Aidan O'Brien: will he beat his own Group One record?

Aidan O’Brien has no equal when it comes to pushing boundaries, raising bars and smashing through the toughest of ceilings.

He’s rewritten the record books time and again over the past 30 years, including when famously training 28 Group One winners in 2017. The previous best had been the 25 secured by American legend Bobby Frankel.

It was a monumental achievement, with 16 different horses contributing to his tally. He plundered top level wins in England (15), Ireland (seven), France (three), America (one) and Hong Kong (one).

From Churchill winning the 2000 Guineas on May 6, to Highland Reel landing the Hong Kong Vase on December 10, O’Brien was unstoppable over a glorious six-month period, even if he kept insisting “I’m a small cog in a big machine” when asked what made him so special.

The only person ever likely to threaten that record of 28 is O’Brien himself, at least while he still has the drive to churn out big winner after big winner from his Ballydoyle base.

He's been champion trainer in Ireland every year since 1999 and since breaking Frankel’s record he's gone past 4,000 winners, plus secured his 400th Group One triumph.

O’Brien has not threatened to overhaul his tally of 28 Group One wins in the intervening period but this year, he just might.

Without any mention or speculation, he has quietly laid the foundations to give it another go, despite a false start over Guineas weekend when Expanded and Lake Victoria fluffed their lines in the year's opening Classics.

Delacroix’s astonishing late surge to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the Coral-Eclipse gave him a tenth Group One win of the year (six of them in Classics). And on Saturday he is long odds-on to chalk up number 11 through Minnie Hauk in the Irish Oaks. For good measure, he also trains three of her six rivals.

In 2017, he managed nine Group One wins by the end of June. Ditto for this year. On July 19, 2017, he had 11 Group One wins in the bag. And he will have the same tally if he pockets the Irish Oaks.

O’Brien is matching himself punch for punch, with the opposition again being left battered and bruised.

He’s a little unfortunate not to be ahead of schedule – Trinity College and January have both flirted with Group One glory in the past week or so – but still has scope to get ahead of the game, given that eight years ago he had only crept up to 14 Group Ones wins by the start of September.

Excluding the Irish Oaks, there are 14 more Group One races in Britain, Ireland and France between now and the end of August. You will not get fancy odds about O’Brien scooping at least three of them.

Paddy Power make O'Brien 5-2 to equal his record, and 9-2 to beat it. They also make him 12-1 to train 30 or more Group/Grade One winners in 2025.

He’s got a strong squad of older horses over a range of distances, plus already has a terrific team of two-year-olds. And you can rest assured there are plenty of unraced juveniles who could yet make an impact in the top contests.

Here are the principal horses who hold the key to his challenge. 

Impressed in winning her first four starts as a two-year-old, with her romp in the Chesham being the highlight. Not been straightforward for her since then, but she was runner-up in the French Oaks last time and, even by O’Brien’s standards, she’s got a bulging collection of Group One engagements. She’s got eight, over distances ranging between a mile, and a mile and a half. 

Won the French Derby at Chantilly in June before finishing fourth to Delacroix in the Coral-Eclipse. He’s at home on soft ground, so maybe O’Brien will mind him for Champions Day at Ascot in October. 

Put his Derby disappointment behind him with that thrilling Coral-Eclipse victory this month. He’s prominent in the betting for the Sussex Stakes, plus is 4-1 for the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on August 20. You would think the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 13 will also be on his agenda. 

Owned by the Niarchos family's Flaxman Stables in partnership with Coolmore, this filly is by American Pharoah out of Tapestry, O'Brien's Yorkshire Oaks winner. She won a Goodwood maiden on her debut and a Group Three at the Curragh  but has been absent since finishing fourth to Desert Flower in the Fillies' Mile. Don't discount her making an impact over middle distances.

Posted a career-best when an emphatic winner of the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot. That was not a deep renewal but the Fillies & Mares back at Ascot in October must already be a temptation. 

Won the French 2000 Guineas in May before chasing home Field Of Gold in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. Could do with latter moving up in trip sooner, rather than later. 

Was unbeaten in four starts last year, signing off with victory in the St Leger. Took his form to a new level when outmuscling Calandagan in the Coronation Cup at Epsom last month. He’s now got an official rating of 126 and is only 2-1 for the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Other future entries include the Irish St Leger and Arc. 

