O’Brien active in four countries
AIDAN O’BRIEN had a remarkably busy international weekend with horses running in four countries - Ireland, England, U.S.A. and France - and while most of the horses ran very well, he recorded just one Group 1 success, hitting the crossbar on a few occasions.
The big one in England on Saturday was the £790,000 Group 1 Coral Eclipse at Sandown, and O’Brien surprised some by turning out Saxon Warrior (9/4) just a week after his third in the Irish Derby.
The drop back to one mile two furlongs was a good move and the Warrior ran a great race under Donnacha O’Brien to lose out by just a neck to John Gosden’s favourite, Roaring Lion (7/4f), after an epic clash.
There was a lengthy stewards’ enquiry and the placings were unchanged, even though jockey Oisín Murphy was given a four-day ban for drifting right on the winner.
Ryan Moore was in Belmont Park in New York for three rides for O’ Brien on Saturday. He struck paydirt in the $1m Group 1 Belmont Oaks with teak-tough Athena (10/1) on her eighth run of the year, but was a bit disappointed to be only third with Mendelssohn in the $300,000 Dwyer Stakes on the dirt, while recent Royal Ascot winner, Hunting Horn, ran well to be third in the $1.2m Belmont Derby.
It was on to France on Sunday, with Moore back to ride Gustav Klimt in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville, and he had to take third once again, behind Intellogent.
O’Brien had continued his winning ways at home with a two-year-olds treble over two meetings on Thursday, Cape of Good Hope (7/4) and Land Force (8/13f) at Tipperary, and Cliffs of Dooneen (7/2) at Bellewstown. Pádraig Beggy picked up a winner at Naas on Saturday with Most Gifted (1/1f).
Jonathan Moore (Adamstown) was on duty for Noel Meade at Bellewstown on Friday and won by a neck on Castlehume (9/1).
P.J. McDonald had quite a good week on the flat in Britain with five winners - Brexit Time (11/10f), Ventura Time (9/2) and Jacob Black (11/8) at Musselburgh, Gossip Column (15/8) at Haydock on Saturday, and Ventura Knight (5/6) at Ayr on Sunday.
McDonald has been involved in racing politics for some years representing the Professional Jockeys’ Association in the north of England, and last week he was elected as national President for the flat sector.
Jimmy Quinn (New Ross) had just one ride sat Leicester on Saturday and he duly scored on Procedure (5/2f) for Sir Michael Stoute.
Over the jumps, Tom O’Brien had a double at Worcester on Wednesday with Field Exhibition (6/1) in a handicap chase and Three Colours Red (9/4f) over hurdles.