrilling, as she was a high-class runner in her own right with an impeccable pedigree.
The bay/brown mare was bred in the US by the Coolmore-related entity Pacelco after its sent Rahy mare Mariah's Storm, a dual Grade 2 winner over a mile in America, to brilliant sire Storm Cat - the same mating that had produced 'iron horse' Giant's Causeway eight years earlier. Coolmore supremo John Magnier had bought Mariah's Storm for $2.6 million at the 1996 Keeneland November Sale when she carrying Giant's Causeway, who would go on to illuminate the 2000 season by battling to victory in six races - five of them Group 1s - from ten starts.
Giant's Causeway has become one of the best stallions in the world by supplying 30 top-level winners, while his year-younger brother Freud, who finished third in the Cork and Orrery Stakes, is a leading sire in New York. Mariah's Storm - who last June delivered her 13th live foal, a Galileo filly who is sister to Ballyogan Stakes third Hanky Panky - has been represented by seven winners, all of whom have collected blacktype. Beside Giant's Causeway, You'resothrilling is the dam's only other stakes winner. That honour was gained in her two-year-old season, when she was sent out by Aidan O'Brien to win the Group 3 Swordlestown Stud Sprint Stakes by a length from subsequent dual Group 1 heroine Saoirse Abu and the Cherry Hinton Stakes by the same margin. She might have also landed the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot in between those victories but for fly-jumping leaving the stalls and being hampered a furlong from home before being beaten into second.
You'resothrilling made her belated three-year-old debut in a vintage Matron Stakes and outran her odds of 20-1 to finish fourth on heels of Group 1 winners Lush Lashes, Nahoodh and Halfway To Heaven. A disappointing eighth in the Prix de l'Oprea, the only time she was sent beyond a mile, was her next and final start. Coolmore have sent You'resothrilling to Galileo in every year of her paddock career, so Marvellous and Gleneagles have a two-year-old sister, a yearling brother and a foal sister born on February 27. The operation might not win any prizes for originality, but when the aim is to produce stallions, why wouldn't you want to match increasingly influential sire of sores Galileo with a high-class sister of a tough and talented performer and champion sire on Giant's Causeway?
An interview with Gleneagles' regular rider Joseph O'Brien in the Racing Post this week suggested the plan had worked.
"He is closely related to Giant's Causeway and he would remind you of him in an awful lot of ways," he said. "I'm really excited about him. His home work is very good but never exceptional. He never wins by ten length at the track - he knows when he's enough done,"
You'resothrilling may still have a long way to go to match the exemplary breeding records of Urban Sea and Hasili - both of whom she has links to, incidentally; her regular date Galileo is of course out of Urban Sea, while she and Hasili share the same fifth maternal granddam, Grade 1 winner Itsabet - but she is certainly on the road to stardom.
Boasting a top-notch pedigree and a Group 1 win, Gleneagles had likely already secured a job at Coolmore, but a victory in the 2,000 Guineas would guarantee him even better mares from breeders and give him a fair chance of becoming a leading stallion - just what a brilliant broodmare like You'resothrilling needs to earn the elusive epithet always associated with Urban Sea and Hasili: blue hen.
Race Record: Won two of her seven starts, viz. Cherry Hinton S-G2, Swordlestown Stud Sprint S-G3
Produce Record: Marcellous, won Irish 1000 Guineas-G1; Gleneagles, won National S-G1, Futurity S-G2, Tyros S-G3; also 2yo filly, yearling colt and filly foal. All by Galileo.
INVESTEC DERBY favorite John F Kennedy is unlikely to run in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, trainer Aidan O'Brien has revealed.
O'Brien said his leading Derby hope, who is a best-priced 6-1 for the Epsom Classic, would stay in Ireland for two Leopardstown races on April 12 and May 10, implying a run in the 2,000 Guineas on May 2 is not planned.
John F Kennedy was priced at between 10-1 and 16-1 for the 2,000 Guineas."At this stage it looks like we’ll stay at home with him for his two trials in the Ballysax and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial," O'Brien said.
Australia and Camelot, who won the Derby for O'Brien in 2014 and 2012 respectively, both ran in the 2,000 Guineas (placing third and first) before going on to Epsom. Ruler Of The World, however, who won the 2013 Derby , was not involved in the Guineas.
John F Kennedy won two of his three races as a juvenile, closing the season with a solid victory in a Leopardstown Group 3.
Speaking to ATR, O'Brien said: "He has done well over the winter and everything seems fine with him so far. He was very babyish in all of his three starts last year, even after his third start he was whinnying in the winner’s enclosure after all the other horses went out of the ring.
"We think he has grown up mentally this year, but the fact he was so babyish last year means that it probably makes sense to keep him at home for his first couple of starts rather than pitching him in deep by travelling abroad early this season."
O'Brien added that John F Kennedy would be one of his string of horses working at the Curragh on Sunday. Other horses among the Curragh party include 2,000 Guineas favourite Gleneagles, who is just 7-2 for the Newmarket Classic after considerable recent support.
Gleneagles will be in action at the Curragh on Sunday
Qipco 2000 Guineas favourite Gleneagles will strut his stuff at the Curragh on Sunday after Aidan O'Brien confirmed the exciting colt will be part of the Ballydoyle contingent working after racing.
The son of Galileo won four of his six starts as a juvenile, grabbing Group One glory in the National Stakes, and also passed the post in front in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longhamp only to be subsequently disqualified for causing interference.
Gleneagles has been heavily supported for the season's first Classic at Newmarket and O'Brien is delighted with his condition. Speaking in a stable tour with At The Races, the trainer said: "Everything seems fine with him so far. He's a Galileo with a lot of speed and he doesn't do much once he gets to the front, which is coming through from his pedigree as a lot of them were like that.
"He's a full-sister to Marvellous, but he's a much stronger traveller and pacier horse than she was. He would have had no problem winning over six furlongs last year if we'd asked him too and he has more than enough pace for a Guineas.
"You'd imagine he'll get a mile and a quarter, but you couldn't be sure he'll get much further than that.
"He'll go for a spin at the Curragh on Sunday and we'll sit down and make a plan for him after that."
O'Brien also revealed he sees impressive Vintage Stakes winner Highland Reel as a horse that "could go straight to the Guineas."
The chief Derby hope for the yard appears to be John F Kennedy, while Ol' Man River is another likely Classic candidate. That pair are also bound for the Curragh this weekend.
"He (John F Kennedy) has done well over the winter and everything seems fine with him so far," said O'Brien.
"He was very babyish in all of his three starts last year, even after his third start he was whinnying in the winner's enclosure after the other horses went out of the ring.
"At this stage it looks like we'll stay at home with him for his two trials in the Ballysax and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial.
"We think he has grown up mentally this year, but the fact he was so babyish last year means that it probably makes sense to keep him at home for his first couple of starts rather than pitching him in deep by travelling abroad early this season.
