Latest news with #AidanOBrien
Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Business
- Daily Telegraph
Coolmore backs trainer Aidan O'Brien to have Storm Boy at his best for Royal Ascot
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Coolmore is relying on the training genius of Aidan O'Brien to orchestrate the ultimate form reversal from crack colt Storm Boy at England's prestigious Royal Ascot carnival. Storm Boy, formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, made his debut for the O'Brien stable earlier this month with an inglorious last of nine in the Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The Storm Boy that ran in Ireland was nothing like the brilliant, at times dominating sprinter who won five of his nine starts in Australia including the Magic Millions, Skyline Stakes and San Domenico Stakes, earning more than $3.5m. But Coolmore Australia's Tom Magnier said O'Brien is confident Storm Boy can bounce back at Royal Ascot. 'It didn't go to plan last start,'' Magnier said. 'But City Of Troy had a bad day in the Guineas first-up last year and Aidan was able to turn him around. 'I have every confidence Aidan will be able to get Storm Boy back on track for Royal Ascot.'' • 'The boy has become a man': Bigger, stronger Harry thrills Doyle Magnier's mention of City Of Troy was a reference to how O'Brien prepared the colt for a stunning English Derby win last year after he had flopped in the 2000 Guineas at his previous start. O'Brien achieved a similar result with Auguste Rodin in the Derby two years ago after that colt also came off a poor 2000 Guineas effort. Storm Boy is not Derby-bound but he is being aimed at the prestigious Royal Ascot carnival later this month where he is likely to line up in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) on June 21. In early TAB betting on the Jubilee Stakes, the Jerome Reynier-trained Lazzat, runner-up in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill last spring, is the $4.50 favourite with Storm Boy out to $11. • Waller, McDonald aiming to end surprising run of outs O'Brien hasn't been discouraged by Storm Boy's shock showing at The Curragh and has been surprisingly upbeat when interviewed by Irish media. 'He had never been galloped or worked, but we had to run him to find out what else we had to work on between now and Ascot,' O'Brien said. 'We learned that we have a good bit to work on, but I was very happy to do that. 'He was beaten less than six lengths and he got a bad enough check at the two (furlong) marker. You could take another two off that, so he probably would have been beaten less than four lengths. 'That was a very respectable run. I know everyone was disappointed, but we think we'll take him home now and we're going to train him. 'We haven't really trained him yet and hopefully what we think will come, will come.' Originally published as Coolmore backs trainer Aidan O'Brien to have Storm Boy at his best for Royal Ascot
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Coolmore backs trainer Aidan O'Brien to have Storm Boy at his best for Royal Ascot
Coolmore is relying on the training genius of Aidan O'Brien to orchestrate the ultimate form reversal from crack colt Storm Boy at England's prestigious Royal Ascot carnival. Storm Boy, formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, made his debut for the O'Brien stable earlier this month with an inglorious last of nine in the Greenlands Stakes at The Curragh. The Storm Boy that ran in Ireland was nothing like the brilliant, at times dominating sprinter who won five of his nine starts in Australia including the Magic Millions, Skyline Stakes and San Domenico Stakes, earning more than $3.5m. But Coolmore Australia's Tom Magnier said O'Brien is confident Storm Boy can bounce back at Royal Ascot. 'It didn't go to plan last start,'' Magnier said. 'But City Of Troy had a bad day in the Guineas first-up last year and Aidan was able to turn him around. 'I have every confidence Aidan will be able to get Storm Boy back on track for Royal Ascot.'' Magnier's mention of City Of Troy was a reference to how O'Brien prepared the colt for a stunning English Derby win last year after he had flopped in the 2000 Guineas at his previous start. O'Brien achieved a similar result with Auguste Rodin in the Derby two years ago after that colt also came off a poor 2000 Guineas effort. 🇮🇰 Ireland Greenlands Stakes @curraghrace Curragh - Groupe 2 - 4 ans et plus - 1207m - 9 Pts - 120 000 € ðŸ�† 🥇James's Delight (h) (Ire) ðŸ�‡O Murphy @oismurphy 🥈Lethal Levi 🥉Big Gossey ðŸ'–(Invincible Army (Ire) - Heavens Peak (Ire) par Pivotal (Gb)) 🕶ï¸�C… â€' French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) May 24, 2025 Storm Boy is not Derby-bound but he is being aimed at the prestigious Royal Ascot carnival later this month where he is likely to line up in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) on June 21. In early TAB betting on the Jubilee Stakes, the Jerome Reynier -trained Lazzat, runner-up in the Golden Eagle at Rosehill last spring, is the $4.50 favourite with Storm Boy out to $11. O'Brien hasn't been discouraged by Storm Boy's shock showing at The Curragh and has been surprisingly upbeat when interviewed by Irish media. 'He had never been galloped or worked, but we had to run him to find out what else we had to work on between now and Ascot,' O'Brien said. 'We learned that we have a good bit to work on, but I was very happy to do that. 'He was beaten less than six lengths and he got a bad enough check at the two (furlong) marker. You could take another two off that, so he probably would have been beaten less than four lengths. 'That was a very respectable run. I know everyone was disappointed, but we think we'll take him home now and we're going to train him. 'We haven't really trained him yet and hopefully what we think will come, will come.'