The daughter of Kingman has been a bit of a slow burner, but she looked like winning the Falmouth Stakes for a long way, only for Cinderella’s Dream to master her in the closing stages. Suddenly, she looks a Group One winner in waiting. 

The Gold Cup runner-up is a best-priced 5-6 to win the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup and, in the absence of his stablemate Kyprios, retired earlier this season, he would look a good fit for the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at The Curragh on September 14, plus the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day, elevated to Group One status for the first time this year. 

Winner of three Group One races over three different distances in three different countries last year, she was a dazzling winner of the Irish 1000 Guineas in May. Having skipped Royal Ascot, expect to see plenty of her in late summer/autumn campaign. She’s already pencilled in for the Coolmore America "Justify" Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 13 and a second visit to the Breeders’ Cup will surely beckon. 

Has already pulled off the Epsom Derby-Irish Derby double this year, and is no bigger than 2-1 to land the St Leger, although his focus in the autumn could be the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. 

Won the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh in May before fluffing his lines in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Will have a range of options in the second half of the campaign and seems likely to get the chance to try and improve on his third in last year’s Arc. 

The Oaks winner is a red-hot favourite for the Irish equivalent on Saturday and is only 2-1 for the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks at York on August 21. It was a filly, Winter, who was O’Brien’s most prolific Group One winner in 2017. She registered four wins at the highest level. 

It was impossible not to be impressed with the way he pulverised the opposition in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket last week. Looks one for either the Irish or English St Leger, plus possibly Cup races. 

Chased home Lambourn in the Irish Derby and something of a bonus big-race player for his trainer and connections. 

Remember him? Got back on track with his close third in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville this month. Does anyone know why he’s 33-1 for the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes – a new Group One for O’Brien to get to grips with – on August 23. He won’t be anything like that price if he runs. 

The impressive Hampton Court Stakes winner came within a short head of Group One glory in the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp last Sunday. He gives O’Brien another dart to throw at the top middle-distance races. 

Won both his races as a two-year-old, including the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud in the autumn. He was well fancied for the 2000 Guineas but missed out because of a setback. Expected to return in the second half of the campaign.

Touched off by Minnie Hauk in the Oaks before gaining a tenacious triumph in the Pretty Polly at The Curragh. Only 2-1 for the Visit Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood on July 3 and is 9-2 for the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks at York on August 21. 

Has looked exciting in winning at Naas and The Curragh, with O’Brien adamant he’s the stable’s No 1 two-year-old and something out of the ordinary. However, he is on the sidelines with a sprained joint and could face a race against time to return in the autumn. 

A son of Wootton Bassett, out of a Galileo mare, he went off odds-on for his debut at The Curragh in early May and duly delivered. One of multiple entries for O’Brien in the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh on September 14. 

There was plenty to like about the way she fended off Lady Iman in a Group Two contest at The Curragh last time, and she already appeals as a candidate for the Moyglare Stud Stakes at The Curragh on September 14, plus Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket the following month. 

He’s a big boy, seeming to find 6f too sharp when fourth in the July Stakes. Keep him in mind when tackling further. 

Backed off the boards before thumping the opposition in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. He’s also impressed over 6f, too, and looks a top sprinter in the making. Is only 5-2 to beat his elders in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York on August 22, although he’s also in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh 13 days before (see Gstaad). 

A lovely looking colt who belied market weakness when touched off by Distant Storm in a hot maiden at Newmarket last week. Expect to hear a lot more about him. 

A big, immature type but he is two from two and already a winner over a mile. Proven on soft ground and that may come in handy at the backend of the campaign. The Criterium International at Saint-Cloud in late October may be a suitable target.

Chased home his stablemate, Amadeus Mozart, on his Curragh debut before going one better last time. The grey’s auntie is Winter, who was so prolific for O’Brien in 2017. 

Beat True Love, the subsequent Queen Mary winner, on his debut, before powering to an emphatic three-length success in the Coventry. The Phoenix Stakes, a race O’Brien has won 17 times before, looks an obvious next port of call. 

Suffered an odds-on defeat in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket but that was a messy race. Had impressed on his Leopardstown debut. 

The powerfully built daughter of No nay never impressed when winning the Queen Mary and promises to be just as effective over further. Like Charles Darwin, she is entered in the Nunthorope, being quoted at 10-1.