O’Brien takes aim at Calandagan with two Classic winners
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 11 May 2026
Aidan O’Brien is relishing the prospect of seeing Jan Brueghel and Lambourn take on Calandagan in the Coolmore Coronation Cup at Epsom.
Jan Brueghel inflicted defeat on Calandagan on the Surrey Downs last season, but Francis-Henri Graffard’s globetrotting star is unbeaten in five Group One starts since, cementing his status as the world’s highest rated middle-distance horse on turf.
Calandagan will be the hot favourite to turn the tables on Derby day, but O’Brien is confident both Jan Brueghel and his dual Derby-winning stablemate Lambourn will give the French raider plenty to think about after their successful reappearances at Chester last week.
O’Brien said: “The Coronation Cup is going to be an interesting race this year. Hopefully Calandagan will come, I think they’re saying he will and we’re looking forward to taking him on.
“Hopefully Lambourn will be OK and will come out of Chester well, hopefully Jan Brueghel will be OK and comes out of Chester well and hopefully Calandagan comes – that will make a proper race and it will be exciting for everyone to see what is going to happen, won’t it?
“We want all the big horses to turn up on those big days, then everyone can have an opinion and the talking will stop then.”
Jan Brueghel ran only once more last season following his Coronation Cup triumph, finishing fourth in the King George at Ascot, but he looked right back to his best when landing the Ormonde Stakes.
The extended mile and a quarter of the Huxley Stakes was always likely to be on the short side for Lambourn on his first start since placing fourth in the St Leger, but he dug deep to emerge victorious under a brilliant front-running ride from Ryan Moore.
“Chester was perfect both horses, that is what they wanted – a sharp, hard piece round there to give them quick feet, that was the reason for going there with them,” O’Brien added.
“I was very happy with Jan Brueghel, I thought it was a lovely run, and we were delighted with Lambourn. Ryan did well on Lambourn as he never got a sit for one stride – it’s unusual a horse can do that and still win. He manoeuvred him out and was there the whole way and he kept digging.
“The St Leger was probably too far for him and in all fairness he’d had a very tough season, so he was entitled to hold up the white flag at that stage.
“He’s a fair horse to go off in front (in the Coronation Cup) and it will a brave man that let’s him go, won’t it? I wouldn’t like to be giving him too much rope around Epsom.
“Francis (Henri-Graffard) has to drop out his horse, that’s the way they ride him, so it will be an interesting race.
“I think Ryan will ride Jan Brueghel. He got sick last year after he started choking on a bit of hay one day and nearly died. He got pneumonia, so he did very well to get back to where he was.”
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