"Fast ground won't be a problem, he has a big stride and plenty of speed. He will go to the Curragh on Sunday for a day away with the rest of them.
"Ol' Man River is very good and is doing everything right so far. He's always been a very mature horse that shows plenty of pace in his work and while we haven't made any decisions yet, he could go the Guineas route.
"He's a bit like Camelot in that he's much pacier than the vast majority of the Montjeu's we've had, which is making us think about the Guineas. He wouldn't be certain to get the Derby trip.
"You'd imagine he'd travel around Epsom very strongly and you couldn't be sure what's going to happen from the two-furlong pole.
"We'll bring him to the Curragh on Sunday and make our plans after that."
O'Brien revealed Aloft and Archangel Raphael could slot into Derby trials in the spring, with the Lingfield Derby Trial nominated for the latter.
Dick Whittington, who won the Phoenix Stakes on his sixth juvenile start, could go down the French Guineas route.
Aidan O’Brien is simply a phenomenon in the world of racing. A record-breaking National Hunt trainer in the initial stages of his career, his abundant talents didn’t go unnoticed and he was appointed as the trainer in the historic Ballydoyle complex in 1996 at the age of just 26,writesKevin Blake.
He quickly established himself as a dominant force in Irish Flat racing and has then since broken every record worth breaking and won every race worth winning in Europe and beyond.
As always, O’Brien has an array of stars in his care for the new season and he was good enough to sit down with attheraces.com to exclusively discuss Ballydoyle’s prospects for the 2015 season.
ALOFT 3 b c Galileo – Dietrich (by Storm Cat) Rated 111, he won a maiden at Newmarket prior to finishing a never-nearer second in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. “The first day at Gowran he took forever to get going and then went to the line strong and at Newmarket you’d think he would have went and won well, but he took a long time to get going again. The ground was plenty soft for him in the Racing Post Trophy and you’d imagine he’d prefer it much better than that being a good-moving Galileo. They also went steady enough that day and it didn’t really suit. He was a bit babyish mentally last year and we always thought he’d be a nice middle-distance type as a three-year-old. He’s probably more of a one for a Derby trial rather a Guineas trial.”
ARCHANGEL RAPHAEL 3 b c Montjeu – La Sylvia (by Oasis Dream)
Rated 94, he made a promising debut at Killarney prior to winning a maiden at Galway in September. “He was a bit unlucky at Killarney and won well at Galway, but he didn’t travel that well and made hard work of it through the race. Maybe it was just greenness, mental immaturity or the track not suiting him, but whatever the case you’d imagine he’d be a mile-and-a-quarter horse this season. He could be a horse for the Lingfield Derby Trial.”
BANTRY BAY 3 ch c Galileo – Play Misty For Me (by Danehill Dancer)
An unraced full-bother to Quest For Peace that is entered in the Derby. “A massive good-looking horse. He’s doing everything really nice and looks like a horse that would be starting off over at least a mile-and-a-quarter. He’ll go to the Curragh on Sunday and we’ll see how he goes.”
CENOTAPH 3 b c War Front – Sanserif (by Fasliyev)
A 210,000gns purchase at the Craven Breeze-Up Sale at Tattersalls, he finished a never-nearer second to Endless Drama in a six-furlong maiden at Naas in October. “He ran a nice race at Naas, but was no match for the winner on the day. He’ll prefer better ground than he got that day. We thought he might be ready to run in the six-furlong maiden at the Curragh on Sunday, but we’ve decided that we’ll work him up there after racing instead. He could stay a mile in time, but we’ll probably run him over shorter trips for the time being.”
COUGAR MOUNTAIN 4 b c Fastnet Rock – Descant (by Nureyev)
Rated 112, he made a winning debut in a maiden at Naas in June and ran an excellent race for one so inexperienced when fifth in the July Cup at Newmarket prior to acquitting himself well in the Nunthorpe at York and Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock. "He’s good and we’re very happy with him. We probably rushed him a bit last year. We panicked a bit after he won his maiden so well and sent him to the July Cup when he wasn’t really ready for it, which probably wasn’t fair to him. It was probably the wrong thing to do to run him in the Nunthorpe and the ground wasn’t suitable for him when he ran in the Haydock Sprint Cup. He’ll be ready to go early enough and will work at the Curragh on Sunday. We might even try and run him over a bit longer trips this season, as we think he has a chance of staying seven furlongs or maybe even a mile. Fastnet Rocks seem to improve with age and fast ground will suit him best. We always thought he was a really nice horse.”
DICK WHITTINGTON 3 b c Rip Van Winkle – Sahara Sky (by Danehill) Rated 115, he won the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh in August on what was his sixth start of the campaign. “He had a great season last year. Even though he’s by Rip Van Winkle, I don’t think he’s going to stay that far. I’d say if he gets a mile, he’ll be barely getting it. The Rip Van Winkle’s we have had tend to go like a fast horses and think like fast horses. He does bend his knee a bit, but I don’t think he necessarily wants soft ground. Good-to-firm ground shouldn’t be a problem. He’ll work at the Curragh on Sunday and could start in a Guineas trial, possibly in France.”
DUE DILIGENCE 4 b c War Front – Bema (by Pulpit) Rated 116, he was trained as a two-year-old by Todd Pletcher in America prior to joining O’Brien last season and he quickly progressed into a high-class sprinter, finishing second in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, which proved to be his final start of the season. “He picked up a hairline fracture in his pelvis last season and that’s why he didn’t run again after Royal Ascot. He’s back perfect now and is working very well. He’ll be trained for all those big sprint races. Joseph rode him over seven furlongs at Dundalk early last season and felt that trip was far enough for him at the time, but Ryan Moore rode him later in the season and thought that he’d have a good chance of getting seven furlongs, so as he continues to mature he might get it. You’d imagine he’d progress from three to four.”
EASTER 3 b f Galileo – Missvinski (by Stravinsky) Rated 96, she built on her promising debut at Navan when beating the well-regarded Stellar Glow in a maiden at Leopardstown. “She’s entered to run in the Park Express Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday and might run there if there isn’t too rain about. It was on the soft side the two times she ran and I think it’s the case of the better the ground, the better it would suit her. We have a nice bunch of three-year-old fillies this year and we’ll see how she fits in amongst them.”
FATHER FROST 3 b c Rip Van Winkle – Yaria (by Danehill) An unraced colt from the family of Yara, he is entered in the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Irish Derby. “We always liked him a lot and he just had a few setbacks last year that kept him off the track. He was probably our favourite Rip Van Winkle all along, but he just didn’t get his chance to run. He isn’t short of speed and could be a miler in the making. He’s going to work at the Curragh on Sunday.”
