logo
Aidan O'Brien: Derby favourite The Lion In Winter 'works like a miler'

Aidan O'Brien: Derby favourite The Lion In Winter 'works like a miler'

RTÉ News​14-05-2025
Aidan O'Brien expects his Betfred Derby favourite The Lion In Winter to "improve a ton" for his eagerly-anticipated return to action in Thursday's Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York.
The Sea The Stars colt supplemented debut success at the Curragh with a Group Three victory in the Acomb Stakes on the Knavesmire last summer and spent the winter months at the head of ante-post lists for the 2000 Guineas.
However, O'Brien revealed in March that he was unlikely to be ready to begin his Classic campaign on the Rowley Mile and he instead bids to enhance his Derby credentials at York.
"We're delighted that it looks like he's going to make it," said the Ballydoyle handler.
"We weren't sure he would – he's been off a long time. But with the Derby in mind, it was the perfect prep. Obviously, it's a very good Derby trial.
"He's going to improve a ton from whatever he does. Hopefully, he's going to run well and that we've enough done with him to help him to run well. But I'm looking forward to it and to see what's going to happen.
"It's going to be very interesting. Hopefully, we have him in a good enough place to show what his potential could be."
Having not yet raced beyond seven furlongs, The Lion In Winter will have his stamina tested over an extended mile and a quarter at York before a planned step up to a mile and a half at Epsom.
On the Derby trip, O'Brien added: "You can never be sure. He doesn't work like a mile-and-a-half horse really, he works like a miler.
"I know most horses by Sea The Stars do stay, but obviously we're going to have to wait and see first before we can be really sure of anything."
A lack of fitness will not be an issue for Alpine Trail, who since making a winning debut at Wolverhampton in February has landed a novice prize at Yarmouth and impressed in the Listed Newmarket Stakes, prompting connections to supplement him for the Dante at a cost of £14,000 last week.
Trainer Charlie Appleby told www.godolphin.com: "Alpine Trail has done very little wrong to date. We know he gets this trip and feel he will get further.
"He is a hard horse to assess because he wouldn't get you too excited in the mornings, although you cannot fault what he has achieved on the track.
"The Lion In Winter looks the standout in the race, although our horse won't be out of place in an otherwise competitive renewal."
James Owen will saddle the 2000 Guineas fifth Wimbledon Hawkeye, who was second to The Lion In Winter at York in the Acomb as a two-year-old.
The Newmarket handler is relishing moving the son of Kameko up to 10 furlongs ahead of a tilt at the Derby and said: "I think he's been crying out for a step up in trip and ran so well at the track last year. He's fit from a couple of runs and I think he has a great chance.
"We're hopeful the Acomb formline is as good as it looks on paper and he's run two solid races this year. We rode him slightly different in the Guineas and he was doing his best work at the end of that race, so I think he'll love the extra two furlongs.
"He settled well in the Guineas and came home so well and he just doesn't look like a miler now – he wants a trip.
"One hundred per cent the Derby will still be the plan after this, he's a tough horse and we said we were going to run him plenty and he takes racing so well. He was fresh straight away after the Guineas and of course we need to run well to confirm our place in the Derby, but I couldn't be happier with him at home."
Ralph Beckett is represented by once-raced Sandown maiden winner Pride Of Arras, while Tuscan Hills is a fascinating contender having won each of his two juvenile starts for Raphael Freire.
Other runners include John and Thady Gosden's Classic Trial third Damysus and his stablemate Nightwalker, who needs to improve after filling the same position in the Feilden Stakes on his first start as a three-year-old.
Barry Mahon, racing manager to Nightwalker's owner-breeders Juddmonte, said: "I think he needed his first run this year in the Feilden. I think John and Thady concentrated on relaxing him over the winter and they felt after the race that maybe they switched him off a little bit too much.
"He's come forward nicely for that run and I think we'll find out a bit more in the Dante. It looks a very strong renewal, but he's a colt we like and if he acquits himself well, the Derby at Epsom would be very much a possible."
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Treble for Joseph O'Brien as Browne McMonagle claims 47th success of season
Treble for Joseph O'Brien as Browne McMonagle claims 47th success of season

