Tag: Donnacha O’Brien

Conditions To Suit For Local Dynasty In the Dee

Wide-margin winners trended on a rain-softened opening to Chester's May Festival and, with testing conditions set for day two at the Roodeye, it will be as you were turning to Thursday's Listed Boodles Dee S., another G1 Derby trial, and the Tote-sponsored G3 Ormonde S. for the older stayers.

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Local Dynasty (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will relish the muddy track, according to Charlie Appleby, and returns off a soft-ground breakthrough score in October's Listed Pontefract Castle when last seen.

“He has done well over the winter and we know that he will handle the ground following his wins at Sandown and Pontefract,” the trainer said. “Stepping up in trip looks as though it should suit and this seems a decent starting point for his campaign.”

O'Brien Dynasty To Retain Sovereignty?

Aidan O'Brien has struck for seven of the last 10 editions and relies on Dundalk maiden winner San Antonio (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in his quest for an overall 10th triumph, which would be one shy of Barry Hills' record 11.

“He's in good form and won his maiden nicely in Dundalk,” the trainer commented. “I don't know if he's run in that ground before, so we're not sure about that, but he's in good form.”

Son Donnacha also has representation and sends forth G2 Golden Fleece S. third Alder (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who will line up off a comeback win at Cork last month.

“He's a very nice horse and we've always thought a lot of him,” said the junior O'Brien. “He was always going to make a better 3-year-old and the race is timed nicely for him. It's three weeks from his last run and then about three weeks to the Derby, so it has worked out well and we will learn a bit more about him.”

Possible Delays For Passenger's Return

It's been a long 20 years since the Dee hosted a subsequent Blue Riband hero, Kris Kin (Kris S.) doing the double for Sir Michael Stoute, but the veteran maestro's impressive Wood Ditton winner Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) is by no means a certain starter in this year's renewal.

“Sir Michael is going to review the ground in the morning and should it be deemed too soft, Passenger may not run,” revealed Niarchos Family's racing manager Alan Cooper. “He's a horse that needs good ground, so it wouldn't make sense for his second start to run the horse on an unsuitable surface.”

Ormonde Duel In Store

Later on the card, the eight-runner G3 tote.co.uk Bet £5 Get £20 Ormonde S. appears to be a straight-up duel between 2022 hero Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) and Ballydoyle's G1 Derby fifth and G2 King Edward VII victor Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who annexed last year's G3 Chester Vase at this meeting.

“He carries a penalty and is very well, but could have done with a better draw,” said trainer William Haggas of the former. “He's ready to go, he enjoys a bit of cut in the ground and I believe it is going to be quite soft. He should enjoy it and we will try to take advantage of the [soft] ground while we have it.”

Ryan Moore is hopeful Changingoftheguard, who comes back off a 328-day break, is up to the task on seasonal return.

“He was very impressive in testing ground when winning the Chester Vase here last season and followed up with a good fifth in the Derby,” the rider said. “We never saw him after [the King Edward VII at] Royal Ascot as he picked up an injury, but we are obviously very happy with him now or else we wouldn't be here. Hopefully, he can get a Group 1 on his CV this season. It's a deep and tough race for a Group 3, but this is a good starting point for him.”

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O’Brien Predicts Piz Badile Improvement Ahead Of Curragh Return

Donnacha O'Brien is predicting that Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) will strip a lot fitter for his comeback effort in the G3 Alleged S. at the Curragh on Sunday and identified the G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup as the early-season target for last year's Irish Derby runner-up. 

The trainer also provided an upbeat bulletin on the hugely-exciting Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who could get his season underway in the G3 Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown on May 7. 

Piz Badile will face just five rivals on Sunday, including likely favourite Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), with O'Brien optimistic that the best may yet be to come from his charge at four. 

He said, “Piz Badile is in good form and has done very well from three to four. It will be nice to get him started and hopefully the ground dries out a little bit for him. He doesn't mind a bit of juice in the ground but I'd rather if it wasn't heavy ground. We're looking forward to the year ahead with him.”