FOUND 3 b f Galileo – Red Evie (by Intikhab) Rated 117, she built on her promising third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes when winning the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp in October. “She had a bit of a temperature a few weeks ago, so we eased off her a little bit. She’s in good form now and will go to the Curragh for a little canter on Sunday. She’s in all the Classics and I think she’ll be quick enough for a mile, though Joseph and Ryan both think she’ll get a mile-and-a-half. The one thing is that she’s a big filly and while I don’t think she wants soft ground, she does have a round enough action and you wouldn’t necessarily want to belt her off really fast ground at Newmarket this early in the season as she’s a filly you’d look forward to through the whole year.”
FLUFF 3 b f Galileo – Sumora (by Danehill) An unraced full-sister to the top-class juvenile Maybe, she is entered in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Irish Oaks. “She’s a nice filly that we always liked. She’s big, so we took her time with her. We’ll start her off at around a mile and see how she goes from there.”
GEOFFREY CHAUCER 4 b c Montjeu – Helsinki (by Machiavellian) Rated 110, he won the Beresford Stakes as a two-year-old, but failed to deliver on Derby hopes as a three-year-old, finishing well beaten at Epsom and in the German equivalent. “We think he can improve this season. He has plenty of pace and I don’t think he’ll get any further than a mile-and-a-half. We’re hopeful he can get back on track this year.”
GIOVANNI CANALETTO 3 ch c Galileo – Love Me True (by Kingmambo) Rated 99, he improved notably from his debut at Navan to run out the impressive wide-margin winner of a mile maiden at Leopardstown in October. “He’s in good shape. He was very green in both his starts last year, fast asleep both days. To be fair, it’s a sleepy pedigree, they are all very lazy. He’s a bigger, rangier horse than his half-brother Duke Of Marmalade and his full-brother Ruler Of The World and he put on a lot of weight over the winter. He’ll gallop at the Curragh on Sunday and he’ll go down the Derby trial route.”
GLENEAGLES 3 b c Galileo – You’resothrilling (by Storm Cat) Rated 116, he is a full-brother to the Irish 1000 Guineas winner Marvellous and was a leading juvenile last season, winning the National Stakes at the Curragh and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp only to be disqualified for causing interference in the latter contest. “Everything seems fine with him so far. He’s a Galileo with a lot of speed and he doesn’t do much once he gets to the front, which is coming through from his pedigree as a lot of them were like that. He’s a full-sister to Marvellous, but he’s a much stronger traveller and pacier horse than she was. He would have had no problem winning over six furlongs last year if we’d asked him too and he has more than enough pace for a Guineas. You’d imagine he’ll get a mile-and-a-quarter, but you couldn’t be sure he’ll get much further than that. He’ll go for a spin at the Curragh on Sunday and we’ll sit down and make a plan for him after that.”
HIGHLAND REEL 3 b c Galileo – Hveger (by Danehill) Rated 109, he won a mile maiden at Gowran Park by 12 lengths prior to running out the impressive winner of the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood. “Everything has gone well with him. He didn’t run after Goodwood, but he didn’t have any sort of setback at all. The way we decided to approach some of the two-year-olds last year was that we’d run them to educate them and when they showed us enough we were going to leave them off. We ended up giving a lot of them two or three runs and leaving it at that rather than kicking on, just to give them more of a chance to mature. Like Gleneagles, he’s a strong traveller that shows plenty of speed and I wouldn’t be sure he’ll stay much further than a mile. He might get a mile-and-a-quarter, but after that I don’t know. He’s a horse that could go straight to the Guineas, but that decision hasn’t been made yet.”
JACOBEAN 3 b c High Chaparral – Civility Cat (by Tale Of The Cat) Made a promising debut in a maiden at the Curragh and was sent off at just 3/1 for the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster prior to finishing a modest fourth. “We took the chance of bringing him and another unexposed horse in Aloft to the Racing Post Trophy as we didn’t want to be keeping the horses that had already been on the go for a few months on the boil for a race as late as Doncaster, so it suited to run those two as they had only started off and needed the education. He was a little bit disappointing on the day and maybe the steady pace there didn’t suit him. He bends his knee a little bit, but he should be fine on better ground. We have him entered in a maiden at the Curragh on Sunday and he might run there.”
JAMAICA 3 gr c Galileo – Dialafara (by Anabaa) Rated 102, he won a maiden at the Galway Festival prior to finishing fourth in the Acomb Stakes at York in August. “We liked him when he ran at Galway and we thought he ran a very good race in the Acomb. He was trapped out wide and Joseph said he could just never get a sit on him, so it was a good run in the circumstances. We felt he had enough done after that and were happy to put him away. He’ll be another one for a Derby trial.”
JOHN F KENNEDY 3 b c Galileo – Rumplestiltskin (by Danehill) Rated 112, he is a highly-regarded full-brother to Tapestry that won a maiden at the Curragh prior to impressing in the Juvenile Turf Stakes at Leopardstown in September “He has done well over the winter and everything seems fine with him so far. He was very babyish in all of his three starts last year, even after his third start he was whinnying in the winner’s enclosure after all the other horses went out of the ring. At this stage it looks like we’ll stay at home with him for his two trials in the Ballysax and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. We think he has grown up mentally this year, but the fact he was so babyish last year means that it probably makes sense to keep him at home for his first couple of starts rather than pitching him in deep by travelling abroad early this season. Fast ground won’t be a problem, he has a big stride and plenty of speed. He will go to the Curragh on Sunday for a day away with the rest of them.”
LOVED 3 b f Galileo – Anna Karenina (by Green Desert) An unraced full-sister to Battle Of Marengo, she is entered in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Irish Oaks. “We took our time with her last year, she was a big filly and we didn’t want to rush her. She didn’t grow too much over the winter, but didn’t need to. We’ll start her off in a maiden and go from there.”
KISSED BY ANGELS 3 b f Galileo – Lillie Langtry (by Danehill Dancer) An unraced filly that is the first foal out of the Group 1-winning filly Lillie Langtry, she is entered in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Irish Oaks. “This is a nice filly that shows plenty of quality in her work. She’s the first foal out of Lillie Langtry that was a lovely filly for us.”
OL’ MAN RIVER 3 b c Montjeu – Finsceal Beo (by Mr. Greeley) Rated 114, he realised €2,850,000 as a yearling and justified that price tag by winning both his starts, most notably the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh in September. “He’s very good and is doing everything right so far. He’s always been a very mature horse that shows plenty of pace in his work and while we haven’t made any decisions yet, he could go the Guineas route. He’s a bit like Camelot in that he’s much pacier than the vast majority of the Montjeu’s we’ve had, which is making us think about the Guineas. He wouldn’t be certain to get the Derby trip. You’d imagine he’d travel around Epsom very strongly and you couldn’t be sure what’s going to happen from the two furlong pole. We’ll bring him to the Curragh on Sunday and make our plans after that.”
