O'Brien keeping pace with 2017 Group One record haul

Some trainers go through their whole careers without knowing the thrill of having a Group One winner.

Others will savour a few triumphs at the highest level each year, while some will maybe get a tantalising taste and then never get that taste again.

And then, there is Aidan O’Brien.

He’s on his own exalted level, hoovering up Group One prizes here, there and everywhere with the help of the colossal Coolmore machine.

Scandinavia, Delacroix and Precise all added to his haul of top-level victories this weekend, with such as Gstaad, Diamond Necklace, Benvenuto Cellini and Puerto Rico putting their hooves up as potential Group One winners before the year is out.

O'Brien has chalked up 18 Group One winners in the past 126 days – an average of one a week. He is on course to (yet again) rewrite the record books. 

The Ballydoyle maestro famously trained a record 28 Group One winners in 2017. The previous best had been the 25 secured by American legend Bobby Frankel.

It was an astounding 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 all-conquering over a glorious six-month period.

And now, eight years on, O’Brien is threatening to raise the bar even higher.

At the end of the Irish Champions Festival in 2018, he had 18 Group One wins for the year. 

O’Brien again ended this year’s meeting with 18 on the board, so he remains on course to at least match his record-breaking year.

There are no more Group One races in Ireland this year, but there are a plethora beckoning in France (Arc weekend at Longchamp) and America (the Breeders’ Cup in Del Mar.

And there are still plenty of top level prizes in Britain to plunder.

September 27: Cheveley Park Stakes. Odds: 3-1 

Was found to be lame after her shock defeat in the Group One Phoenix Stakes last time but don’t discount her bouncing back. She had previously thumped Puerto Rico, the subsequent Champagne Stakes winner, by five lengths in the Railway Stakes, having won the Queen Mary before that. 

September 27: Tattersalls Middle Park Stakes Odds: 3-1 

October 11: Darley Dewhurst Stakes Odds: 7-2 

A near-miss in the Prix Morny was followed by another narrow defeat in Sunday’s National Stakes. There is still ample time for Gstaad to win at the highest level before the year is out. He’s a short price for the Middle Park and Dewhurst. It’s not out of the question he could run in both. 

October 18: Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes Odds: 7-2 

She’s already won three Group One prizes this term – the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. She’s 4-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but don’t discount her possibly also taking in this race. She’s also in the Champion Stakes, too. 

BET365 Fillies Mile: Odds: between 4-1 and 10-1 

They should just give the Fillies’ Mile to O’Brien now, shouldn’t they? He’s got the first four in the ante-post betting, with Diamond Necklace and Precise, both impressive winners at the Irish Champions Festival, heading the betting. 

October 18: Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup. Odds: 4-1 

Trawlerman is favourite for a race elevated to Group One status for the first time, but Scandinavia would represent a new kid on the block for him to overcome. He has already won the Goodwood Cup and St Leger this campaign. 

October 18: Qipco Champion Stakes Odds: 6-1 

O’Brien says all options are open for the brilliant winner of the Coral-Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes. What we all want is a third clash between him and his Juddmonte International conqueror, Ombudsman, to establish once and for all which is the better horse. 

October 25: Futurity Trophy Odds: 3-1 

The Frankel colt powered to a five-length win in Group Two company at Leopardstown on Saturday and is ante-post favourite for the Derby. It seems we will see him at Town Moor, or maybe over Arc weekend. Maybe we will see him at both.