Irish Examiner

time13 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

Treble for Joseph O'Brien as Browne McMonagle claims 47th success of season

Highlight of an across-the-card treble for Joseph O'Brien and a 47th success of the season for Dylan Browne McMonagle, who was completing a double, North Coast turned over hot-pot Flushing Meadows in the Group 3 Japan Racign Association Tyros 2-Y-0 Stakes in Leopardstown. Third to the 30/100 favourite when both colts made their respective debuts at the Curragh, the Starman colt made all, had the favourite in trouble with two furlongs to race and stayed to score by six lengths, with Ryan Moore easing his mount, when clearly beaten, inside the final furlong. 'I was very impressed, particularly in the last hundred yards,' stated O'Brien. 'He's a smart colt, with a good attitude. We've campaigned him aggressively – this was his fourth run. We decided we'd make the favourite work for it and it worked out really well. 'The obvious race for him is to go straight for the National Stakes at the Curragh. And the Breeders Cup Juvenile might suit him well around the bend. I'm excited about his future.' Successful with hurdling debutant Claude (J J Slevin) in the Wexford opener, O'Brien also landed the Frank Conroy Irish BF 2-Y-0 Maiden with 12/1 shot Hardy Warrior who, building on an eye-catching debut at Killarney, made all to see off South island and favourite Montreal, who was slowly into his stride. 'We were very happy with his Killarney run – he was quite green and Declan (McDonogh) gave him a very positive review,' explained O'Brien. 'He put his experience to good use here, quickened up nicely and looks a nice colt. 'He should continue improving and is a solid, tough colt. We'll stick to a mile and he wouldn't want ground any faster than today. We might look at the 'Beresford' for him.' The Ballydoyle team, Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore, had enjoyed better luck in the Group 3 Saudi Cup Silver Flash 2-Y-0 Stakes when Composing justified 4/9 favouritism in fine style. Soon in front, Moore dictated the pace on the Curragh maiden winner and, having quickened clear before the furlong-pole, she ran on well to triumph by three and a quarter lengths from Skydance. 'You'd have to be delighted with that,' said Aidan O'Brien, 'She's a lovely straight-forward filly. She won lovely at the Curragh for Wayne (Lordan) and Ryan loved her tonight – she was very professional. 'She'll go for the 'Debutante' at the Curragh (August 23) next and could be a filly for the Moyglare after that.' Carriganog filly Teewinot was an uneasy 13/8 favourite for the Irish EBF Median Sires Series 2-Y-0 Fillies maiden but was brushed aside by Stephen Thorne's debutante Mayflower, who overcame a tardy start and swooped late under Ben Coen (his 30th winner of the season) to score by a length and a quarter, in the colours of Shamrock Thoroughbreds. 'She came highly recommended by Robson Aguilar,' said Thorne. 'She's a big girl and this was an ideal place for her to start. She quickened well and looks a filly with a future.' Later, Dermot Weld stated, 'Tactics still win races,' after Chris Hayes partnered Alice Monet, winner of a recent 'optional claimer' at Fairyhouse, to a convincing all-the-way success in the Dublin To Bahrain Race Series 3-Y-0 Handicap, adding, 'This was a good opportunity and I think she'll develop into a stakes filly.' In Wexford, Phillip Enright took the riding honours, registering a double in the divisions of the WTW Willis Handicap Hurdle, on the Aengus King-trained joint-favourite Chosen Shant and twelve-year-old 25/1 shot Dontdooddson, trained by Darren Collins.

Composing out to build on maiden success
Composing out to build on maiden success

Irish Examiner

timea day ago

  • Irish Examiner

Composing out to build on maiden success

Two matinee meetings take place on Thursday, the National Hunt variety in Wexford and a good Flat programme in Leopardstown. The nap comes in Dublin, where the Aidan O'Brien-trained Composing can build on her maiden success by taking the Group 3 Saudi Cup Silver Flash Stakes. Fifth to Balantina on debut, she stepped up considerably by taking a Curragh maiden on her second start, doing so by beating Cape Sounion by three parts of a length. Most impressive in that display was the pace she showed to take command of the race. While she is stepping up in trip, that shouldn't be an issue for the first foal of Epona Plays, who won at Group 2 level and twice at Group 3. She is an exciting prospect and can prove more than a match for her five rivals. Red Autumn is respected as a live danger. Given how much she stepped forward from her debut to her second start, she could yet be anything and cannot be dismissed lightly despite coming from a Bellewstown maiden to a Group race at this venue. Brownstown was a comfortable winner of a maiden over course and distance and can fill the frame. Only four go to post for the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes and it is difficult to look beyond Flushing Meadows, who followed up a debut victory with a runner-up finish in a Group 3. That sets the standard, and he can bounce back to winning ways. North Coast is the danger, though Adrian Murray runs two, the more interesting of which is debutant Prospect Thunder. Market support for the latter would be worth noting. The Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed Rated Race looks fiercely competitive, but Floresta is progressive enough to supplement her recent maiden success. Johnny Murtagh's filly caught the eye on her turf debut and duly built on it by winning in Limerick. The extra furlong of this race will eke further improvement, and she can take this at the expense of Happy Pharaoh. The jumps crew is in Wexford, where yesterday's all-chase card is followed by a seven-hurdle and one-bumper card. Yeah, it's probably work-saving and financially prudent but, boy, does it continue a worrying trend of boredom-inducing programmes, and flies in the opposite direction to the mixed cards which would be of such benefit to many of our festivals. Long live Galway, in its current guise. Just a few days more to wait.

