Though the British season officially runs from January 1 to December 31, the Ballydoyle trainer leads the standings by more than £3 million after a string of big-race successes.

Breeders’ Cup Classic contender City Of Troy has spearheaded O’Brien’s efforts in Britain this year, winning a Group 1 hat-trick in the Betfred Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International at York most recently.

Kyprios returned to the top of the staying division with victories in the Gold Cup and Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup, while Jan Brueghel led home a one-two for the stable in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.

As usual, Aidan O’Brien was quick to deflect praise as he emphasised the importance of the team effort at Ballydoyle and Coolmore.

“It is a big team effort from everyone in Ballydoyle and Coolmore,” O’Brien said. “There are so many special people in so many different areas that if I started talking about them, I would be here until tomorrow. You can have the horses and the place but, if you don’t have the people, it won’t happen.

“The owners are the people who put the resources in every year, to try and help us make it better. They put a lot of time in and give us advice. We do our best, give information back, and try to follow the roadmap that they draw for us. Some years it goes very well, some years it is ordinary, and some years it is medium.

“This was a good year for us. We won plenty of good races. I am just delighted for everybody when we do have a good year. We don’t take anything for granted and try to look to the future.”

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The winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at the same track in June will face 11 rivals in the final all-aged British Group 1 race of the season as he bids to provide France with an eighth victory on British Champions Day and join names such as Cirrus Des Aigles (2011), Almanzor (2016) and Sealiway (2021) as a winner of the Qipco Champion Stakes.

Speaking during the past week, Francis-Henri Graffard, Calandagan’s trainer, said:

“Everything is well with Calandagan and he looks in very good shape. He has had a bit of time since York and, provided all goes well between now and Champions Day, he will be spot on for the Champion Stakes.”

Economics, winner of the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last month when beating Auguste Rodin, is the main market challenger to the French-trained Aga Khan-owned colt.

Los Angeles, winner of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and third placed in the recent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, is one of two Aidan O’Brien-trained runners in the one mile two furlong contest.

He will be ably backed up by Continuous, winner of the 2023 St Leger at Doncaster, but who finished disappointingly at ParisLongchamp on his most recent run.

The Qipco British Champion Stakes, one of four Group 1 races on the Ascot card on Saturday, goes to post at 3.55pm – the penultimate race of a six-race card, with over £4 million in prize money available on the day.

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The well-handicapped The Eurphrates (7/2 favourite) and Ryan Moore took the featured Irish Cesarewitch, winning by half a length from A Piece Of Heaven (22/1), with another three-quarters of a length back to Sixandahalf (7/1).

The win completed a four-timer on the day for O’Brien, Moore and the Coolmore partners having won a Group 2 race and two maidens earlier in the day.

The Irish Cambridgeshire runner-up A Piece Of Heaven ran in the Sydnicates Racing colours for Joseph O’Brien and Luke McAteer, while the third placer Sixandahalf was ridden by Robert Whearty for Gavin Cromwell.

Group 3 Weld Park Stakes

The Group 3 Weld Park Stakes over seven furlongs went to the Aidan O’Brien-trained Heavens Gate, under Ryan Moore, the third part of their day’s four-timer.

The two-year-old daughter of Churchill was a neck winner over Fiery Lucy and Gary Carroll, from the Gavin Cromwell stable, with Barnavara a further length and a quarter third in the hands of Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington.

Group 3 Renaissance Stakes

The Group 3SBK Rennaissance Stakes was won by My Mate Alfie, a previous three-time winner over six to seven furlongs on good and good to yielding ground.

Ridden by Colin Keane, the three-year-old gelded son of Dark Angel was winning at The Curragh for the second time, having won the Listed Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash last June.

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The win completes a perfect season for the son of Gailleo who has achieved wins in his five races in 2024.

Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien and owned by a partnership of Moyglare Stud and Coolmore Stud, the six-year-old was regaining the title he won two years ago.

Favourite upstaged in Moyglare Stakes

Race favourite Bedtime Story (4/5 favourite) was upstaged by her stable companion Lake Victoria (11/2) in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.

The seven-furlong race for fillies saw Lake Victoria and Wayne Lordan come late and wide down the home straight to claim victory, winning eventually by a length and a quarter at the line.

The Ollie Sangster-trained British challenger Simmering (17/2) finished second, with Exactly (20/1) a short-head further back. There was another head back to Red Letter with Bedtime Story being run our of it, finishing last of the five runners.

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The previously unbeaten Kodiac filly maintained her 100% record when taking the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs, the highlight of an eight-race Saturday card at flat racing’s headquarters.

Sent off the 5/2 second favourite behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained son of No Nay Never, Whistlejacket (8/13 favourite), Babouche gave Tally Ho Stud stallion Kodiac an eighth individual Group 1 winner.

The Ballydoyle runner, Whistlejacket, in the hands of Ryan Moore was second, one and a half lengths behind the winning filly, with the Adrian Murray-trained, David Egan-ridden 16/1 chance Arizona Blaze coming home third, a length and three-quarters behind the runner-up.