QUALIFY 3 b f Fastnet Rock – Perihelion (by Galileo) Rated 107, she progressed to win the C.L. & M.F. Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh in September prior to a luckless run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. “She’s a nice filly and we just weren’t riding her right until we dropped her in behind in the C.L. & M.F. Weld Park Stakes. She loves fast ground and you’d imagine she’s get a mile and could even get a mile-and-a-half in time. She’s a big strong galloping filly and those Fastnet Rocks get better with age. We always thought she could be a Group 1 filly and hopefully she’ll get there. She’ll go to the Curragh on Sunday for a spin and we’ll look at possibly starting her off in a Guineas trial with a view to running in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas.”
ROYAL NAVY SHIP 3 b c War Front – Indy Punch (by Pulling Punches) Made a winning debut at the Curragh (beating stable mate Jacobean) prior to meeting with a shock defeat in the Killavullan Stakes. “We were a bit disappointed with him in the Killavullan. Maybe it wasn’t fair to ask him to make the running on such soft ground, but they walked and Seamus had no choice really but to let him stride on. His ears were pricked the whole way and he never really got down and galloped, so we think he’ll definitely be better suited to getting a lead in his races. He’s a big powerful horse that has done well over the winter and is in good shape. He’ll be better on better ground and I think he could progress a lot.”
SHARK ISLAND 3 b c Fastnet Rock – Lady Lupus (by High Chaparral) An unraced colt that is the first foal out of a mare that was third in the Irish Oaks, he is entered in the Derby. “He’s a fine big horse that we always liked. He’s the first foal out of a mare that did well for us. He’ll start off in a mile maiden at the Curragh on Sunday and we’ll see how he goes from there.”
SIR ISAAC NEWTON 3 b c Galileo – Shastye (by Danehill) A full-brother to Secret Gesture that realised 3,600,000gns as a yearling, he finished a promising second to the highly-regarded Zawraq on his debut in a seven-furlong maiden at Leopardstown in October. “We always liked him and we probably ran him a month before he was ready to run last year, but there was no more races left for him after that and we wanted to run him and then leave him off for the winter. He travelled strongly and just got tired late on. He is a good mover that would want faster ground than he got that day. He could be a very nice horse, as he’s one of those Galileo’s that has a lot of speed. On his pedigree he should stay at least a mile-and-a-quarter, but he shows plenty of pace at home so the mile-and-a-half wouldn’t be guaranteed. He could be an exciting horse.”
SMUGGLER’S COVE 3 b c Fastnet Rock – Chenchikova (by Sadlers Wells) Rated 110, he impressed when winning a Listed race at Dundalk by seven lengths in October and followed it up with a solid third in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket just a week later. “He’s done very well over the winter. We weren’t sure if it was the track or the bad ground that he didn’t handle in the Dewhurst, but he was very green and we’d hope he’s better than that. He does bend his knee a little bit, but I don’t think faster ground will be a problem for him. There is stamina on the dam side of his pedigree, but he looks plenty pacey. He’ll go to the Curragh at the weekend for a spin after racing.”
ST PATRICKS DAY 3 b c Fastnet Rock – Race For The Stars (by Fusaichi Pegasus) Sent off at odds-on for both his starts in above-average maidens in July, but met with defeat on both occasions. “He’s a massive big horse that was a bit unlucky at Naas then disappointed us at the Curragh. We left him off after that as he was so big and he is doing everything nicely this year. I’d say he’s a middle-distance type of horse in the making.”
TAPESTRY 4 b f Galileo – Rumplestiltskin (by Danehill) Rated 120, she progressed into a top-class middle-distance filly last season, ending Taghrooda’s unbeaten run when beating her in the Yorkshire Oaks in August. “She’s in good form and could possibly start back in something like the Tattersalls Gold Cup or the Coronation Stakes. A mile-and-a-half is probably her trip, but she could well get away with a mile-and-a-quarter. I think she’s done well from three to four, she’s put on plenty of weight and looks stronger and bigger.”
TOGETHER FOREVER 3 b f Galileo – Green Room (by Theatrical) Rated 110, she proved to be highly progressive at the backend of last season, winning a Listed race at the Curragh and the Fillies Mile at Newmarket in the space of just five days. “She progressed well last year and I think she’ll get a mile-and-a-quarter and quite possibly a mile-and-a-half. Physically she has done very well over the winter. She’ll go to the Curragh on Sunday and we’ll chat about it after that, but the Guineas will certainly be considered for her.”
WAR ENVOY 3 b c War Front – La Conseillante (by Elusive Quality) Rated 111, he made a winning debut at Naas in April and put together a series of smart efforts in Group company throughout the season. “He’s a fine big horse and when Ryan rode him at the backend of last season he felt he was still a bit weak, so there’s a chance that he could step up a bit this year. A mile shouldn’t be a problem for him.”
WORDS 3 b f Dansili – Moonstone (by Dalakhani) Out of an Irish Oaks winner, she made an impressive winning debut in a seven-furlong maiden at the Curragh in June, readily seeing off the subsequent Group 2 winner Raydara. “She was very good when she won her maiden, but she had a few setbacks through the year. They were nothing major, but because of what she looked, we didn’t want to take any chances with her. She was back in this year and had a little setback in the spring which set her back a bit. She’s just back cantering again now, but I don’t think she’ll be out in time for the Guineas. If she doesn’t make the Classics, she could be a Royal Ascot filly. Wherever she goes, she is a nice filly that could be anything really.”
The Flat season kicks off on Sunday (Healy Racing Photos)
The Curragh remains yielding ahead of the first fixture of the Flat season on Sunday.
The forecast for the week is cold with showers expected on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning.
Limerick also race on Sunday and the going for their national hunt card is currently yielding to soft, soft in places.
The forecast for the area is cold and unsettled over the coming days.
The meeting on Saturday is at Navan and they are currently yielding to soft on the hurdle track and soft, yielding to soft in places on the chase course.
Fascinating Rock: dual Group 3 winner is by Fastnet Rock
PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
No Ireland return for shuttler Fastnet Rock
BY BLOODSTOCK WORLD STAFF4:27PM 23 MAR 2015
FASTNET ROCK, who has shuttled between Coolmore's Irish and Australian bases since 2010, has not returned to Fethard in County Tipperary for the current breeding season.
The Danehill stallion, whose oldest European-bred crop turned four this year, has sired several notable runners, including last year's Ballysax Stakes and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes winner Fascinating Rock as well as maiden scorer Couger Mountain, who finished fifth of the 13 runners on his second start in the July Cup for Aidan O'Brien last season.
Fastnet Rock, who has sired 18 individual Group 1 winners, is a former champion sire in Australia, where leading lights include Atlantic Jewel, Mosheen and Sea Siren.
He covered 85 mares during the northern hemisphere breeding season last year, compared with 193 in 2013 and 183 in 2012.
No Ballydoyle Horses or Former Ballydoyle horses running on World Cup Night.
Champion sire Fastnet Rock may well have the best maiden in Australia after his talented daughter Lake Geneva (2f Fastnet Rock x Hips Don’t Lie, by Stravinsky) finished third in the Group I ATC Golden Slipper at Rosehill on Saturday.
