Aidan O'Brien | Horse Racing Free Tips

Siyouni’s St Mark’s Basilica Prevails In the Dewhurst

Saturday’s G1 Darley Dewhurst S. proved the latest in a line of O’Brien family benefits, with Aidan stamping his authority with a one-two courtesy of St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Wembley (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Joseph’s Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) rounding out the placings. Behind that pair when third in The Curragh’s G1 Goffs Vincent O’Brien National S. over this seven-furlong trip Sept. 13, St Mark’s Basilica was under cover early with Frankie Dettori playing a waiting game with the pace strong up ahead. Threaded through a gap to take the advantage approaching the final furlong, the 10-1 shot who is a half-brother to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) ultimately had more stamina on the ground than the National hero Thunder Moon and held his stablemate Wembley by 3/4 of a length, with the 11-4 favourite fading to be 1 3/4 lengths away. “You know with Aidan O’Brien, even the number two horse is a strong one,” Dettori said after steering a seventh Dewhurst winner for the master of Ballydoyle. “In fairness, he didn’t put a foot wrong and did everything I asked him to. He’s neat, nimble, handled the dip and a mile will be no problem in the Guineas.”

St Mark’s Basilica’s first three starts took place over six furlongs at The Curragh, with a debut second in a maiden July 26 followed by a fifth placing when the subject of a gamble as the 7-2 favourite for the Aug. 9 G1 Phoenix S. Off the mark next time at the expense of the impressive subsequent scorers Loch Lein (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Duke of Mantua (Ire) (No Nay Never) and the G3 Round Tower S. third Coulthard (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) on soft ground Aug. 22, he was run out of third late by Wembley after Thunder Moon had flown in the National but despite two defeats at the highest level as a member of Team Ballydoyle was impossible to rule out here. Like Friday’s G1 Fillies’ Mile winner Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) withdrawn from Sunday’s action at ParisLongchamp due to the feed contamination, the bay was able to find abundant cover in this field packed with talent and reserve his kick for the business end.

While the Richard Hannon pair Chindit (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Etonian (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) were never a factor and the supplemented Alkumait (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) ran too free along with his G2 Mill Reef S. combatant Fivethousandtoone (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the race was an Irish affair from before the furlong pole. Even the G2 Champions Juvenile winner Cadillac (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) was in the pursuit, while the Jim Bolger runner Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) was close enough to the premises to confirm the already-existing impression that the Irish hold sway with the juveniles in 2020. It was left to the 100-1 shot Devilwala (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) to deny a one-two-three-four for the visitors, but the Ralph Beckett trainee had the stand’s rail and there is a strong theory that a bias exists there on this track.

“We’re delighted with both of them,” the Ballydoyle handler said. “The plan was that St Mark’s Basilica would run in France and then Wembley would run in the Dewhurst, that’s the way we were going. We’ve always liked St Mark’s Basilica a lot and we’ve always thought they were very smart colts. The first three were were the same three as in the National Stakes. Every year it’s a great race and the form always stands up. The Breeders’ Cup is possible for the winner, but we’re thinking Battleground will go to the Breeders’ Cup, so he doesn’t have to go.”

As mentioned, St Mark’s Basilica is the second winner of a prestige Newmarket contest for the G3 Silver Flash S.-winning dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) alongside last year’s G1 2000 Guineas hero Magna Grecia, who also captured the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at two and was runner-up in this card’s G3 Autumn S. She is a half to the G3 Solario S. scorer Drumfire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the stakes winner Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who was also runner-up in the G2 Gimcrack S. The listed-placed third dam Fife (Ire) (Lomond) is also the second dam of the G3 Park S. winner and G1 Moyglare S. runner-up Ugo Fire (Ire) (Bluebird), while this is also the family of the GI Hollywood Turf Cup hero Frenchpark (GB) and the G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Pearly Shells (GB) (Efisio {GB}). The latter is the second dam of the recent G3 Fairy Bridge S. runner-up Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Cabaret’s full-brother to St Mark’s Basilica was led out unsold at 650,000gns during Tuesday’s session of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
DARLEY DEWHURST S.-G1, £427,000, Newmarket, 10-10, 2yo, 7fT, 1:25.24, sf.
1–ST MARK’S BASILICA (FR), 127, c, 2, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Cabaret (Ire) (GSW-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Witch of Fife, by Lear Fan
3rd Dam: Fife (Ire), by Lomond
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (1,300,000gns Ylg ’19 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Robert Scarborough (FR); T-Aidan O’Brien; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £242,152. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Ire, 5-2-1-1, $362,416. *1/2 to Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ire at 7-9.5f & MG1SW-Eng, $597,769. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wembley (Ire), 127, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Inca Princess (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. £91,805.
3–Thunder Moon (Ire), 127, c, 2, Zoffany (Ire)–Small Sacrifice (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. O-Mrs C C Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Joseph O’Brien. £45,945.
Margins: 3/4, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 10.00, 7.50, 2.75.
Also Ran: Devilwala (Ire), Cadillac (Ire), Albasheer (Ire), Fivethousandtoone (Ire), Devious Company (Ire), Chindit (Ire), Poetic Flare (Ire), Tactical (GB), Etonian (Ire), Decisive Edge (Ire), Alkumait (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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O’Brien Apologizes, BHA To Investigate Equine Mix-Up In Friday’s Fillies’ Mile