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
‘That's Ryan Moore's ride' – Punters convinced after Epsom Oaks price collapse
PUNTERS are convinced they know who Ryan Moore will ride in the Epsom Oaks - after an intriguing price crash came seemingly out of nowhere. Aidan O'Brien has three in the Friday Classic ahead of Thursday's declarations. 1 But just who Moore would choose out of Giselle, Whirl and Minnie Hauk looked anyone's guess. Bookies thought they had some inkling as they made Minnie Hauk, who was 8-1 just 48 hours ago, the outsider of the Ballydoyle trio. But the Cheshire Oaks winner's price has been smashed into as short as 7-2 following a tidal wave of support. Punters think her odds crashing - and Giselle and Whirl's going the opposite way - are a sign Moore has chosen who he will partner, with one proclaiming: "That's Ryan Moore's ride." Paddy Power's Paul Binfield said: "The front two in the Oaks market have both been strong today, but particularly Cheshire Oaks heroine Minnie Hauk. "That support would indicate that punters are pretty sure that of Aidan O'Brien's three possible protagonists, Ryan Moore has chosen to partner this very talented Frankel filly." Whoever Moore rides will have to go some to beat Charlie Appleby's red-hot Oaks favourite Desert Flower, though. The 1000 Guineas winner has been obliterated into just 6-5 with some firms. Legendary jockey Kieran Fallon, who rides out at trainer Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks yard, said she was a cut above. And punters think so too, with Desert Flower looking like she could be the shortest-price winner since O'Brien's 11-10 Love in 2020. Epsom Oaks odds via Paddy Power 5-4 Desert Flower 7-2 Minnie Hauk 7-1 Giselle, Whirl 10-1 Elwateen, Revoir 20-1 Quilin Queen, Wemighttakedlongway 50-1 Go Go Boots Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who:
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Delacroix on course to try and crack the Dubawi Derby puzzle for Ballydoyle team
The final countdown to the 246th Betfred Epsom Derby started on Monday as 20 possible starters are still in the blue-riband renewal, and with a potential dash of elite bloodstock irony in the mix too. Aidan O'Brien 's Ballydoyle team has four hopefuls left in the Derby after Monday's latest confirmation stage, topped by the antepost favourite Delacroix. O'Brien, chasing a record-extending 11th Derby success, has said he believes jockey Ryan Moore will find it hard not to pick Delacroix when new 72-hour final declarations for the race are made on Wednesday. The Lion In Winter is still on course to also line up for O'Brien at Epsom, as are Chester Vase winner Lambourn and Lingfield Trial scorer Puppet Master. READ MORE Joseph O'Brien has left in his Group One juvenile winner Tennessee Stud while a pair of French hopes, Midak and New Ground, were supplemented on Monday for £75,000 (€89,000). Delacroix has impressed in two trial victories at Leopardstown this season and will try to be a first Derby winner for his veteran sire, Dubawi. Third himself in the 2005 Derby, Dubawi has been the mainstay of Sheikh Mohammed's Darley breeding operation for years, although he has been conspicuously unsuccessful in the Epsom classic. Benbatl, fifth in 2017, has been the best of his nine Derby runners to date. It will be a salty coincidence then if it is the Sheikh's Irish superpower rivals that manage to crack the Derby code with his own top sire, although it could work the other way too. Godolphin's leading hope is their 2000 Guineas hero Ruling Court, a son of Coolmore's US sire sensation Justify. The Sheikh paid out €2.3 million to buy him at last year's Arqana Breeze-Up Sale. Godolphin are also set to be represented by the Guineas fourth Tornado Alley. William Buick aboard Ruling Court after winning the 2000 Guineas this summer at Newmarket. The Godolphin classic winner will take his chance in the Epsom Derby. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA Dubawi did finally break his Epsom classic duck last year when Dermot Weld saddled Ezeliya to win the Oaks. As expected, Midak will carry the colours of the late Aga Khan, in whose memory Saturday's Derby will be run. Also supplemented into the race on Monday was the Juddmonte operation's New Ground. The colt has been third in two starts this season for trainer Henri-Francois Devin, including behind Sunday's French Derby runner-up Cualificar in April. Juddmonte spokesman Barry Mahon said: 'His form is good and we think he is crying out for a mile and a half. We could have taken him to Chantilly, but decided to wait to go to Epsom. He's in great form.' One of the leading home