Prepared by Hawkes Racing, Lake Geneva was second on debut in the Group III ATC Widden Stakes back in January and then finished third at her second start in the Group I ATC Blue Diamond Stakes to highly rated colt Pride of Dubai.
In the $3.5 million Golden Slipper she again ran well, charging home along the inside to be third behind unbeaten colt Vancouver and top class filly English (2f Encosta de Lago x Court by Anabaa) beaten just a length and a half.
“She ran a super race,” said her rider Dwayne Dunn.
“Just got held up at a vital stage, but she ran out of her skin.”
Foaled and raised at Coolmore Australia, as was the winner Vancouver (bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds), Lake Geneva was a $1million Inglis Easter purchase last year from the draft of Coolmore, with her full sister to be offered again by Coolmore at the sale this year as Lot 437.
Lake Geneva has already won $430,000 in prizemoney and will surely find a race she can win in coming weeks.
O'Brien Set to Break World Record of Career Group One Race Wins Before The decade Is Out
Paul Rhodes Friday 20th March 2015 For AIDANOBRIENFANSITE
Aidan O'Brien Is Under 50 Group One Wins From becoming the most success Trainer in the History of the sport.
T.J.Smith Won 279 G1 Races
Aidan O'Brien Has already enjoyed decades of success. He is already the most successful European based trainer in Racing History and is starting to close the gap on the 2 World Leading trainers.
The Current World Record Holder For most Group/Grade One Wins in a Career is Australian Legend T.J. (Tommy) Smith who leads the way with an incredible 279 successes at the highest level.
Tommy Smith dominated Australian Racing from the 1950s up to the late 1980s.
Tommy's notable feats as a horse trainer included two Melbourne Cups, four Caulfield Cups, seven Cox Plates, six Golden Slippers and thirty five Australian derbies.
Smith was inducted into the Australian Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in 2001 and elevated to Legend status in 2012, T.J Passed away on 2 September 1998 (aged 81)
Tommy is also the Father of one of Australia's Current Top trainers Gai Waterhouse.
Currently in second spot with an Impressive 268 Wins at Group/Grade One Level is another Australian Legend Mr Bart Cummings.
(born 14 November 1927) Cummings is one of the most successful racehorse trainers. He is known as the Cups King,
Cummings received his trainer licence in 1953, and set up stables at Glenelg in South Australia. His first significant win came in 1958, when he won the South Australian Derby,
Cummings had a record total of 78 runners in the Melbourne Cup A Race he has won a Record 12 times. His debut win came in 1965 with Light Fingers and his final win Came in 2008 With Viewed
In the late 1980s, Cummings spent millions of dollars purchasing racehorses, much of the money spent on behalf of a tax minimisation syndicate. Unfortunately, like many other trainers Cummings was hit hard by the recession of the early 1990s. With help from Reg Inglis' organisation, however, he avoided bankruptcy and continued training.
Cummings has achieved 268 Group 1 victories and more than 762 stakes victories, . In addition to his 12 Melbourne Cups, he has won the Caulfield Cup seven times, the Golden Slipper Stakes four times, the Cox Plate five times, the VRC Oaks nine times and the Newmarket Handicap eight times.
Cummings is still active in Horse training in partnership with his Grandson James Cummings .The 2 as a partnership have won 2 Group One Races which took Bats Tally from 266 to 268.
Bart Cummings Has Won 268 G1 Races to date
O'Brien's Dominance could continue to grow
Aidan's Current Tally Of 232 Wins at Group/Grade One puts him just 47 Behind TJ Smith And 36 Behind Bart Cummings. Going By His average Seasonal Group One wins Aidan should get there before the end of this decade.
It will surely be regarded as one of the greatest achievements by a Racehorse Trainer & One i am sure he will Savor, But no Doubt the Perfectionist that he is he will reset his targets and will look to become the first trainer to 300 Group One Wins soon after breaking the record.
By The Time Aidan Calls time on his glittering Career its hard to imagine just how many he will notch up if anything the team continues to get stronger and stronger and you can see his dominance even growing to new heights something his rival wont want to here.
A host of bookmakers have reported significant money for Gleneagles in the ante-post market on the Qipco 2000 Guineas.
Fourth on his racecourse debut, the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt finished a fine juvenile campaign when passing the post first in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on Arc day, only to be demoted to third by the stewards for causing interference.
The son of Galileo had previously taken Group One honours in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh.
Ladbrokes cut the Coolmore-owned runner to 4-1 from 6-1 overnight and 8-1 at the start of the week.
Spokesman David Williams said: "It's an interesting time of the year to be seeing support for a Ballydoyle Guineas contender. The price is in free-fall across the betting industry and Gleneagles has emerged as the clear Guineas favourite in next to no time this week."
Betfred also went 4-1, having initially been 5-1 from 6-1. The firm's Andrew Griffiths said: "Gleneagles has been solid for the Guineas all winter, but market support has really cranked up a notch over the last 24 hours.
"Punters clearly have an inkling he could be Ballydoyle's number one hope."
William Hill mirrored that move, with Jon Ivan-Duke saying: "There is a good strong flow of money for Gleneagles, with a number of four-figure bets on the horse. It's the strongest move so far for any horse in any of the Classic markets."
Coral are 9-2 from 6-1. David Stevens said: "We've seen sustained support for Gleneagles for the Qipco 2000 Guineas in the last 48 hours, suggesting the son of Galileo has been giving off all the right signs at home, and at this early stage of the year he could well be the leading Ballydoyle hope for the Newmarket Classic."
Bishan Bed has been Entered in the Tote Irish Lincoln on the opening day of the season. He is currently 16th in the weights. He has won 2 of his 4 starts for new trainer Aidan O'Brien all at Dundalk He is also entered in the Group 3 Big Bad Bob Gladness Stakes on April 19th also at The Curragh.
For the first time in several years Aidan O'Brien will not have any representatives on Dubai World Cup Night
Aidan has enjoyed Success at the meeting of late St Nicholas Abbey won the Group One Sheema Classic in 2013 and He also Won the Group Two UAE Derby Twice in 2012 With Daddy Long Legs & in 2013 with Lines Of Battle. (All Pictured Below)
Daddy Long Legs Lines Of Battle St Nicholas Abbey
It was confirmed on the Daily Form that Aidan had no entries after they were all pulled. The Team sent over several stable stars last season including Magician & Ruler of the World & they did not perform to there normal level and this could be the reason for a no show this year but nothing has been announced officially.
Classic race winners The Grey Gatsby, Kingston Hill and Just The Judge are among the impressive list of 28 entries for the Tattersalls Gold Cup following today’s first entry stage. The Group One contest will take place at the Curragh on Sunday 24th May, as part of the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival.
Adelaide winner of the Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia last year, the Aidan O’Brien trained Tapestry winner of the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks and Al Kazeem, winner of the Tattersalls Gold Cup in 2013 are other notable entries, together with the Dermot Weld trained Free Eagle, My Titania trained by John Oxx, Pollyana trained in France by John Hammond and the Richard Hannon trained pair of Shifting Power and Pether’s Moon.
