Jan Brueghel holds off Calandagan in Coronation Cup thriller
Like so many O'Brien horses he improved enormously from his first run to his second and while the patiently-ridden Calandagan looked like gaining the upper hand more than once, the 8-13 favourite could never get in front and went down by half a length.
O'Brien said of the 100-30 winner: 'He's a very tough horse and Ryan (Moore) gave him a class ride. He doesn't surrender.
'He improved a lot from the last day and he was still pricking his ears.'
WHAT A BATTLE 🔥
Calandagan drew upsides but was unable to pass the determined Jan Brueghel who plunders the Group 1 Betfred Coronation Cup for Ryan Moore 💥
Is there any stopping team Ballydoyle ⁉️#PremierRaceday pic.twitter.com/VnJOIuIrvv
— Great British Racing (@GBRacing) June 6, 2025
He went on: 'He was unbeaten last year and he was the biggest penalty kick ever in the Melbourne Cup, but didn't get to run.
'Ryan has given him an incredible ride and got him balanced and into a lovely rhythm. They started to race from a long way out, but it was incredible in the straight how he carried on.
'Everyone knew it was going to be a good gallop and Wayne Lordan (on Continuous) was there to ensure it was a good gallop, all everyone wanted was a solidly-run race and Ryan felt they were going fast enough for him.
'I thought Wayne was excellent at setting the pace and everyone was happy to get a lead off Wayne and when you get a race run at a suitable pace you know what distance you can go next or what not to. This way everyone learns.
'At Group One level he is a mile-and-a-half-plus horse and he's a very tough horse who would still be unbeaten if I hadn't run him at the Curragh.
'It's was a lovely run first time back and it was only over a mile and a quarter and he was beaten by a good horse of Joseph's (O'Brien, Galen). It was a bit unfair what I did pitching him in over that trip, but I needed to get him out early.
'He's a very brave horse and if you pass him slowly you're in trouble.'
This race was originally slated for Illinois prior to the shuffling of the Ballydoyle pack following Kyprios' retirement and O'Brien added: 'Everyone was standing in line behind Kyprios and he was always going to get first preference and there would be no move made on anything if he was going to Gold Cup.
'When he was retired Illinois was put in there and this fella came into Illinois' position. He was going to go for a Group One in Longchamp but then slotted in here.'
Moore said: 'He's only been beaten once and he's a very good horse. He's a Classic winner and still improving and we're still learning. Hopefully we'll keep learning about him.
'He was headed there and battled back, but he's a tough horse.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
6 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Illinois part of strong-looking cast for Goodwood Cup
The two-mile contest is the feature event on the opening afternoon of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Tuesday and with his Royal Ascot conqueror Trawlerman not in attendance, Illinois is the odds-on favourite to break his Group One duck for Aidan O'Brien. The Ballydoyle handler has also left in his runaway Bahrain Trophy winner Scandinavia, who is the only three-year-old in the potential field, while in Trawlerman's absence John and Thady Gosden could saddle the improving French Master, consistent stayer Sweet William and Military Academy. Alan King will be encouraged to see some ease in the ground for his 2022 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan, who has not been seen in competitive action since finishing fourth at ParisLongchamp in late May. Saeed bin Suroor's Gold Cup third Dubai Future, the Andrew Balding-trained Subsequent and Sunway from David Menuisier's yard are the other contenders, with the latter poised for a first outing over two miles after finishing fourth in the Hardwicke Stakes last month. Menuisier said: 'He ran well at Ascot and Oisin (Murphy) felt he'd be better over further. 'He stayed a mile and three-quarters in the St Leger last year so we're hopeful he'll get the trip. The blinkers seemed to help him concentrate, so we'll keep them on.' The Pulborough-based trainer also houses an interesting contender for the Group Two Coral Vintage Stakes on the same card in the form of Goodwood Galaxy, who is owned by the Goodwood Racecourse Owners Group and made a strong impression when winning on debut at Salisbury earlier this month. 'He's really well and on Tuesday, he did a piece of work and came through it like nothing happened, so I'm very pleased,' Menuisier added. 'When you win first time out, you really only have two options, go for a novice with a 7lb penalty, or take a shot at a stakes race. These days, novices and maidens are so strong that you can easily bump into a Godolphin or a Gosden horse that turns out to be Group class, and you're giving them weight. At least in a stakes race you know it's a good level, but at level weights. 'Goodwood is our back garden, so we're going there relaxed and grateful to have such a nice horse in the yard, but we're going there to try and win. 'Glorious Goodwood is very close to my heart, more so than Royal Ascot, if I'm honest. It's the meeting of the year where you want to go and show your colours. Training for the Goodwood Racecourse Owners Group there, it's nearly a dream come true.' Goodwood Galaxy is one of 18 juveniles in contention for the Vintage, with Aidan O'Brien's pair of Brussels and Dorset, Charlie Appleby's Pacific Avenue and Eve Johnson Houghton's July Stakes victor Zavateri among the leading hopes. Group Two honours also up for grabs in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes, which features Ralph Beckett's dual winner Kinross, the Gosden-trained defending champion Audience and Andrew Balding's French Guineas runner-up Jonquil.