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The champion National Hunt conditioner training the winner of a major race at an Irish racing festival was no surprise, but what was a shock was the 50/1 price of the winner in the hands of English amateur rider David Dunsdon.

Right at the bottom of the handicap, carrying 10-13, Dunsdon came late and wide on the eventual winner in the colours of Coldunell Limited to take victory in the opening day feature by three and a half lengths.

Another big-priced runner, Baltic Bird (25/1), ridden by County Cork jockey Johnny Barry for owner/trainer Bill Durkan. Spasiba (8/1), another Closutton runner, this one the mount of Jody Townend was third one and a half lengths behind the runner-up.

Eleven-year-old Lord Erskine was fourth for trainer Harry Rogers at 33/1 another one and three-quarters of a length back in fourth place.

Lot Of Joy (4/1f), another Willie Mullins-trained runner, ridden by his son, Patrick, eventually finished in 9th place.

Danny Mullins and Richard O’Brien claim 2024 Festival opener

The well-supported Feud (16/5) was an easy winner of the opening The Galmont Hotel and The Galway Bay Hotel Novice Hurdle.

Ridden by Danny Mullins for Richard O’Brien, the winner was well placed throughout the 2 miles 130 yards contest, before putting three and a half lengths between himself and the runner-up Mordor (15/2), the mount of Sam Ewing for the Gordon Elliott stable. Pigeon House (4/1), who was close to the front of the field throughout crossed the finishing line in third place, a further six and a half lengths behind.

The race favourite, the French-bred Willie Mullins-trained Sysko (9/4f) was never a threat, and finished in fourth place on his Irish debut.

County Meath-trained double on day one

Father and son Matthew and Kevin Smith teamed up to easily win the Easyfix Handicap Hurdle over 2 miles 130 yards.

The Co Meath outfit claimed the win Son Of Hypnos (16/1) who was a facile 10-length winner over Clonburg Bridge (16/1), with Vischio (10/1) and Harley Street (17/2) taking third and fourth places respectively.

Smith’s fellow Co Meath-based conditioner Jack Davison also returned to the winner’s enclosure, with Artful Approach (7/1), in The Clayton Hotel Galway Handicap.

In the hands of five-pound claimer James Ryan, the chestnut gelded son of Mehmas came on the outside of the field in the dying stages of the 7-furlong 50-80 Handicap, to take the win by one and a half lengths, with a short-head separating the runner-up and third, Cuban Confusion (10/1) and Louiescall (10/1). The 100/30 race favourite, Avatar Jet, crossed the line back in 12th place.

Rock Of Cashel loses maiden tag

Rock Of Cashel (3/1), eighth on debut at The Curragh last month, broke quickly at Ballybrit today, and was at the head of the field for the duration of the seven furlongs race.

When Wayne Lordan asked the son of Wootton Bassett to take his race, the two-year-old colt powered up the Galway hill and take a two and a quarter length win from another 3/1 shot Admiral Churchill under Billy Lee for the Paddy Twomey stable, with Joseph O’Brien’s Viking Invasion (7/1) next home, a further length behind.

The Dermot Weld-handled favourite Truth Be Told (13/8) finished fourth, another length and a half back.

Tony Mullins and Rory Cleary teamed up for success in The Grá Chocolates Handicap over 1 mile 4 furlongs and 84 yards at 7.45pm.

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Trained in England by Ralph Beckett, last year’s Darley Irish Oaks runner-up, had to battle late to get past last season’s Group 1 Coronation Stakes winner Emily Upjohn in the one mile two furlongs contest.

With Lumiere Rock and Dylan Browne McMonagle cutting out the early pace, the John and Thady Gosden-handled Emily Upjohn looked a serious threat as she loomed up on the outside of the Joseph O’Brien-trained daughter of Saxon Warrior.

With rider Kieran Shoemark looking confident aboard Emily Upjohn, she was soon joined by the Juddmonte Farms’-owned Bluestocking and Galway native Rossa Ryan in the saddle.

The two fillies battled gamely to the line, with Bluestocking, a daughter of Camelot, holding sway on the line, with half a length called as the official distance between winner and runner-up.

With the visiting runners taking the first and second place, Aidan O’Brien’s Content, with Ryan Moore in the saddle, was best of the home team, three and three-quarter lengths further back in third place.

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore had earlier teamed up for a Group double, with Truly Enchanting and Jan Breughel tasting success.

Truly Enchanting,13th in the Group 2 Queen Mary over five furlongs recently at Royal Ascot, was in the winner’s enclosure today, taking the six-furlong Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes for fillies from Adrian Murray-trained and David Egan-ridden California Dreamer in the colours of AMO Racing Limited.

The second part of the Coolmore, O’Brien, Moore Group double was the success of Jan Breughel in the Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld International Stakes over one mile two furlongs.

Jan Breughel, a full-brother to Dawn Rising who was winner of the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2023, had a neck advantage over the Joseph O’Brien-trained and Dylan Browne McMonagle-ridden Trustyourinstinct in the colours of J.P. McManus.