Paul Hensey, Curragh Racecourse General Manager commented:
“We are delighted to see so many Classic and Group One winners among the initial entries for this world class race and we are very grateful to both owners and trainers for supporting what promises to be one of the highlights of our 2015 season.”
Tattersalls Gold Cup (Group 1) Full List of Entries
Horse Trainer Adelaide Aidan O’Brien Air Pilot Ralph Beckett Al Kazeem Roger Charlton Answered Jim Bolger Cannock Chase Sir Michael Stoute Chopin Ger Lyons Fascinating Rock Dermot Weld Free Eagle Dermot Weld Geoffrey Chaucer Aidan O”Brien Good Tradition Dermot Weld Highly Toxic Pat Flynn Kingfisher Aidan O”Brien Kingston Hill Roger Varian Mutakayyef William Haggas Oklahoma City Aidan O’Brien Parish Hall Jim Bolger Pether’s Moon Richard Hannon Postponed Luca Cumani Shifting Power Richard Hannon The Grey Gatsby Kevin Ryan Carla Bianca Dermot Weld Euphrasia Joseph Murphy Just The Judge Charles Hills My Titania John Oxx Pollyana John Hammond Roheryn Ger Lyons Secret Gesture Ralph Beckett Tapestry Aidan O’Brien
Coolmore stallion Alfred Nobel has been sold to stand at Lynward Park Stud in
Western Australia permanently from this year's covering season.
SOPHOMORE sire Alfred Nobel has been bought outright by Lynward Park Stud in Western Australia and will be based in the state permanently from this year's covering season.
The Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner, whose oldest crop are three this year, began shuttling following his first season at Coolmore in 2011 when the Australian operation acquired a 50 per cent share. His winners down under include the Group 3-placed Showy Chloe, Listed third Dickey and runner-up Danerip's Girl.
Bred by Lodge Park Stud from the family of New Approach, Alfred Nobel was bought by John Magnier for 220,000gns at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. Trained by Aidan O'Brien, he proved to be a leading two-year-old, winning his maiden at the third time of asking after placing twice and landing the Group 2 Railway Stakes in addition to the Phoenix.
The son of Danehill Dancer made just two starts the following season, finishing seventh of eight in the Listed Loughbrown Stakes and third in the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes.
Standing for a fee of €5,000, he covered 100 mares in his first season at Coolmore. His debut two-year-olds last year were headed by Explosive Lady, third in the Princess Margaret Stakes, and Group contender Run The Red Light.
Alfred Nobel, who stands alongside fellow European performer Trade Fair at Lyward, will be available at A$4,500 (£2,330/€3,230) for the 2015 season.
Maiden filly Lake Geneva has been backed to win almost $200,000 in a single wager following today’s barrier for the Tooheys new Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Lake Geneva Photo by Racing and Sports
A TAB punter outlaid $7500 each way at odds $21 for the win and $5.44 to place onLake Geneva after she drew gate five in Saturday’s $3.5 million classic.
TAB reacted by trimming Lake Geneva’s odds to $17 in its Fix Odds market.
Lake Geneva, trained by Team Hawkes, has raced twice for two placings including her last start third in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield.
Only two horses have won the Golden Slipper going into the race as maidens - and both were fillies. Sweet Embrace was the first in 1967 followed by Fairy Walk in 1971.
The favourite Vancouver remains popular with punters despite drawing gate 18.
TAB reported that 25 percent of the fixed odds bets invested on the Slipper since the barrier draw was placed on Vancouver at odds of $2.80.
Cox Plate winner Adelaide is unlikely to be seen before next month's Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
English jockey Ryan Moore rode Adelaide in a track gallop at Rosehill on Tuesday morning in which the horse was beaten by Catkins.
Tentative plans to run him in Saturday's George Ryder Stakes will be shelved with James Bester, representing owners Coolmore, saying they believed it was unnecessary.
"The final decision will be down to the trainer Chris Waller but it's highly unlikely he will run in the George Ryder," Bester said.
"He doesn't need a race to bring him on for the Queen Elizabeth.
"Ryan was delighted with his gallop this morning. He was up against a horse who was beaten a nose in a 1300 metre Group One last start so you would expect her to be in front.
"He is a naturally clean winded horse and the George Ryder would have just been a preparatory race and he doesn't need it."
The $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) on April 11 is the pinnacle of The Championships at Randwick.
Moore, who won the Cox Plate on Adelaide and the Melbourne Cup on Protectionist, will ride Odyssey Moon in Saturday's $3.5 million Golden Slipper.
Much of the George Ryder attention will now be on the Japanese visitors World Ace and Real Impact.
Irish horse Gordon Lord Byron won the Group One race last year.
Sydney’s weather could determine if Cox Plate champion Adelaide makes his debut for new trainer Chris Waller in Saturday’s George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
The horse was transferred to Waller from champion Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien with a view to targeting the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April.
Speaking on behalf of the horse’s owners - global breeding giant Coolmore - Coolmore Australia’s Racing Manager James Bester said the son of Galileo likely wouldn’t run if the track was rain-affected.
“This is a horse that needs to hear his feet rattle to be effective and just the way the weather is in Sydney at the moment with soft tracks, it’s far from a certainty (that he’ll resume),” Bester told Racing.com’s Shane Anderson on Racing Ahead.
“(Former trainer) Aidan O’Brien has always told us and we’ve observed that firm ground is what this horse wants.
“We saw him trial on heavy 10 at Warwick Farm and he just doesn’t unleash the acceleration of which he’s capable of (on firmer tracks) when the track conditions are soft or heavy.”
Waterloo Bridge - Zoffany (IRE) — Miss Childrey (IRE) (by Dr. Fong) (12Mar13) NAME CHANGE
350,000 GNS Purchase at Tatts 2014 Half Brother to Dundalk handicap winner Tetard & Half Brother of Forces of Darkness, amGroup 3 winner in France.(Name Changed from General Belgrano)
New Updates From Chris Palmer & Andrew O'Brien on Some Coolmore Owned Horses
Asia co-owned by Mrs Magnier wins race 9 @ Gulfstream Park Last Night
Coolmore and partners have a new one called Harlem River BF 2012 Fastnet Rock x Harlem Heat Trained by Gai Waterhouse Trials at Royal Wandwick onMarch 16race 11
Au Revoir once owned by Mrs. John Magnier and trained by Andre Fabre runs in the Australian Cup, Flemington's 7th race for Peter Moody and OTI Racing
The Vatican a Son of Galileo who was sold privately and sent to Australia last year is set to make his Australian debut for trainer Robert Hickmott at Flemington's 4th race
He has been given a new name.... Waxing
NEW HORSE
Oathkeeper 2010 BG Oscar - Lady Lamb
Trainer Aidan O'Brien
Owner Mrs. Ann Marie O'Brien
Utility a son of Yeats who i knew of last year is in the stable of Jonjo O'Neill and could make his debut soon
Plus Ballet Suite wins again and is now 3 wins from 5 starts
You can look her up on TVN Australia and watch reply
Update From Chris Palmer on Some Coolmore Owned Horses
Coolmore & China Horse Club buy into Australian G1 Blue Diamond winner Pride of Dubai who is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, who buys some of Coolmore's horses for Dubai Carnival
Circling (IRE) by Galileo (IRE) x Chiming (IRE) previously trained by David Wachman for Coolmore & Co. was sent to the United States late last year and is now in training with Neil Drysdale. Still owned by Coolmore, she was 3rd of 12 in her state side debut.