hopes will be the Dante winner Pride Of Arras who is set to be joined in the race by another Ralph Beckett-trained contender, Stanhope Gardens. The John and Thady Gosden team will also be doubly represented through the Dante runner-up Damysus and Nightwalker. Aidan O'Brien goes into Epsom on a classic roll, having landed Sunday's French Derby with Camille Pissarro. Last month, he also picked up the French 2000 Guineas with Henri Matisse, while Lake Victoria was an impressive winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas. On Saturday, O'Brien will try to repeat his record feat of winning the Derby three years in a row on the back of City Of Troy's success a year ago and Auguste Rodin in 2023. No other trainer has ever pulled off the hat-trick that the Irish man managed between 2012 and 2024 with the trio of Camelot, Ruler Of The World and Australia. His son, Joseph, rode Camelot and Australia and had his first Derby runner as a trainer in 2017 with Rekindling. He subsequently went on to land the Melbourne Cup. O'Brien jnr will become just the ninth Irish-based trainer to win the famous race if Tennessee Stud jumps from his third to Delacroix in last month's Leopardstown Trial to secure Derby glory. A total of 24 Irish-trained winners have won English racing's most famous prize. The going at Epsom is good, although there is a mixed weather outlook for the week ahead. Friday's Epsom programme has O'Brien represented by the trio of Giselle, Minnie Hauk and Whirl in the Oaks. Joseph O'Brien has another potential classic shot here with the Salsabil Stakes winner Wemighttakedlongway. In other news, the Ballydoyle team has said that their star two-year-old Albert Einstein will miss Royal Ascot due to a setback. 'Group Three Marble Hill Stakes winner Albert Einstein, unfortunately, will not run at Royal Ascot due to a sprained joint. He will have an easy three weeks,' they reported. Albert Einstein earned rave reviews from Aidan O'Brien after each of his two starts to date, including the Marble Hill, where he was ridden for the first time by Ryan Moore. 'He's probably as fast a horse as we've seen work,' said the trainer. 'We always thought he was very special.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Unbeaten horse ‘who never stops improving' sparks huge Derby shake-up with shock £75,000 entry in Epsom race
AN unbeaten superstar who 'never stops improving' has sparked a huge Derby shake-up - after being supplemented at a cost £75,000. The Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Midak, who is owned by the family of the late Aga Khan, is one of 20 still in the £1.5million race. 1 Three from three in his career and seemingly destined for greatness, the Footstepsinthesand colt was one of two added to the race on Monday. Juddmonte stumped up the massive figure to add the Henri-Francois Devin-trained New Ground as well. Aidan O'Brien confirmed 9-4 favourite Delacroix, Lambourn and alarming market drifter The Lion In Winter as his big three for Saturday's blockbuster. Ruling Court, Charlie Appleby's 2000 Guineas winner, stood his ground too. He's been the one for money in recent days with Delacroix a slight drifter having previously been hammered in. Dante winner Pride Of Arras for Ralph Beckett was among those confirmed as well. Seven horses in all were withdrawn, including James Owen's Royal Lodge winner Wimbledon Hawkeye and O'Brien's Shackleton. Betfred spokesperson Matt Hulmes said: "We have added unbeaten Prix Greffulhe winner Midak into our betting at 14-1 while Juddmonte's New Ground is available at 16-1. "It is only fitting that the famous green and red silks of the late His Highness Aga Khan are carried in the Betfred Derby in a year we remember him. "The addition of these two French contenders is fantastic news for the race. "It affirms the Betfred Derby as the leading test of a thoroughbred, enhances the race and provides another consideration for punters to a fascinating renewal". While Coral's David Stevens added: "At this stage it looks as if Ryan Moore will be on board Delacroix in Saturday's Derby. "And if that is the case his mount looks certain to start favourite, although Ruling Court has closed the gap at the head of our betting as the Godolphin colt seeks his second Classic win." Latest Betfred Derby odds 9-4 Delacroix 4-1 Pride of Arras, Ruling Court 6-1 The Lion In Winter 10-1 Damysus 12-1 Lambourn 14-1 Midak 16-1 Stanhope Gardens 20-1 Nightwalker, New Ground 33-1 Tornado Alert 50-1 Tennessee Stud 66-1 Puppet Master. Sea Scout, Tuscan Hills, Lazy Griff 100-1 Al Wasl Storm. Green Storm, Nightime Dancer 200-1 Rogue Impact . A responsible gambler is someone who:
