AIDAN’S ON A ROLY
Record is in sight for trainer
ROLY POLY gave Aidan O’Brien a 23rd success at the top level this year – two short of the world record.
She produced a gutsy performance in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.
Taking her personal Group One tally in 2017 to three, Roly Poly kept responding to Ryan Moore’s urgings.
She held off Persuasive with Nathra back in third.
The trainer said: “She’s a great filly with a great heart. She’s tactical and tough, amazing really.
“She’s incredibly bred, out of a very good Galileo mare and by War Front, and the lads do a great job with her at home.
“She might go to the Breeders’ Cup if the Coolmore lads decide that’s what they want to do but she and Rhododendron could be trained for the Filly And Mare race.”
On being on the brink of the late Bobby Frankel’s record of 25 Group One wins in a calendar year, he said: “It would be incredible.
“After every race, the lads sit down and have a chat among themselves and see what race they want to pick, they have a big discussion with the people around them, make a target and we go with that.
“It’s race to race, horse to horse, the horse always comes first and we’re doing our best in every race.”
John Gosden said of Persuasive and Nathra: “They both ran superbly well. The winner on this ground was too good for us.”
William Buick made a winning comeback from injury when making all the running on Blue Point in the Bengough Stakes at Ascot.
Absent since fracturing his T12 vertebra in a fall from the ill-fated Permian at Arlington Park in August, Buick wasted no time in getting on the scoresheet.
He said: “It’s fantastic and I have to thank a lot of people. First of all, Sheikh Mohammed who has been very supportive all along and this horse is not a bad ride to come back on. It’s nice to be back and thankfully I didn’t make any mistakes.”
Meanwhile, Australian superstar Winx notched up her 21st straight victory as she powered home in the Group One Turnbull Stakes at Flemington early yesterday.
The six-year-old was making her first start at the Melbourne track and cruised home in the hands of Hugh Bowman.
Winning trainer Chris Waller said: “She’s a brilliant horse. She makes us all look great.”
RYAN MIGHTY: Moore wins on Roly Poly