Also, Fondly (IRE) BF 2012 by Dansili (GB) x Mrs. Marsh (GB) made her debut at Wolverhampton today and was 7th for trainer Richard Hannon. She is owned by Coolmore as well.
Last year's leading second-crop sire Mastercraftsman has been selected for Cheveley Park Stakes winner Magical Romance who Lady Rothschild purchased in 2006 for a then record-breaking 4,600,000gns.
Magical Romance
Classy sprinter Mincehad her first foal last month - a filly by Invincible Spirit - and heads to Coolmore to be covered by Rip Van Winkle.
Moonlight Cloud: daughter of Invincible Spirit won six Group 1s
PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Moonlight Cloud set to be covered by Galileo
BY TOM PENNINGTON1:19PM 6 MAR 2015
MULTIPLE Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud will return to Coolmore colossus Galileo this year after giving birth to a chestnut colt by the sire.
The daughter of Invincible Spirit won six races at the highest level for her owner-breeder George Strawbridge, the last of them coming in the 2013 Prix de la Foret, a race in which she displayed her trademark turn of foot to overhaul Gordon Lord Byron in stunning style.
Strawbridge's Fillies' Mile and Matron Stakes winner Rainbow Viewis in line to visit Gainesway flagbearer Tapit this year.
The Dynaformer mare's first foal - a two-year-old by Tapit - is in training with John Gosden.
In Clover, the dam of last year's Prix de l'Opera scorer We Are, has had a filly foal by Dansili - a sister to We Are - this year and will return to Juddmonte's leading sire.
The Sadler's Wells mare Fantasia, who landed a pair of Group 3s in Britain for Luca Cumani before scoring in a Grade 3 handicap in the US, is one of a host of talented mares set to be covered by Kingman this season.
Bishan Bedi gallops on well under Ana O'Brien, to see off Camakasi and Fran Berry (Healy Racing Photos)
On what's been a memorable night for the O'Brien family at Dundalk, Annmarie and Aidan doubled up in the ownership and training ranks, as Bishan Bedi (7/2 this morning into 5/2) justified favouritism under their daughter Ana, in the Muldoon XL Drumconrath Handicap.
Their son Donnacha, rode the earlier winner, Song Of Love, whilst he'd also landed the opener, for James Nash, on Shinyhappyjohn.
Here Bishan Bedi got a nice split down the fence, having tracked the leaders, to lead under two furlongs out.
He kept on well inside the final furlong to see off Camakasi, and The Dancing Lord, by a length and a quarter and a head.
"He did it well. He took me into it lovely and he's a lovely horse. He has no problem with seven or a mile," said Ana O'Brien.
"It worked out well. He jumped and travelled and picked up when he had to." (GC & EM)
Song Of Love and Donnacha O'Brien (Healy Racing Photos)
His first success may have been easy-to-back 11/1 shot, Shinyhappyjohn, but Donnacha O'Brien's second winner was much more expected as 7/4 favourite Song Of Love (first-time cheek-pieces) took the XL Handicap at Dundalk.
Owned, trained and bred by Donnacha's parents, Annmarie and Aidan, Song Of Love was backed in from 4/1 this morning, and he came through from mid-division to lead early in the final furlong.
From there he kept on well to defeat Vocal Warm Up by a length and a quarter.
The O'Briens were also responsible for the third home, Absorbing, partnered by Ana.
"He did it well and has plenty of ability. He's a lovely big strong horse," said the winning rider.
"The last day it didn't really play out for him. He has plenty of pace and travels and quickens. I'm sure he'll go on to more things and he's for sale." (GC & EM)
KENNEDY HEADS DERBY HOPEFULS A total of 102 sophomores remained engaged in the G1 Epsom Derby following Tuesday’s scratching stage, headed by current 6-1 favorite and ‘TDN Rising Star’ John F Kennedy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Magnier/Tabor/Smith and Flaxman Stables charge won the G3 Juvenile Turf S. at Leopardstown in September, the race that produced last year’s Derby winner Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who also hailed from the Ballydoyle yard of trainer Aidan O’Brien. O’Brien has sent out the last three winners of the Derby, and five in total, and has 21 entries remaining, including G2 Vintage S. winner Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and unbeaten G2 Beresford S. scorer Ol’ Man River (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). That Ballydoyle trio are the current top three betting choices. All horses currently eligible for the Derby were entered as yearlings, and there are three sophomores prominent in the betting that are expected to be added at the second entry stage Apr. 7 at a cost of £8,000: G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Elm Park (GB) (Phoenix Reach {Ire}); G1 National S. victor and Cartier 2-year-old champion Gleneagles (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Khalid Abdullah’s unbeaten G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Epicuris (GB) (Rail Link {GB}).
ENGLISH jockey Ryan Moore will return to partner Cox Plate hero Adelaide at The Championships in Sydney this autumn.
Moore has ridden the Coolmore-owned Adelaide in four of his eight career starts including both the galloper’s Group 1 wins in the Secretariat Stakes in the United States before his Cox Plate triumph in October.
Coolmore’s James Bester confirmed Moore, rated one of the world’s top three jockeys, will ride in Sydney for the first time during The Championships.
“Ryan will ride him — that is set in stone and fortunately his European commitments are such that he is able to get away so we look forward to seeing him on the horse again,” Bester told Sky Sports Radio.
Adelaide, now trained by Chris Waller, has had one barrier trial and exhibition gallop as he is readied for an autumn carnival comeback.
John F Kennedy heads 102 entries in the £1,325 million Investec Derby
Ante-post favourite John F Kennedy heads 102 three-year-olds seeking glory in the £1.325-million Investec Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 6 following on from Tuesday's scratchings' stage.
The son of Galileo is a 6/1 chance with Coral, official betting partner of the Investec Derby Festival, on the back of an impressive victory in a Group Three at Leopardstown in September.
His trainer Aidan O'Brien, responsible for the last three winners of the premier British Classic and five in total, has 21 entries going forward. They include Group Two winners Highland Reel (10/1) and Ol' Man River (8/1), as well as eye-catching maiden scorer Giovanni Canaletto (20/1) and 3.6 million guineas purchase Sir Isaac Newton (20/1).
Moore is the preferred choice for Cox Plate winner Adelaide
World-acclaimed Ryan Moore is the preferred choice for Cox Plate winner Adelaide when he kick-starts his Sydney autumn campaign.
But that doesn’t automatically mean Moore will ride the Chris Waller-trained horse in the $4 million Queen Elizabeth (2000m) or his expected lead-up race in the George Ryder (1500m).
Coolmore’s racing manager James Bester said Moore’s availability, given his global commitments, would determine who would ride Adelaide.
The horse will trial at Rosehill over 900 metres on Tuesday.
Bester said the four-year-old still had to get through the Rosehill trial and a subsequent one before his campaign opener could be cemented.
He confirmed, however, that Moore was the “preferred” jockey for Adelaide.
“We would like Ryan Moore to ride the horse whenever possible given his association with the horse,” Bester said.
“It depends on whether Ryan happens to be available. We haven’t got anything locked in place yet, but would like Ryan to ride him every time he runs.
“When we set these races in stone we will try to lock Ryan in. Ryan Moore will ride the horse if he’s not precluded by international commitments.”
After keeping quiet through the first hundred hips of the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale, the Coolmore partnership made its presence felt with a pair of $900,000 purchases, then brought it home with the sale's first seven figure horse.
That horse was Hip 130, the half to Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern, who sold for $1.4 million. Here is what M.V. Magnier of the Coolmore partnership had to say about the new sale-topper…
"He's a fantastic mover, and his brother's a very good horse.
"[Bayern's] a fantastic horse and his mother can obviously breed a good horse. Let's hope she does it again. If he's anything like [fellow son of Scat Daddy] No Nay Never, he'll be good.
"We'll bring him back to the farm for a couple weeks and decide then.
"He's a very good mover with a lot of quality. He breezed very well. All the guys said he was a good breezer."
The first big purchase came in partnership with Stonestreet Farm, going in together on Hip 111, a Bernardini colt out of the winning Summer Squall mare Temporada, sold as property of Northwest Stud.
John Moynihan, bloodstock adviser for Stonestreet Farm, had this to say afterward…
"He’s a beautiful horse. He worked as impressively as any horse here, going :10.1. He looks like he’s got a lot to mature and grow into, a good frame, and hopefully he’ll be a good horse at this time next year.
"We were happy with the price.
"He worked fabulous. He’s a horse that’s immature. He’s going to run two turns and he went in :10.1 about as easy as a horse can do it. We’re excited."
Not soon after the ink dried on that ticket, Coolmore went solo to land Hip 120, a Tapit out of the Grade 2-placed stakes-winning Gone West mare West Coast Swing. He was consigned by Thomas and Casse as agent for JSM Equine.
Here were Magnier's thoughts after the purchase...
"He's a very nice horse. He comes from a good family. He breezed pretty good. The lads really liked him. He's by a good sire. Let's hope he does something.
"We'll take him back to Ashford for a couple weeks and decide then."
Gale Force Ten: standing at a fee of €5,000 this year
PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)
Gale Force Ten has first mares scanned in foal
BY BLOODSTOCK WORLD STAFF11:39AM 3 MAR 2015
THE Irish National Stud's latest recruit Gale Force Ten has had his first three mares scanned in foal, the first of whom was the Lomitas mare Rosa Grace.
The ten-year-old mare Rosa Grace struck three times in Britain for Rae Guest with her biggest win coming in the Listed Ballymacoll Stud Stakes at Newbury.
Her first foal by Galileo fetched €130,000 at Goffs in 2013, while her second foal, a filly by Rip Van Winkle, sold for 16,000gns to Mark Johnston last year at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale.
A five-year-old son of Oasis Dream, Gale Force Ten topped the DBS Premier Yearling Sale in 2011 when selling to Eddie Fitzpatrick on behalf of the Coolmore partners for £280,000.
Gale Force Ten was trained by Aidan O'Brien at the beginning of his career, winning three races, his biggest success coming in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes.
He was then transferred to Mike de Kock's yard after Mary and Jessica Slack and Michael Javett acquired controlling shares in the horse. He failed to make the frame in four races at Meydan last year.
Gale Force Ten is standing for a fee of €5,000 this year at the Irish National Stud, where the first foal by his studmate Worthadd arrived on Monday.
The bay colt is out of the stud's King's Best mare Dart Queen, who descends from the family of top-class US performer White Star Line.
An eight-year-old son of Dubawi, Worthadd was a multiple Group 2 winner in Italy and found only Canford Cliffs too good in the 2011 Lockinge Stakes.
The Great War, who was last of 10 in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes Feb. 28 at Turfway Park after bleeding during the race, is no longer a candidate for the Kentucky Derby (gr. I).
Trainer Wesley Ward confirmed to Churchill Downs racing secretary Ben Huffman that The Great War will no longer pursue the May 2 Kentucky Derby, the track announced in a press release March 1. Hence, betting on The Great War has been suspended from the Kentucky Derby Future Wager's pool 3, for which betting concludes at 6 p.m. ET Sunday.
The War Front colt was listed as #21 in pool 3 and betting was suspended prior to the start of Sunday's final day of the third of four Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools. The official Equibase chart for the Battaglia notes that Ward's colt bled when he faded from second to finish last in the 1 1/16-mile race on the Polytrack.
The Great War, owned by Coolmore and partners and Joseph Allen, has a career record of 4-1-0 from 10 starts and earnings of $250,123. After starting his career in Ireland and England, he finished fourth to Texas Red in his United States debut in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) for trainer Aidan O'Brien, then subsequently moved to Ward's stable. He won the 96Rock Stakes at Turfway Park by 7 1/4 lengths Jan. 31, in his only start of 2015 prior to Saturday's Battaglia Memorial, which was won by WinStar Farm's Royal Son.
Adelaide Takes Part In Exhibition Gallop At Warwick Farm
Premier trainer Chris Waller says he will use Adelaide’s performance in a trial in the coming weeks as a guide to where the Cox Plate winner will start his autumn campaign.
Adelaide took part in an exhibition gallop with classy mare Royal Descent at Warwick Farm on Saturday. The pair ran 1000 metres in 1.02.61, covering the last 600 metres in 34.2 seconds with Royal Descent edging out the import on the line.
Waller said he expected Royal Descent to win the gallop as the mare is scheduled to start her racing preparation next Saturday in the Group I Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick while Adelaide is still "at least three weeks away” from the races.
"Form the prospective of where he is at I’m very happy," Waller said. "Hughie (Bowman) said to me that he gave him a very good feel and he got a better feel today than he did in the trial (recently).
"He’ll have another barrier trial in 10 to 14 days, I want to see him jump cleaner, and provided that's the case, then he’ll go to the races.
"There’s the possibility of the Sky High (Stakes) at 2000 metres so you need to be fairly fit for that and we still haven’t ruled out the possibility of a third trial and going straight into the Queen Elizabeth.”