Asked how he reflects on last season with Piz Badile, O'Brien said, “I suppose he won his Derby Trial well and then we went to Epsom for the Derby and he didn't really handle the track. He went on to run a very good race to finish second in the Irish Derby and then the ground was like flint in France for the Grand Prix de Paris. He pulled out of that race a little bit jarred which is why we gave him the rest of the year off. 

“Looking at his pedigree and even physically, he's a horse who was always going to make up into a better four-year-old, and we had that in the back of our minds even at the start of last season's campaign.

“The plan was to use this race as a prep for the Tattersalls Gold Cup, which is over the same course and distance, and I think he will come on a lot from whatever he does on Sunday. He'll come on plenty for it and is going to be a lot better on better ground.”

Proud And Regal | Scoop Dyga

O'Brien revealed that Nell Gwyn S. entry Not Even Close (Ire) (Zoustar {Aus}) is an unlikely runner at Newmarket on Wednesday but confirmed that Wodao (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) would definitely take his chance in the G3 Prix Sigy at Chantilly on Monday. 

He said, “Wodao had a really nice comeback run behind Tenebrism (Caravaggio) at Cork. We didn't have him entered in this race but it popped up and the ground is soft over there, which will be to his liking. He takes his racing well and we thought it looked a nice opportunity to put him in. Some of the Irish sprints can be very competitive and even some of our listed races will be the equivalent Group 2s and Group 1s because of the types of horses who will be using such races as preps.”

On Not Even Close, he added, “She's a lovely filly and has done really well throughout the winter but I don't think she'll be running in the Nell Gwyn. As is the case with most of mine, we're trying to find a bit of nice ground for her somewhere, but it's been a bit of a nightmare start to the year with all of the rain that we're getting. 

“I bought her for Justin Carthy and then Qatar Racing bought into her after she won nicely at Dundalk. It's my first horse for Qatar and I think she's a smart filly. Obviously she is completely unproven at any kind of stakes grade but, on her work at home, she looks as though she can make up into a stakes filly.”

But there's no doubting the great hope for O'Brien this season is Proud And Regal, a winner of the G1 Criterium International when last seen in October.

O'Brien said, “He's a lovely horse and has done well over the winter. We didn't run him in any of the early trials as he'd have had to carry the Group 1 penalty. 

“At the minute, we're aiming him at the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial, as he wouldn't have a penalty in that. We could see where we want to go with him after that. 

“He could go the Derby route or he could even drop back for something like the Irish 2,000 Guineas. But we'll start him off at Leopardstown first and then decide about where we want to go afterwards.”

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Aidan O’Brien Dominates Derby Nominations At Latest Entry Stage

After the Mar. 7 scratching stage, 83 horses remain signed on for the 2023 G1 Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 3. Worth £1.5 million, the 1 1/2-mile contest is the richest race in Britain.

Of the 83, 45 are trained in Ireland and of that number, a colossal 31 are trained by Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O'Brien for various Coolmore partnerships. Top of the heap are Deep Impact (Jpn)'s G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy hero Auguste Rodin (Jpn) and the late Shadai kingpin's son's Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). The last-named won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in November. The winning duo of Alfred Munnings (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) are other potential Classic stars-in-waiting.

O'Brien's sons, Joseph and Donnacha, field eight between them, led by Group 1 winners Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for the latter, and Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for the former.

There are also three chances for His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen Consort to scoop the Blue Riband this year, with the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas-nominated winner Slipofthepen (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) trained by John and Thady Gosden, the William Haggas-trained group-placed Desert Hero (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the winning Sir Michael Stoute charge Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}) all nominated. Stoute claimed the 2022 Derby with Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), and he also entered Crystal Mariner (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) for Robert Ng.

The Gosdens have the largest UK Derby arsenal with 15 colts nominated. Anchoring their brigade is George Strawbridge's 'TDN Rising Star' Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), who was second in the Vertem Futurity Trophy S. behind the aforementioned Auguste Rodin.

Of Andrew Balding's quartet, three bear the colours of King Power Racing led by G2 Royal Lodge S. hero The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

The second entry stage is set for Tuesday, Apr. 4.

