No. 75 for O’Brien

Classic win in topsy-turvy weekend

AIDAN O’BRIEN had a topsy-turvy weekend in major races on two continents.

He won the English 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday, under 19-years-old son, Donnchadh; his attempt on the Kentucky Derby in America ended in dismal failure on Saturday night, and he and Ryan Moore flew back to Newmarket overnight but had to be satisfied with third place in the 1,000 Guineas.

That race was a special occasion for Pat McDonald from Monastery Avenue, Taghmon, who had his first-ever ride in a classic on Karl Burke’s Laurens and came very close to victory, only being overhauled in the closing stages.

Donnchadh O’Brien’s first classic success came on Saxon Warrior while his dad was looking in from California.

The horse was very impressive and has been installed as hot favourite for the Epsom Derby and a candidate to complete the ‘triple crown’ in the St. Leger. Donnchadh is quite tall and just like his brother, Joseph, is likely to face early retirement because of weight problems.

Aidan continues to re-write the record books; this was his 75th Classic success and his 300th Group 1 win on the flat in a remarkable 20 years at Ballydoyle, figures that no one else can come near.

Even for him things do not always run smoothly, and later that night things could not have gone much worse for his Mendelssohn and Ryan Moore in the Kentucky Derby.

The dirt track was total slop after incessant rain drenched the 158,000 crowd in Southern California, and this meant it was essential to be near the front of the race to avoid the horrible kick-back.

Moore’s race was lost in the first 200 yards; from the break he attempted to get across but was barged and buffeted several times and ended up marooned in mid-pack in the midst of the flying muck; all hope was gone and he trailed in last.

The plan is to bring Mendelssohn back to the States for the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the autumn.

Back at Newmarket, Moore had every chance on Sunday on O’ Brien’s 1,000 Guineas favourite, Happily, but had to accept third in her first race of the year.

Perhaps the lack of a warmup run told in the closing stages when he could not overhaul 66/1 shot, Billesdon Brook - the biggest priced ever winner of the race - and Pat McDonald on Laurens (7/1), beaten by 1.75 lengths.

The Taghmon man was in front five furlongs out and looked like he was going to tough it out for a famous victory, only to be caught by a most unlikely winner with a furlong to go.

It was a great effort and the pain of defeat for connections may have been eased by the cheque for almost £128,000.

McDonald has established himself in the top flight of jockeys in Britain and his turn will surely come.

At a more bread and butter level, McDonald had four winners during the week for four different trainers - on Captain Bob (6/4f) at Southwell on Monday for Pat Kirby; at Yarmouth on Tuesday on Rosedale Topping (5/1) for Ed Vaughan; on Austrian School (7/2) for Mark Johnston at Chelmsford on Wednesday, and on Celestial Force (16/1) at Newcastle on Friday for Tom Dascombe.

Jimmy Quinn (New Ross) also won on Tyneside on Terri Rules (11/2).

In Ireland, William Martin from Clonhaston, Enniscorthy, had a his first winner on the flat since 2016 at Clonmel on Thursday evening with Rolanna (8/1) under Killian Leonard in a long-distance handicap, taking it up from Runyon Rattler inside the final one hundred yards.

The trainer’s son, Michael, said: ‘she’ll mix it up between hurdles and the flat and has to have soft ground.’