O’Brien hints at race sibling rivalry

IDAHO could join his full-brother Highland Reel in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes next month after winning the Hardwicke Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot.

Just as his sibling had on Wednesday in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, the 9-2 chance proved too good for his rivals, beating Barsanti and Chemical Charge by half a length and one-and-a-quarter lengths, as winning rider Seamie Heffernan timed it to perfection.

The Queen’s Dartmouth had every chance when hitting the front seemingly full of purpose, but in the end had to settle for fourth.

The victory secured Aidan O’Brien Ascot top trainer honours for an eighth time.

Idaho had slipped up when odds-on favourite in the St Leger in September and was last seen finishing sixth behind Highland Reel in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.

O’Brien said: “We’re delighted. “It was his first run of the year in the Coronation Trainer Aidan O’Brien Cup. He only arrived at the track an hour before and he was very upset.

“He was very unlucky in the St Leger last year when he unseated Seamus.

“He’s by Galileo and they don’t know when to stop improving or stop trying. It’s very possible he’ll progress, there’s plenty of races for him.

“It (King George) is a possibility for him, the lads will decide what they want to do in a week or 10 days.”