With less than three weeks to go to the first two Classics of the UK Flat season, feedback from Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien on his likely runners seems a good starting point.
No trainer in history has won more British Classics than O’Brien and he will be looking to extend his record this year during Guineas Weekend at Newmarket.
No trainer in history has won more British Classics than Aiden O’Brien (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
He outlined his plans for the first four Classics at a media day at Ballydoyle last week.
First up, the Betfair 2000 Guineas on Saturday 3rd May.
“The two horses we are thinking of for the 2000 Guineas at the moment are Twain and Expanded and both horses are being trained for it. Twain is obviously already a Group One winner and if the two are both going well heading into Newmarket, then Expanded could go for the Irish 2000 Guineas Trial at the Curragh the following Monday and just Twain would go straight to Newmarket. If we are not sure about either of them, then the two of them could both run in the Guineas.”
The Group One Criterium International in France is a race O’Brien often runs his best two-year-old colts in. Last season, he saddled Twain to victory in the race in Paris. On the back of that success, the son of Wootton Bassett is the 11/2 favourite for the 2000 Guineas.
Another son of Wootton Bassett, Expanded is also lightly raced having had only two juvenile starts. After prevailing on his debut at the Curragh, he finished strongly to be beaten only a neck by Shadow Of Light in the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
Expanded also has an entry in the Derby at Epsom later this season, so the yard must be confident of the horse’s stamina. The Irish-trained horse does not have the same level of experience as some of his rivals in the 2000 Guineas, but his Dewhurst performance suggests he heads back to the Rowley Mile with realistic claims.
Newmarket Racecourse is all set for Guineas Weekend (Pic – Newmarket Racecourse on FB)
The fillies equivalent, the Betfred 1000 Guineas is run the following day.
“The plan is to run Exactly who has already had a run and possibly Lake Victoria, who is on the way back. We stepped Lake Victoria up a couple of weeks ago and she is really coming to herself now. She could be there in time for Newmarket but if she wasn’t, she could also go to the Curragh instead. It is very possible she could make it to Newmarket and if she did, Exactly could go for the French Guineas instead.”
Not many two-year-olds achieved more than Lake Victoria in 2024. O’Brien’s filly won all five of her races, including three victories at the highest level.
Lake Victoria’s hat-trick of Group One wins began at the Curragh in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She then dropped down in distance to showcase her speed in the Cheveley Park Stakes, while on her final juvenile start, she was victorious in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The Betfred Derby runs on the first Saturday in June.
“The Lion In Winter will not go for the Guineas and will instead start off it the Dante at York, where he should be around 80 to 90 per cent. He is a medium-sized horse and has done well over the winter. He is straightforward, not slow being by Sea The Stars he should stay very well. We are very happy with him and if York goes well we will see what ‘The Lads’ want to do but if everything goes well, the Derby would probably be the plan. Delacroix who won the Ballysax Stakes could now go for the Derrinstown and could also be a Derby horse.”
“If Twain won the Guineas, there is a good chance ‘The Lads’ will want to go for the Derby with him as well for obvious reasons. It was probably impossible what we asked Twain to do last season. He won his maiden and then just over a week later won a Group One in France. He never saw another horse in his maiden when the plan had been to drop him in and educate him, but he jumped out and won by six lengths.”
“He went to France after what was only really a racecourse gallop and was still very green but won very nicely. With his pedigree, there is every chance he should stay the Derby trip if all goes well in the Guineas.”
The day before, Friday 6th June sees the running of the Betfred Oaks.
“Dreamy is a big price but could be an Oaks filly. She is a beautiful mile-and-a-half filly, who could go for a trial at Chester or York. There is also Whirl who ran at the Curragh and who will be better going up in trip and Ballet Slippers, who is the first foal out of Magical and should also be suited by a step up in trip.”