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The winner of the Epsom Derby and the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh earlier this year, Auguste Rodin has disappointed hugely on two occasions, namely the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

This afternoon, however, the son of Deep Impact showed his battling qualities as he held off the challenge of his stable companion, and last year’s winner of the race, Luxembourg (Séamie Heffernan), by a half-length. Hollie Doyle aboard Nashwa was a short-head further back in third for John and Thady Gosden.

The three Ballydoyle runners, Luxembourg, Point Lonsdale (eventual 6th), and Auguste Rodin cut out the running in that order.

Ryan Moore and Auguste Rodin made their challenge on the outside of Luxembourg and Heffernan and fought off his stable companion’s challenge to claim a fourth career Group 1 success.

“It’s very satisfying to come back and prove how good he is.”

Ryan Moore hails Auguste Rodin and the training feats of Aidan O’Brien after a memorable Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes #IrishChampionsFestival | @BahrainTurfClub| @LeopardstownRC pic.twitter.com/d41tUMiPhu

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 9, 2023

The winning trainer, Aidan O’Brien, for whom it was a 12th Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes win, said of the winner:

“A couple of times this year it all went totally wrong. All the ducks went against him. Usually you want them all to go with you but they all went against him. Ryan (Moore, the winning rider), before it went completely wrong in Ascot, he took him out of the race so he did no mental or physical damage to him. That’s why he came out of the race so well.”

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The victory of the Ballydoyle-handled filly gave her trainer Aidan O’Brien a record seventh success in the fillies’ classic over a mile and a half.

Winner of the Cheshire Oaks in May and runner-up in the Epsom Oaks last month, the daughter of Galileo battled hard with the English challenger Bluestocking, representing the sponsors, at the business end of the race.

With the Ralph Beckett-trained Colin Keane-ridden Bluestocking moving on in the latter stages of the contest, and looking as though she was set for victory, Savethelastdance fought bravely for Ryan Moore and came back to claim the win.

Another Ballydoyle runner, the pacesetting Library (80/1) took third place.

“It was an incredible ride from Ryan.”

Great stuff with Aidan O’Brien following a fine day at the @curraghrace

Henry Longfellow
Emily Dickinson (Irish St leger)
Savethelastdance (Yorkshire Oaks or St Leger)
Kyprios on the comeback trail pic.twitter.com/rL7jBR6Rd8

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 22, 2023

The win of Savethelastdance was the middle part of a Curragh treble for O’Brien, Moore and the Coolmore partners.

The impressive newcomer Henry Longfellow set the ball rolling for the Ballydoyle team when claim the opening maiden.

A juvenile son of Dubawi out of the multiple Group 1 winner Minding, previously trained by O’Brien, the 5/4 favourite led home a 1-2-3 for O’Brien with Mythology (13/8) second and Master of the Hunt (13/2) in third.

We’ve seen a good one here

Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) is out of multiple G1 scorer Minding & is poetry in motion on debut for team @Ballydoyle & Ryan Moore in the opener at the @curraghrace

A 1-2-3 for the Coolmore Partnership too! pic.twitter.com/d3zqyCn0eV

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 22, 2023

The Group 2 Comer Group International Curragh Cup was won by Emily Dickinson (6/4f) to complete the treble. The four-year-old daughter of Dubawi had finished fourth in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, but on softer ground today, which is more to her liking, she ran out an impressive three length winner over Paddy Twomey’s Rosscarbery (13/8) and Donnacha O’Brien’s Amusement in third.

A quickfire double for team @Ballydoyle!

G1 Irish Oaks – Savethelastdance
G2 Comer Group International @curraghrace Cup – Emily Dickinson

A smart performance from this classy stayer in the hands of Ryan Moore pic.twitter.com/IRpzdGpDN7

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 22, 2023

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Trained in England by George Boughey for owner Stephen Hillen, the daughter of Fastnet Rock was a two length winner of the €300,000 1 mile 2 furlong race.

Johnny Murtagh’s Mashhoor won the Group 3 Paddy Power International Stakes with jockey Ben Coen in the saddle.

"It’s really very special when Tommy Dowd comes to you in the parade ring and says ‘I’m more nervous now than I was on all-Ireland day!'" – @JohnnyMurtagh

What a ride from @BenCoen2 aboard Mashhoor in the @paddypower International Stakes @curraghrace!

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 1, 2023

Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore completed an early double with the successes of City Of Troy in the Barronstown Stud Irish EBF Maiden and Matrika in the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes.

"Ryan said it’s the first time he’s ever rode a two-year-old that he thought wasn’t going to pull up"

"He said you can go anywhere you want with him and go as far as you want"

City Of Troy looks a potential star! Read more from Aidan O'Brien in our report @curraghrace

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 1, 2023

There's no stopping Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore as Matrika lands the Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes. An 8th win in the race (first run in 2005) for the trainer and a 6th for the jockey.

Moore has now won the past 6 races he has ridden in. @airliestud | @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/aadeeP7ymu

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 1, 2023

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