Juvenile Watch: Aidan O’Brien’s top youngsters under the spotlight

Aidan O'Brien all but secured an eighth Trainers' Championship at Ascot last Saturday, but which of his two-year-olds are going to fly the flag for him in next year's Classics?

He has a power-packed team of youngsters and, as we draw to the end of the season, I thought it was worth recapping some of the more interesting members of his squad, and predict where they might be aimed in 2026.

Breeding: Starspangledbanner x Mosa Mine 

A striking and strong individual, this half-brother to Vandeek started his season in flawless fashion by defeating his stablemate - and future Group One winner - True Love over six furlongs at Navan. 

He then showed plenty of speed when running out an impressive winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

I’m sure it’s a source of frustration to connections that he’s not added a Group One to his CV, as in three attempts at the top grade he’s finished runner-up on each occasion. 

He’s shown a good mix of speed and stamina over seven furlongs but it’s a mild concern that he looks to be developing a habit of racing keenly in the early stages. 

Another winter training might well cure this trait, perhaps after signing off at the Breeders’ Cup, but it needs to. 

I imagine the campaign he’s assigned in 2026 will largely depend on the health and wellbeing of Albert Einstein. He’s 12-1 for the Betfred 2000 Guineas. 

Breeding: Wootton Bassett x April Showers 

Winless in his first five starts, albeit three of those came at Group level, he looked like shaping as a second-tier colt for his connections. 

That might still prove to be the case, though a step up to seven furlongs for his past two starts, of what has been a busy season, have yielded victories. 

He stayed on strongly to take the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, when remarkably, given his experience, he still looked green in the final furlong. It perhaps wasn’t the deepest of Group Two contests, with future Dewhurst winner Gewan reportedly unsuited by a surface that was likely softer than described. 

However, it was improved form and he has since followed up in the Group One Jean-Luc Lagardere; making all under Christophe Soumillon and scoring comfortably. 

He’s clearly at home on a slower surface and stays well. I envisage that he will largely be campaigned in France in 2026 when a further step up in trip could bring about further improvement. He’s a general 14-1 for the 2000 Guineas, and 16-1 for the Derby. 

Breeding: Frankel x Newspaperofrecord 

This son of Frankel has made big progress since stepping up to a mile. 

His latest win came in the Group Two KPMG Champions Juvenile at Leopardsown, where, having initially taken a moment to respond to Soumillon’s urgings, he showed a smart turn of foot when having the stands’ side rail to assist him. The stamina from his pedigree also shone through as he drew clear.  

He was odds-on for the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday, but on Wednesday was usurped at the head of the market by Hawk Mountain, his stablemate. Perhaps they are having second thoughts about running him on the testing ground 

Pierre Bonnard, another of his stablemates,is a good looker andwas impressive in the Zetland Stakes two weeks ago, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t head into winter with Benvenuto Cellini being talked of as Ballydoyle’s main Derby hope for 2026. 

As a result, the 12-1 on offer looks more than reasonable and he becomes my final ante-post selection for next season.  

Breeding: Wootton Bassett x Bound 

He showed plenty of promise when runner-up in the Superlative and Acomb, where on both occasions he compromised his finishing effort by pulling far too hard. 

He again shaped promisingly in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes when finishing third, despite again failing to settle, but he took a sizeable backward step when beating only one home in the Dewhurst. He was again his own worst enemy at Headquarters. 

He’s a gorgeous looking horse and clearly has plenty of ability. Physically, he looks a certainty to improve as a three-year old and if O’Brien and his team can find the key to some mental development then he could be one to take a giant step forward next season.  

Breeding: No Nay Never x Muirin 

A brother to the charismatic and talented Blackbeard, he hasn’t been seen in action since running out a ready winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

His early season target will surely be the Commonwealth Cup, for which he is quoted at 12-1. The open sprint division does not appear strong and if able to translate his early season juvenile form he could enjoy a highly productive 2026. 

Breeding: Wootton Bassett x Yet 

Despite his truncated season, he heads into the winter as the most hyped juvenile at Ballydoyle. That’s not down to his performances on the track but instead due to the high praise heaped on him by his trainer. He’s 10-1 favourite for the 2000 Guineas and the same price for the Irish equivalent. 

He only made it to the track twice this season, winning on both occasions, with his final success coming in the Group Three Marble Hill over six furlongs where he had Phoenix Stakes victor Power Blue nearly a length behind. 

Time will tell, and of course his trainer knows a good horse when he sees one. But at this stage, if forced to choose, I’d be a layer rather than a player for Newmarket in May. 

Breeding: Starspangledbanner x Way To My Heart 

She’s improved with each of her five starts, culminating in a devastating win in the Group One Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. This followed on from another win at the highest level in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, where she quickened up smartly wide of the field.  

Ahead of Newmarket, I’d queried whether she’d been flattered at The Curragh by virtue of being given the most efficient ride. However, her performance on the Rowley Mile proved that theory to be without substance. Given an ice-cold ride by Christophe Soumillon she quickly cut through the field before galloping powerfully to the line. 

She fully deserves her place at the head of the Betfred 1000 Guineas market and it could be argued that 4-1 is an attractive price. 

The only factor stopping me from making her a selection is O’Brien’s relatively poor record in the race in recent seasons. His last winner of the race was in 2021 and I detect that as the Breeders’ Cup becomes ever more important to the international operation that is Coolmore, there has been a subtle change to targets meaning that his team are often not fully primed for the opening Classics. 

Breeding: No Nay Never x Alluringly 

I’m a big fan of this filly. She shaped promisingly on her debut when runner-up to the speedy Lady Iman before being outstayed by Gstaad over six furlongs at Navan. 

She made no mistake at the third time of asking when dominant in the Queen Mary before showing stamina for six furlongs when beating the boys in the Group Two Railway Stakes. 

The market therefore saw her as virtual certainty when she was sent off at 1-4 for the Phoenix Stakes over the same course and distance the following month, but surprisingly she met with defeat. However, she was found by the racecourse vet to be mildly lame afterwards. 

To my mind, she restored her reputation with a return to form at Newmarket last month when a comfortable winner of the Group One Cheveley Park. 

She looks likely to be part of the Ballydoyle team for the Breeders’ Cup where again I’d expect her to be hard to beat. If heading to America, that would be her seventh start of a season that started in May, and as a result I will not be expecting too much improvement next year. Indeed, I would not be at all surprised if connections felt she had nothing left to prove.  

Breeding: St Mark’s Basilica x Prudenzia 

She’s enjoyed a perfect 3-3 campaign, with the highlight being victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac where she appeared to relish the step up in trip to a mile. 

Her dam, Prudenzia, was a winner over 12 furlongs, and has already produced a plethora of black type middle-distance performers as well as stout stayer Enemy. 

Her light season strongly suggests that she’s seen as a filly for next season, and at this stage she looks likely to be the stable’s No 1 contender for the Oaks and races of that type. She’s 8-1 for that race, and a point shorter for the 1000 Guineas.