Tag Archive for: Aidan O’Brien

O’Brien dreaming of Triple Crown bid with Auguste Rodin

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Aidan O’Brien is chasing the Holy Grail of the Triple Crown with Auguste Rodin but insists Saturday’s first leg, the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, will be the toughest.

The hot favourite for the Classic has won all three starts since finishing runner-up on his debut at the Curragh last June and looks sure to improve for stepping up in trip, which is why O’Brien feels he could be a contender for the Derby and St Leger as well.

He was last seen scorching to a three-and-a-half-length success in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October and has headed the market for the Guineas and Derby ever since.

The master of Ballydoyle, who has won the 2000 Guineas on a record 10 occasions, is optimistic that the Coolmore team have the horse to emulate Nijinsky, the last Triple Crown winner in 1970.

In 2012, he oversaw Camelot’s brilliant campaign, as he trotted up over a mile in the Guineas, then powered to glory over a mile-and-a-half in the Derby, before falling three-quarters of a length short when denied by Enke in the final leg, over a mile and three-quarters, in the St Leger at Doncaster.

“Obviously if we had a horse who could do it this year, he was going to be the horse,” said O’Brien in a Great British Racing press conference.

“We didn’t like to not give him the chance to do it, if he was good enough, really.

“The Guineas is a great race and there is only one Guineas. It is a great race to start him in and we will find out a lot about him.

“If it went well, then obviously the plan was always to go on to the Derby next and if that went well, let’s see what the lads want to do.”

A son of Deep Impact, who won seven Japanese Group One races and is from the family of Nashwan, Auguste Rodin is out of triple Group One winner Rhododendron, a daughter of O’Brien’s champion three-year-old Galileo. Stamina is therefore unlikely to be an issue.

With that in mind, O’Brien feels the first leg of the Triple Crown is likely to be the hardest to win.

He added: “Obviously the Triple Crown is a very hard thing to do, but sometime it would be great to do it. He is by Deep Impact, who stayed well, he’s out of a Galileo mare and we are looking forward to it.

“It is a difficult type of horse to find, because they have to have a lot of class and they have to have pace enough to run in the Guineas.

“It is really class that those horses have to have. It’s pure class and class gives them stamina and gives them speed. We just thought that, at the moment, he fits into that bracket really well.”

Asked what such an achievement would mean, O’Brien responded: “It would be incredible, really. It’s a very difficult thing to do, but if you don’t try, you’re not there, it definitely won’t happen.

“We don’t ever expect those kind things to happen – I dream about them – but if we have that type of horse, we don’t like to take that chance away from them.”

Ryan Moore (left) will get the choice of rides for Aidan O'Brien (right) in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas
Ryan Moore (left) will get the choice of rides for Aidan O’Brien (right) in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas (Brian Lawless/PA)

He added: “Obviously the Guineas would definitely be the toughest leg to win. It is shorter and it is the shortest that he would be ready to get.”

O’Brien, who last won the Guineas in 2019 with Magna Grecia, seems confident he can overcome the first objective in his Classic season.

“Obviously we think he could, because of the class he’s shown in his work – and always did show – and he’s showing it now in the spring,” he said.

“He is well and has gone through all his work and seems to be in very good form so far, so it’s definitely possible.”

O’Brien will also be represented by Little Big Bear, who won his next four starts as a juvenile after finishing runner-up first time out.

Little Big Bear goes into the unknown over a mile
Little Big Bear goes into the unknown over a mile (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Those victories included the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot over five furlongs and the Phoenix Stakes over six furlongs at the Curragh.

Though currently second favourite for the Guineas, getting the mile trip on his first try beyond six-and-a-half furlongs is no foregone conclusion.

“He is by No Nay Never which is a big influence on speed,” admitted O’Brien.

“There is stamina in his dam’s side. He is a big, powerful horse and we saw what he can do over five and six furlongs.

“He’s a horse who won over five furlongs at Ascot and we know what kind of pace and precociousness that takes, and he had it.

“Then he got six and I suppose were were wondering would he get six. He got six and they way he got it, he looked like he would get seven standing on his ear, so obviously we are going to learn a lot.

“He hasn’t run in a long time. His work over that distance has been nice and he’s doing everything right, really.”

He added: “He is a very laid-back horse and he doesn’t use any petrol really – only what he needs to use. His temperament is a big advantage.”

Ryan Moore will get the choice of the two Ballydoyle runners, with outsider Cairo unlikely to take part.

“Really, we leave Ryan to make up his own mind as late as possible and we never put him under any pressure,” said O’Brien.

“I suppose when he decides what he is going to ride, then the rest falls into place.

“At the moment we think it will be Auguste Rodin.”

O’Brien keen to have another crack at Tahiyra with Meditate

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Aidan O’Brien is not shying away from the prospect of Meditate crossing paths with old foe Tahiyra in the Qipco 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday.

Meditate won the Albany at Royal Ascot and then took the Group Two Debutante Stakes at the Curragh when stepped up to seven furlongs for the first time.

The first defeat of her career came at the same track the following month when she came home two and a half lengths behind Dermot Weld’s Tahiyra in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.

Second again in the Cheveley Park Stakes after that, she then set sail for Keeneland, America, where she ended her season with an impressive success in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

O’Brien has reflected on her losses and feels there were genuine reasons behind both, leaving the trainer excited to see what she can produce when running in the first fillies’ Classic of the term.

Meditate and Ryan Moore at the Curragh
Meditate and Ryan Moore at the Curragh (Donall Farmer/PA)

“We felt in the Cheveley Park we might have rushed her back a little bit after the Moyglare,” he said.

“We felt in the Moyglare we might have made a little bit too much use of her in the ground.