Joey O'Brien urges Shelbourne to show no fear in Baku
Joey O'Brien urges Shelbourne to show no fear in Baku

RTÉ News​

timea day ago

  • RTÉ News​

Joey O'Brien urges Shelbourne to show no fear in Baku

Shelbourne boss Joey O'Brien took heart from his team having "a right cut off" Qarabag in the second half of Wednesday night's Champions League second-round qualifier, but bemoaned the fact it took 45 minutes for his players to really back themselves at Tolka Park. The champions of Azerbaijan exhibited plenty of class in a 3-0 victory, effectively killing the tie ahead of the return leg in Baku next Wednesday. However, Shels had their moments. Sean Gannon hit the post in the seventh minute, Paddy Barrett clipped the crossbar when it was still only 1-0, while Harry Wood spurned a great opening in an improved second-half showing. There's no shame in losing to such seasoned European campaigners, and Shels do have the safety net of falling into the Europa League third qualifying round regardless, but O'Brien was adamant they'll go to Baku to put up a fight, and prove they've learned some harsh lessons. "I thought second half we were the better team," he said. "We got in their face, we looked stronger and fitter. Again, the lads will learn from it, they see it. "For me, respect on a football pitch is a fear, you know? "You're afraid of the mistake, or you're afraid of the outcome of what might happen. I have no time for that. "I said it to the lads, it's the way I was as a player and a coach and the way I want to be as a manager. "I wanted to make sure in the second half, regardless of the result, that we had a right cut off them and I felt for large periods we done that." Qarabag - still in their pre-season - had some standout performers in Dublin, particularly Emmanuel Addai, Nariman Akhundzade and their captain Abdellah Zoubir, who once played under Pat Fenlon at Hibernian. O'Brien admitted the pace and precision of their play caught out Shels in the first half. "It's quality, you are preparing them," he said. "You've seen the video, you are doing as much as you can, the lads knew what they were playing against. You would have known the style of play. "Until you get on the pitch, you get so familiar against players in the (League of Ireland) week in, week out, you are coming up against these boys, you never see it until they are on the pitch. "The level they operate at is higher than our domestic football. "The touch, the speed. You see that in the first 10, 20 minutes and get a feel for in the game, you realise you can't make that first pass, or second pass and need to go direct and get down the sides of them, that's where we got the benefit of that. "These games, they are so demanding, your fitness level goes up. Your mind, your concentration. It happens because it's the level you are operating at. It's sink or swim time. "We've got to learn from the mistakes because there's another few weeks of this and a huge game coming down the line." A nasty looking injury to Tyreke Wilson was another dark cloud on a disappointing evening for Shelbourne; the full-back was in a lot of pain after landing awkwardly on his ankle when contesting a challenge. He'll be assessed today as Shels return to training to try and cook up a plan to trouble Qarabag on their own patch in what is likely to be 30-degree-plus heat. "It's a great game of football travelling over to a place where it's difficult to play," O'Brien insisted. "They are a super team at home. We knew this was our night to have a right good go. "That's not to say we are going to go over there and roll over. That's not football for me, it's preparing a game plan to go out and attack the game and make an upset again "The second half, I thought we were really good. If you get 1-1, who knows? The atmosphere is up and stuff like that. We didn't. This is the level, that's the standout thing. "It's a huge game (in Baku), another game, Champions League round two, second leg away from home, stuff you dream of as a kid. "I'd love to think (the players) are already thinking about it, and see if they can go over and take learnings from who they were up against and if they were disappointed in their own performance, try and put on a better performance next week."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store