Leader Live
7 hours ago
- Leader Live
Illinois part of strong-looking cast for Goodwood Cup
The two-mile contest is the feature event on the opening afternoon of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Tuesday and with his Royal Ascot conqueror Trawlerman not in attendance, Illinois is the odds-on favourite to break his Group One duck for Aidan O'Brien. The Ballydoyle handler has also left in his runaway Bahrain Trophy winner Scandinavia, who is the only three-year-old in the potential field, while in Trawlerman's absence John and Thady Gosden could saddle the improving French Master, consistent stayer Sweet William and Military Academy. Alan King will be encouraged to see some ease in the ground for his 2022 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan, who has not been seen in competitive action since finishing fourth at ParisLongchamp in late May. Saeed bin Suroor's Gold Cup third Dubai Future, the Andrew Balding-trained Subsequent and Sunway from David Menuisier's yard are the other contenders, with the latter poised for a first outing over two miles after finishing fourth in the Hardwicke Stakes last month. Menuisier said: 'He ran well at Ascot and Oisin (Murphy) felt he'd be better over further. 'He stayed a mile and three-quarters in the St Leger last year so we're hopeful he'll get the trip. The blinkers seemed to help him concentrate, so we'll keep them on.' The Pulborough-based trainer also houses an interesting contender for the Group Two Coral Vintage Stakes on the same card in the form of Goodwood Galaxy, who is owned by the Goodwood Racecourse Owners Group and made a strong impression when winning on debut at Salisbury earlier this month. 'He's really well and on Tuesday, he did a piece of work and came through it like nothing happened, so I'm very pleased,' Menuisier added. 'When you win first time out, you really only have two options, go for a novice with a 7lb penalty, or take a shot at a stakes race. These days, novices and maidens are so strong that you can easily bump into a Godolphin or a Gosden horse that turns out to be Group class, and you're giving them weight. At least in a stakes race you know it's a good level, but at level weights. 'Goodwood is our back garden, so we're going there relaxed and grateful to have such a nice horse in the yard, but we're going there to try and win. 'Glorious Goodwood is very close to my heart, more so than Royal Ascot, if I'm honest. It's the meeting of the year where you want to go and show your colours. Training for the Goodwood Racecourse Owners Group there, it's nearly a dream come true.' Goodwood Galaxy is one of 18 juveniles in contention for the Vintage, with Aidan O'Brien's pair of Brussels and Dorset, Charlie Appleby's Pacific Avenue and Eve Johnson Houghton's July Stakes victor Zavateri among the leading hopes. Group Two honours also up for grabs in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes, which features Ralph Beckett's dual winner Kinross, the Gosden-trained defending champion Audience and Andrew Balding's French Guineas runner-up Jonquil.
Rhyl Journal
8 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Illinois part of strong-looking cast for Goodwood Cup
The two-mile contest is the feature event on the opening afternoon of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Tuesday and with his Royal Ascot conqueror Trawlerman not in attendance, Illinois is the odds-on favourite to break his Group One duck for Aidan O'Brien. The Ballydoyle handler has also left in his runaway Bahrain Trophy winner Scandinavia, who is the only three-year-old in the potential field, while in Trawlerman's absence John and Thady Gosden could saddle the improving French Master, consistent stayer Sweet William and Military Academy. Alan King will be encouraged to see some ease in the ground for his 2022 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan, who has not been seen in competitive action since finishing fourth at ParisLongchamp in late May. Saeed bin Suroor's Gold Cup third Dubai Future, the Andrew Balding-trained Subsequent and Sunway from David Menuisier's yard are the other contenders, with the latter poised for a first outing over two miles after finishing fourth in the Hardwicke Stakes last month. Menuisier said: 'He ran well at Ascot and Oisin (Murphy) felt he'd be better over further. 'He stayed a mile and three-quarters in the St Leger last year so we're hopeful he'll get the trip. The blinkers seemed to help him concentrate, so we'll keep them on.' The Pulborough-based trainer also houses an interesting contender for the Group Two Coral Vintage Stakes on the same card in the form of Goodwood Galaxy, who is owned by the Goodwood Racecourse Owners Group and made a strong impression when winning on debut at Salisbury earlier this month. 'He's really well and on Tuesday, he did a piece of work and came through it like nothing happened, so I'm very pleased,' Menuisier added. 'When you win first time out, you really only have two options, go for a novice with a 7lb penalty, or take a shot at a stakes race. These days, novices and maidens are so strong that you can easily bump into a Godolphin or a Gosden horse that turns out to be Group class, and you're giving them weight. At least in a stakes race you know it's a good level, but at level weights. 'Goodwood is our back garden, so we're going there relaxed and grateful to have such a nice horse in the yard, but we're going there to try and win. 'Glorious Goodwood is very close to my heart, more so than Royal Ascot, if I'm honest. It's the meeting of the year where you want to go and show your colours. Training for the Goodwood Racecourse Owners Group there, it's nearly a dream come true.' Goodwood Galaxy is one of 18 juveniles in contention for the Vintage, with Aidan O'Brien's pair of Brussels and Dorset, Charlie Appleby's Pacific Avenue and Eve Johnson Houghton's July Stakes victor Zavateri among the leading hopes. Group Two honours also up for grabs in the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes, which features Ralph Beckett's dual winner Kinross, the Gosden-trained defending champion Audience and Andrew Balding's French Guineas runner-up Jonquil.
