Aidan O'Brien stable tour: York team plus stable stars update

Aidan O'Brien is set to send a strong team to this year's Sky Bet Ebor Festival, with Paddington, who is set to seek his fifth consecutive Group One victory in the Juddmonte International, headlining his squad.

And it's fair to say the master of Ballydoyle cannot wait to make the trip over to the Knavesmire, with the four-day bonanza one of his favourite meetings of the year.

“It’s a very special meeting every year and very prestigious. We're looking forward to it," O'Brien told Sporting Life during an exclusive interview ahead of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

"The track is always unbelievable, and William (Derby) welcomes everybody and does a top job. Everybody looks forward to York. It’s a different atmosphere there, and you have to go there to feel it.

“I think we have chances," O'Brien added. "I never take anything for granted and it’s very hard to win races there. The main one looks to be Paddington this year. He looks very good and everything he’s doing is very good so far."

O'Brien, in conversation with Oli Bell, shared the inside track on his Sky Bet Ebor Festival team plus also provided an update on some of his other stable stars, including City Of Troy and Auguste Rodin. Here's what he had to say:

Race: Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.

It's possible he will run, but not definite. A lot will depend on Continuous and how he is. If he looks very well, and things are going well, then Adelaide River might not run.

He could go somewhere different. We're looking at next year for him as well, and we're not in any rush with him. He has had plenty of racing, too.

He's a very big horse by Australia and is progressing. We always thought next year was going to be his year. He had good form last year and his form is better this year. We always felt he could be better again next year and he could be like Duke Of Marmalade who kept hitting the bar as a three-year-old, and when he went from three to four he changed a lot. This horse could be like that.

Race: Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.

Aesop's Fables and The Antarctic are both pushing for the Nunthorpe. Both of them have had breaks. We're trying to get them there, but it's very competitive and you want to be at the top of your form going there.

Race: Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.

He's a very good horse. We thought he was very good and then he got injured when he ran at Leopardstown.

He's nearly ready to go and might make the Voltigeur, but will improve drastically from there to the St Leger, if that's where he goes. We always thought a mile and a half or further will really suit, but if it doesn't all happen this year, it'll be next year.

We'd love to run him in the Voltigeur, but there would be drastic improvement from there. He's lovely, he's a great mover and does everything right. We always thought he was definitely a Classic horse.

Race: Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes.

We're thinking of running him in the Lonsdale Cup. He loves York as he's a big, galloping horse and two miles is probably his trip. Nice ground is what he'd love, but he loves York and has that big, swinging stride, so it suits him very well.

He got trapped a little bit wide in the Gold Cup, and it was probably a bit too far for him, and the ground got too soft for him at Goodwood. He's a genuine horse.

Race: Sky Bet Melrose Stakes Heritage Handicap.

He might go for the Melrose. He's a little bit laidback and little bit babyish. We just thought the Melrose might suit him a bit better as he's not really there yet, but we have a little bit of time to go yet. He's also going to be better next year.

Alexandroupolis is quicker at home than what Denmark is. He's lazy and has not really grown up yet. He's like a teenager but we're trying to push him on and get him to grow up a little bit.

He's a bit of a messer. Even when he's working, he's watching over the fence and is not concentrating. He's big and he's powerful, and while the easiest thing to do would be to geld him, we prefer to let them grow up as gelding them grounds them, and changes their whole life.

We get them to come on and to grow up with their work. Denmark is a big baby, really, but he's a bold baby and he'll try things. He's not evil, though, but he's always messing about rather than maturing.

He dropped Ryan after the line on his debut at Naas and ran in some very good races after that. That's the way he is - just a bit mentally immature.

Race: Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes.

Ryan liked him. He said he's fast, he's a No Nay Never. He is a big influence and they are always very quick. He is a big, powerful horse. Ryan took his time on him at Naas and he quickened up very well. We think he is nice and we don't know what he is yet. He's everything very well since he started.

Race: Juddmonte International.

We always thought he was very good. We sent him to Ascot for a maiden first time out and it would be very unusual for us to do that. He went there and obviously got stage fright and didn’t turn up on the day. We were very disappointed with him, so we gave him a good break because we knew that wasn’t him.

He had one more run at the end of last year at the Curragh and won very impressively, so we then decided to put him away and look forward to the following year.

He wintered very well and was doing everything really nice, and we were trying to start the horses off in any races we could get them into. He got in, just at the top, in the Madrid Handicap at Naas over seven furlongs, on slow ground, and we thought that was a lovely starting point for him.

He started there and won very nicely. He didn’t win extra special, but he won nicely and there were a couple of well-fancied horses in that race. And then, I suppose, the rest is history!

I’m not sure how strong his form is as we never really look at form (before or after a race), or what horses are running against him. We always hope that, in the big races, that the best horses run, and we are very happy to get beat. Everyone always wants to see the best horses together.

He has done everything that we’ve asked of him. He’s very professional, he’s a quick breaker, travels well and has a lot of tactical speed. He has a lot of class.

