I’ve done all the wrong things with Expanded, says O'Brien
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 5 May 2025
Aidan O’Brien is keeping the faith in Expanded and Lake Victoria after the pair came up short in their respective Classic assignments at Newmarket over the weekend.
Dewhurst runner-up Expanded became the Ballydoyle handler’s 2000 Guineas contender by default after first The Lion In Winter and then stablemate Twain were ruled out of the Rowley Mile showpiece, and he was unable to make his presence felt when finishing a disappointing ninth of 11 runners.
Speaking at The Curragh on Monday, O’Brien said: “Expanded was a bit of a mess really. It was all rushed and I shouldn’t have gone there.
“I only went there when the other horse (Twain) was gone and it was the wrong thing for Expanded. I had a plan that he’d do another piece of work and come here today for this (Tetrarch Stakes).
“I forced it all on him, the poor fellow. I’ve done all the wrong things with him but he’ll be fine. I’ll just give him a little bit of time to freshen up now.
“It was all a bit of a non-event really. It was all a bit too quick for him but he’ll leave that behind him. We’ve had loads of horses that ran very bad in that race (2000 Guineas) but came back here (for the Irish Guineas). When it goes wrong there (Newmarket), it can go very wrong.
“They went very slow for the first two furlongs and he missed the break a little bit. Then they sprinted for the last six. He just got lost when they started to sprint out of not being right, and not being prepared properly really.”
Following an unbeaten juvenile campaign that featured a hat-trick of Group One wins, Lake Victoriamet with defeat for the first time in Sunday’s 1000 Guineas but was not beaten far into sixth place following an interrupted preparation.
O’Brien added: “The filly ran well, she stumbled coming out of the stalls and then she came too much on the bridle.
“She was a bit fresh. She just did a little bit too much in the first two furlongs. She’s run a nice race and got a little bit tired.
“Two weeks before the Guineas she wasn’t going to run. It’s the same thing (as Expanded) – it was a bit of a rushed preparation.
“The Irish Guineas is the plan and you’d look forward to seeing her the next day now.”
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