Trainer Aidan O'Brien has issued a public apology after a mix-up occurred in Friday's Fillies' Mile at Newmarket, reports the Racing Post. The Ballydoyle master's two entrants, Snowfall and Mother Earth, carried each other's numbers and intended jockeys.

Snowfall, reported to have finished third under James Doyle, actually finished eighth under William Buick.

“I contacted the BHA straight away and let them know what is after happening,” O'Brien told racingpost.com, adding that he made the call after watching the race on delay. “We have a team based in England these days because of the coronavirus restrictions, so the problem is the lads that are with the horses at home can't always go racing with them.”

“The BHA stewards have been made aware of a potential issue regarding the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket today which may have resulted in the incorrect rider and number cloths being carried by the two horses trained by Aidan O'Brien,” reads a statement from the British Horseracing Authority. “A stewards' inquiry will be held on the racecourse tomorrow to consider all of the relevant evidence and determine the course of events and what action needs to be taken.”

GAIN Provides Update on Contaminant Investigation

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

GAIN said in a statement, “We have made significant progress in our investigation and are working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), who are the regulatory body responsible for the feed sector in Ireland. Following consultation with DAFM, we have re-commenced equine feed production and will be in contact with our customers regarding resumption of feed supply.

“We continue to ask our equine customers to refrain from feeding their current stock of GAIN Equine products to their animals. We again apologise sincerely to our valued customers for the inconvenience caused by this incident and we are committed to promptly keeping you fully informed.”

France Galop tested all of the O’Brien Arc weekend runners on Friday, as they had also utilised GAIN products, with Aidan, Joseph and Donnach O’Brien eventually withdrawing all of their horses entered on Arc Sunday when those tests came back positive. Down Under, Racing Victoria has also conducted tests for Zilpaterol on Aidan and Joseph O’Brien’s horses. The results are pending.

The British Horseracing Authority issued advice to trainers who have used GAIN’s equine feed ranges on Tuesday. An elective testing system-carried out by the BHA’s analytical laboratory, LGC– has been set up by the BHA.

“We anticipate that the sample analysis may take up to three working days to complete, though every effort will be made, within reason and depending on the volume of tests, to return results in time for any races in which horses are entered,” a spokesperson for the BHA told the Irish Field.

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O’Brien Horses In Australia Subjected To Out-Of-Competition Tests After Feed Contamination Concerns

After top international trainers Aidan and Joseph O'Brien were forced to scratch horses from Sunday's races due to concerns about possible feed contamination, news broke Monday that Australian authorities are testing O'Brien horses based there.

Racing Post reported that top Caulfield Cup hopeful Anthony Van Dyck and Melbourne Cup contender Tiger Moth just arrived in Australia to prepare for those races.

The O'Brien horses are fed products made by Gain Equine Nutrition, which warned customers that some batches of some of its products may have been contaminated with zilpaterol. Zilpaterol is not permitted in Europe but is commonly used in the States by cattle farmers to add weight to cows. It is a beta agonist and therefore could have anabolic-like side effects.

A French lab detected zilpaterol in urine samples taken from O'Brien horses after the company's warning.

“Racing Victoria (RV) can advise that its integrity services team are liaising with Irish trainers Aidan and Joseph O'Brien regarding the circumstances that led to the stable scratching runners in France and Ireland across the weekend due to concerns regarding the alleged contamination of horse feed that it utilizes.

“Reports from both trainers and international racing authorities are that feed used by both stables has been found in Europe to be contaminated with the prohibited substance Zilpaterol.

“Following discussions with the O'Brien stables, RV stewards have today conducted out of competition testing on their horses at Werribee to determine whether Zilpaterol is currently in any of the horse's systems. The results of these tests may take up to one week.

“Furthermore, both stables have confirmed to RV stewards today that they have ceased using feed from the provider in question.”

Learn more about feed contamination in this 2015 Paulick Report feature.

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