Aidan O'Brien hoping to break new classic ground with Garden Of Eden in German Oaks

Irish Times

3 days ago

Aidan O'Brien
has seven classic victories under his belt already this year but will try to break new ground on Sunday when Garden Of Eden lines up for the German Oaks.
Winner of
Royal Ascot's Ribblesdale Stakes
on her last start, Garden Of Eden gets her shot at Group One glory in the 167th Henkel-Preis der Diana, which is off at 2.40 Irish time.
During his stellar career, O'Brien has won every major classic in
Ireland
, England and
France
but has yet to strike at the top level in
Germany
.
The seriousness with which he's taking the task is underlined by Ryan Moore travelling to Dusseldorf to ride Garden Of Eden.
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It means the English jockey misses out on Sunday's Group One highlight at Deauville, the €300,000 Prix Rothschild, where O'Brien runs both January and Exactly.
In Moore's absence, Wayne Lordan teams up with the latter while Christophe Soumillon is on board January. She was runner-up to Cinderella's Dream in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on her last start.
The Deauville feature is off at 3.40 and also includes Donnacha O'Brien's hope Atsila. She will be ridden by Gavin Ryan.
The German Group One has been won by several British trained fillies over the years including the top-class Dancing Rain in 2011. However, no Irish-trained horse has won it. Joseph O'Brien's Je Zous lined up last year and finished sixth to Erle.
Garden Of Eden showed notably improved form when stepped up to 1½ miles and was a dominant winner of the Ribblesdale, beating Understudy by over three lengths.
Although the stage might be unusual, the 'Diana' could see another head-to-head between Coolmore and Godolphin, who have supplemented their Newmarket Listed winner Spirited Style into the race.
William Buick rides Spirited Style in the Henkel-Preis der Diana in Dusseldorf. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho
William Buick travels to ride the regally bred daughter of Sea The Stars and Wild Illusion in a 15-runner contest.
Thirteen runners line up for the Rothschild, a race O'Brien and Moore combined to win with Mother Earth four years ago and Roly Poly in 2017.
Neither January or Exactly have won so far in 2025 and will take on older horses in the mile contest.
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They include the Wathnan Racing pair Crimson Advocate and Fallen Angel. Retained rider James Doyle has opted to ride the Royal Ascot winner Crimson Advocate who was a place behind January in the Falmouth last month.
It leaves Danny Tudhope to resume on Fallen Angel, the filly he won last year's Irish 1000 Guineas on. He also landed the 2023 Moyglare on the Karl Burke-trained star.
Donnacha O'Brien's training career took off after Fancy Blue's French Oaks success in 2020 and he will hope for more Gallic joy with Atsila, who was out of the money in the Falmouth.
O'Brien has engaged Tom Marquand to ride Balantina for him in the later Group Three Prix Six Perfections, off at 4.50. The Curragh winner was third in the Albany at Royal Ascot and steps up to seven furlongs.