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Proud And Regal Edges Criterium International Battle Of The Galileos

It was a case of heads up, heads down at the conclusion of Saint-Cloud's G1 Criterium International on Saturday, with Coolmore's homebred Galileo duo Proud And Regal (Ire) and Espionage (Ire) engaged in a thrilling tussle in which the former ultimately prevailed.

Last seen finishing runner-up in the Sept. 11 G1 Vincent O'Brien National S., the Donnacha O'Brien-trained son of the G1 Fillies' Mile and G1 Falmouth S. heroine Simply Perfect (GB) (Danehill) who captured the July 21 G3 Tyros S. at Leopardstown was asked to keep close tabs on Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Espionage by Gavin Ryan as that rival took up the running from the outset.

Getting to the stand's rail as they entered the straight, the 3-1 second favourite stuck to his guns despite the tenacity of the eventual runner-up under Ioritz Mendizabal and managed to overhaul his compatriot in the final stride for a head success. The Ralph Beckett-trained Salt Bay (Ger) (Farhh {GB}) was 1 3/4 lengths back in third.

“He was very genuine and it was nice to get a big one with him,” Donnacha said. “It was only in the last furlong that he really got on top of dad's horse, but I'm sure they're two nice staying horses going forward.”

While there was perhaps a bigger pointer for the 2023 Derby from the latest Ballydoyle star at Doncaster later in the afternoon, the youngest trainer of the O'Brien clan has his own dreams of Classic glory next term. “He's probably going to want 10 or 12 furlongs next year, which opens up a lot of options for him. He's a good stayer,” he added. “He's had a few runs and he's plenty fit, but he's had a long enough year so it's a testament to him that he's still performing at a high class this far into the year. Whether we stick around for Classics with him in this part of the world or go travelling with him, we've plenty of options.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Becoming the 97th group 1 winner for his outstanding sire, Proud And Regal who was also third behind Aesop's Fables (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the Aug. 20 G2 Futurity S. at The Curragh is the last and best foal out of the aforementioned Simply Perfect. Also responsible for Galileo's G3 International S. winner Mekong River (Ire) and G3 Princess Royal S. and G3 Give Thanks S. runner-up Simply Beautiful (Ire), she is a full-sister to One Moment In Time (Ire) who produced two other notable Galileos in the dual group 3 winner and G1 St Leger runner-up Bondi Beach (Ire) and the G3 Gallinule S. scorer Constantinople (Ire).

The second dam is the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Fillies' Mile-placed Hotelgenie Dot Com (GB) (Selkirk), whose half-sister Bianca Nera (GB) (Salse) was successful in the Moyglare and the G2 Lowther S. and is the second dam of the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S., G1 Juddmonte International S., G1 Coronation Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic-winning sire Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio and G2 Park Hill S. winner God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and the GIII Beverly Hills H. winner and GI Yellow Ribbon S. runner-up Turning Top (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). God Given is the dam of this year's G3 Autumn S. and G3 Solario S. winner Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who could provide another top-level success if things fall his way at the Breeders' Cup next month.

 

Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM INTERNATIONAL-G1, €250,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-22, 2yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:51.34, hy.
1–PROUD AND REGAL (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Galileo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Simply Perfect (GB) (MG1SW-Eng, G1SP-Fr,
                                $753,005), by Danehill
                2nd Dam: Hotelgenie Dot Com (GB), by Selkirk
                3rd Dam: Birch Creek (GB), by Carwhite (Ire)
   1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-D Smith,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,
Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Donnacha O'Brien; J-Gavin
Ryan. €142,850. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Ire, 5-3-1-1,
€273,550. *Full to Mekong River (Ire), GSW-Ire, $182,118.
Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Espionage (Ire), 126, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Even Song (Ire), by
Mastercraftsman (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising
   Star'. O-Westerberg,Mrs J Magnier,M Tabor,D Smith;
B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €57,150.
3–Salt Bay (Ger), 126, c, 2, Farhh (GB)–Saltita (Ire), by Galileo
(Ire).1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (350,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT).
O-Valmont; B-Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof (GER); T-Ralph Beckett.
€28,575.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.90, 6.30, 8.40.
Also Ran: Syros (Fr), Breizh Sky (Fr), Romina Power (Fr), Kubrick (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.

 

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