Monday, 30 October 2017: Aidan O’Brien’s record breaking Group One year may not be done just yet with champion Irish trainer capable of collecting more major wins in Australia and America in the next two weeks
Aidan O'Brien
O’Brien has up to 10 of his stable booked into this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup meetings at Del Mar in California on Friday and Saturday and may have his best chance yet of winning the Melbourne Cup at Flemington next Tuesday for the first time with Johannes Vermeer, the Galileo 5YO who has raced twice in Australia this spring for seconds in the G1 Caulfield Stakes and G1 Caulfield Cup. He was denied further opportunities in France on Sunday when the meeting at Saint-Cloud was abandoned due to protestors. He had four of the seven runners in the G1 Criterium De Saint-Cloud and one in the G1 Criterium International. O’Brien struck G1 gold in the UK for the third time this month at Doncaster on Saturday when Saxon Warrior won the G1 Racing Post Trophy. The 2YO colt was O’Brien’s 26th G1 win in 2017, equalling the late American trainer Bobby Frankel’s world record. O’Brien’s personal milestones in 2017 include his 70th European classic success and his 300th G1 winner since he started training in 1993. He has been Ireland’s champion trainer by prizemoney every year since 1999. All of the 15 performers who have won G1 races for the O’Brien stable this year race under the Coolmore Stud ownership of Derek Smith, Michael Tabor and Mrs John Magnier with other partners in some horses. They include Johannes Vermeer who counts leading Australian owner Lloyd Williams and the China Horse Club in his ownership. Williams also shares in their ownership of O’Brien’s top stayer and multiple G1 winner Order Of St George. The common thread with most of O’Brien’s G1 winners is Coolmore’s champion sire Galileo. Eight of O’Brien’s G1 winners in 2017 are by Galileo and nine are out of mares by the world champion who won the English Derby, Irish Derby and Ascot King George & Queen Elizabeth Stakes for Colmore during his racing career. Galileo has claimed the European Sire title for the ninth time in 2017 with more than 40 stakes winners of almost 60 stakes races.
Galileo wins the 2001 Epsom Derby
Galileo is also assured of the top juvenile sire title and sits second behind his sire Sadler’s Wells on the broodmare statistical list where he leads clearly by stakes winners. Racing Post Trophy winner Saxon Warrior represents a significant G1 victory for the mix of Galileo with Japan’s sire sensation Deep Impact. Saxon Warrior (Deep Impact x Maybe by Galileo) is the the 32nd G1 winner by Deep Impact among 101 stakes winners for the son of Sunday Silence, standing at Shadai Stallion station in Japan. Saxon Warrior is the second foal out of champion juvenile filly Maybe, preceded by his stakes placed sister Pavlenko. Maybe was an unbeaten 2YO with wins in the Listed Chesham Stakes, G3 Silver Flash Stakes, G2 Debutante Stakes and G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Saxon Warrior - Racing Post Trophy (2017)
She is a full sister to G3 winner and G1 placed Promise To Be True from the Listed winner Sumora (Danehill), a half sister to the G1 Epsom Oaks G1 Preis der Diana winner Dancing Rain (Danehill Dancer) The third dam Rain Flower (Indian Ridge) is a half-sister to the Epsom Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes winning sire Dr Devious and fellow sires Archway, Shinko King and Royal Court. Maybe has a colt foal by American Pharoah and was bred to War Front this year. Aidan O’Brien 2017 G1 Winners CAPRI (3YO colt Galileo x Dialafara by Anabaa) - Irish Derby; English St Leger CARAVAGGIO (3YO colt Scat Daddy x Mekko Hokte by Holy Bull) - Commonwealth Cup CHURCHILL (3YO Colt Galileo x Meow by Storm Cat) - English 2000 Guineas; Irish 2000 Guineas CLEMMIE (2YO filly Galileo x Meow by Storm Cat) - Cheveley Park Stakes HAPPILY (2YO filly Galileo x Youaresothrilling by Storm Cat) - Moyglare Stud Stakes, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere HIGHLAND REEL (5YO entire Galileo x Hveger by Danehill) - Coronation Cup, Prince of Wales’s Stakes HYDRANGEA (3YO filly Galileo x Beauty Is Truth by Pivotal) British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes; Matron Stakes ORDER OF ST GEORGE (5YO entire Galileo x Another Storm by Gone West) - Irish St Leger RHODODENDRON (3YO filly Galileo x Halfway to Heaven by Pivotal) - Prix de l’Opera ROLY POLY (3YO filly War Front x Misty For Me by Galileo) - Falmouth Stakes, Sun Chariot Stakes, Prix Rothchild SAXON WARRIOR (2YO colt Deep Impact x Maybe by Galileo) – Racing Post Trophy SIOUX NATION (2YO colt Scat Daddy x Dream the Blues by Oasis Dream) - Phoenix Stakes US NAVY FLAG (2YO colt War Front x Misty For Me by Galileo) - Dewhurst Stakes; Middle Park Stakes WINGS OF EAGLES (3YO colt Pour Moi x Ysoldina by Kendor) - English Derby WINTER (3YO filly Galileo x Ladies Poker Two by Choisir) - English 1000 Guineas; Irish 1000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes, Nassau Stakes