I think he will be asked some different questions (in the Juddmonte International). He ended up leading (in the Sussex Stakes) which probably wasn’t ideal, but he’s happy to lead. Ryan (Moore) is happy to lead on him and always goes with a very clear mind. He’s very confident on him and doesn’t mind what happens in a race with him. You always feel a lot of confidence from Ryan when he rides him.

We are under no illusions the Juddmonte International is a very difficult race, and very good horses are always there. We’re going to learn more about him.

Sue (Magnier) named him and what an incredible name it was. I remember the first day when Matt (Chapman) asked me about marmalade sandwiches, and it threw me a little bit! I’ve since watched the Paddington films – it’s incredible.

It’s incredible that the public and everybody has joined in. It’s lovely, and kindness comes from the whole thing. We haven’t felt that before. The kids and everyone love Paddington, and I think it’s incredible, especially when you see the little kids with their mums and dads all looking and pointing out Paddington, and talking about him, it’s very unusual.

His name suits the horse as he’s a very independent thinker and he doesn’t get bothered about anything. He makes his own mind up about everything. He could be an Arc horse. John (Magnier) always said to me that this horse is bred to get a mile and a half, and he always felt that from the very start. No one in the world knows pedigrees better than John.

We never really think about it (a horse being considered an all-time great) too much. We always take one race at a time and see where that brings us. I know the lads are having great enjoyment with him which, in reality, that’s what it’s all about. I think that, at their stage in life, it’s all about enjoying and being involved. They’ve got us all to where we are today by building up the team.

Race: Yorkshire Oaks.

She's a lovely mare. She's a big, genuine filly who gets a mile and a half very well. Ideally, she might have preferred a stronger pace at the Curragh as she gets into a big, rolling gallop and she would have preferred the first two or three furlongs to be stronger.

She got going and Ryan was aware of what was happening, which was brilliant from him. He didn't panic when the pace started to quicken and she started to get a little bit flat with him, so he gave her time to get into gear. He felt he won very well on her, and it's a difficult thing for a jockey to do when you're a short price and everyone is going away from you.

He gave her chance to go through the gears and he felt when she hit top gear that she would mow them down. And that's what she did do.

I think York will suit her as it's a big, galloping track, and that's why York suits a very good horse. There's no messing there and the rhythm usually gets going early.

Race: Yorkshire Oaks.

She ended up back a bit at the Curragh (in the Irish Oaks), and when you're at the back and the pace is not strong, it's hard to get into the pace. We think she's better than that run and she will be very happy if the ground gets quicker. It was maybe a bit slow at the Curragh but she has form on slow ground, too.

She's a lovely filly. I think Savethelastdance is the best filly (out of the two) and we haven't seen the best of Savethelastdance yet. She's big, she's long and she's scopey, so we haven't seen everything that suits her yet.

He was a totally different horse (in the King George at Ascot). It all went totally wrong. The pace was on and the pace was strong. The ground got soft, there was nowhere to hide. Ryan had no choice but to place him in last, wide, on the outside, in a strongly-run competitive race on soft ground. All those things probably didn't suit him.

He came off the bridle very early and I think he startled Ryan that he came off the bridle that early. Obviously, Ryan had such respect and confidence in the horse, he could not believe it could happen. Ryan's reaction was to protect the horse. He did the right thing and kind of eased him up. We put it down to one of those things that was totally wrong.

We haven't found anything yet, but that doesn't mean we won't find something. He came out of the race very well. He was a little stiff, but nothing of consequence. It was just one of those days that went wrong.

Maybe we shouldn't have run him. I walked the ground and was worried a bit worried about it for a baby three-year-old. He is a beautiful mover and very slick. Obviously, it turned into a Grand National and that is the reality. When you are asking a horse with his class, to have to fight like really dirty and heavy like that turned out to be, Ryan took him out of the fight before it got started. I would say that was a tough, gruelling race for horses. Our fella was maybe too classy and too babyish. We'll see the next time.

Leopardstown I would say is next [Irish Champion Stakes]. He has time to recover. We'll see and he has to go through all the gears and work to see if he is ready for that.

I know the American lads are telling them that he is a dirt horse for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and that is exactly what John said to me. John Magnier said that is why he got Justify as he knew that could happen.

He is very unusual. He has a big stride. He has a lot of natural speed. What's very unusual about him is when he is going to the line, he is only really getting going. He just looks very different.

I think it is a definite possibility [Breeders' Cup Juvenile on dirt] listening to John Magnier.

It is possible. The plan at the moment is to go for the National Stakes and then who knows. I know it is on John's mind.

If we have a Triple Crown horse at the moment, he looks like that type of horse.

Minding [Dam] was an incredibly special Galileo mare. Ryan was especially happy with him. Ryan doesn't get excited, but he was excited about him when he got off him.

The plan is to go for the Futurity next. He looks a very smart horse.

Kyprios is good, he has done his tenth or 12th piece of work back this week. He's getting there his movement is good. You are on tenterhooks with him as he got injured.

We're thinking about the Irish St Leger so we're hoping he might start there.

She is lovely. She will miss the Debutante and go straight for the Moyglare. She is a typical Frankel. She is very like her dad. She has a long stride and has a big backside on her. She hasn't got a lead yet, but we'll be happier getting a lead when that does happen.