O’Brien gets ‘Saxon’ ride with Moore in Belmont

RACING

DONNACHA O’BRIEN, the man of the moment, will be reunited with Saxon Warrior in tomorrow’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown when the 2,000 Guineas winner turns out seven days after finishing third in the Irish Derby.

O’Brien, 19, whose victories this season include the 2,000 Guineas on Saxon Warrior, the Oaks on Forever Together and the Irish Derby on Latrobe, is back in the saddle on the colt who gave him his first Classic because Ryan Moore is on duty at Belmont Park in America.

Saxon Warrior had been expected to have a break before trying his luck at one and a quarter miles in the Juddmonte International at York next month.

However, he makes a quick turnaround to race over a trip which is expected to be his optimum and clashes again with Masar and Roaring Lion, two colts who finished behind him in the Guineas but in front of him in the Derby. Aidan O’Brien also runs Cliffs of Moher and Happily.

Moore’s mounts for O’Brien in New York include Hunting Horn in the Belmont Derby, Athene in the Belmont Oaks and Mendelssohn in the Grade Three Dwyer Stakes. He will then return to France to ride Gustav Klimt in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on Sunday. (© Daily Telegraph, London)