“They’re what we think are legitimate excuses as to why she got beat, it will be interesting but it is her first run of the year as well.”

Meditate’s run in the Breeders’ Cup allowed connections to test her over an increased trip of a mile and the performance certainly proved her ability to stay, though Keeneland and Newmarket differ greatly in their nature.

“The times she got beat, we felt there were legitimate reasons for it and that’s why we wanted to go to America if she was well and find out about the mile,” O’Brien explained.

Meditate winning the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot
Meditate winning the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“We found out about 90 per cent about the mile by going there on a flat track, but the real test of the mile is at Newmarket.

“There’s no test like the Guineas on the Rowley Mile so we’re going to learn a lot more about her.”

Tahiyra is also due to line up at Newmarket on Sunday, but O’Brien has no trepidation about facing her again and is instead heartened by the idea of the best fillies in the division taking one another on.

He said: “We’re delighted that all the good fillies are there, I think that’s what we all want to see in every good race.

“In any big race you don’t want to see any of the good horses not there, then we can put them all together and have a look and see where we’re going.”

Greenland enters Classic reckoning with Prix Greffulhe win

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Aidan O’Brien won the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud for the first time as Greenland pulled out all the stops to earn a possible crack at the French Derby.

Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, the 6-5 favourite was always close to the pace set by Harry Way, and the duo became embroiled in a titanic tussle up the home straight, with nothing to separate the pair until the winning post – where the judge delivered a nose verdict in the Irish raider’s favour.

Owners Coolmore won the race with the Andre Fabre-trained Pour Moi on the way to Derby success in 2011, but whereas Pour Moi’s finest hour came at Epsom, Greenland could be heading to Chantilly on June 4 with O’Brien favouring the Prix du Jockey Club for his son of Saxon Warrior.

He said: “Christophe was very happy with him. He said he got there and waited a little bit.

“He said he’d like better ground and that he felt like a horse with plenty of class and he thought that he was a French Derby horse.”

Elsewhere on the card, Fabre’s Tribalist enhanced his reputation with an all-the-way success in the Prix du Muguet.

The Godolphin-owned colt had downed The Revenant when making all over the same course and distance on reappearance and put further daylight between himself and Francis-Henri Graffard’s 2020 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner this time as he followed up under a fine front-running ride from Mickael Barzalona.

It was Fabre’s 10th win in the Group Three contest and his latest winner holds an entry for Newbury’s Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes on May 20.

Paddington earns his crust in Tetrarch win

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Paddington further strengthened Aidan O’Brien’s formidable Classic hand with a clear-cut success in the Coolmore Stud Blackbeard Irish EBF Tetrarch Stakes at the Curragh.

A five-length winner of a maiden at the track last season, the Siyouni colt kicked off the current campaign with victory in the Madrid Handicap at Leopardstown, earning him a step up in class for a Listed race his trainer had not won for 20 years.

With Seamie Heffernan in the saddle, the 5-6 favourite travelled like the best horse in the race for much of the one-mile contest and picked up well once popped the question to score by a length and a half from stablemate Drumroll, who also shaped with plenty of promise on only his second career start.

The winner was taken out of Saturday’s Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket before Monday’s confirmation stage, but his big-race entries do include the Irish Guineas and the French Guineas, as well as the Dante Stakes at York and the Derby at Epsom.

O’Brien said: “He came forward lovely from Naas. He won his maiden very easy last year and everyone has been delighted with him at home.

“He won the three-year-old handicap at Naas over seven furlongs and this was his first step up to a mile. We thought that he’d get it and that he could even get further.

“He’d have the option of going to the French Guineas or the Irish Guineas and then he could end up being a French Derby horse after that.

“He handles the ground well, he’s by Siyouni out of a Montjeu mare so should handle it on both sides. We’re delighted with him.”

Paddington completed a Listed race double on the card for the O’Brien-Heffernan combination, with 5-2 shot His Majesty earlier making a winning debut in the GAIN First Flier Stakes.

His Majesty and Seamie Heffernan on their way to victory
His Majesty and Seamie Heffernan on their way to victory (Damien Eagers/PA)

O’Brien is hopeful the son of No Nay Never can earn himself a place on his team for Royal Ascot.

“He did it lovely. He’s a lovely, big, sleepy horse,” he said.

“Seamus said he had loads of speed but he was relaxed, he said when he clicked he found plenty. He’s like a four-year-old, a big mature horse.

“You always try to get two runs before Ascot but it’s hard enough to do it here because there aren’t many races. It’s a big advantage if you can. Wherever we can get him out again, we’ll try.”

Do It with Style draws clear at the Curragh
Do It with Style draws clear at the Curragh (Damien Eagers/PA)

Aidan’s son Donnacha O’Brien also has the Royal meeting in mind for Do It With Style (3-1) after her successful introduction in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden under Gavin Ryan.

“We thought she was smart. I was a little bit worried about the ground, she’ll be better on better ground, but it was nice to see her do that,” said the trainer.

“I’ll speak to the owners and see but I suppose the Albany Stakes could definitely be an option.”

Former Classic-winning jockey Micky Fenton celebrated his first winner as a trainer when Run Forest Run (8-1) came from the clouds to win the Keadeen Hotel Handicap under Jamie Powell.

“Jamie got to know him after a few rides which was a big help. It’s taken a while to work out how he has to be ridden,” said Fenton.

“It’s brilliant, the Curragh has always been lucky for me. I’ve always had a few winners here when I was a jockey. It’s good to come back and train one here, I can’t believe it really.

“My wife Stephanie led it up as well, we’re only a small stable. We have nine in at the moment and it’s our first full year. I’m based near Mallow.

When asked how this compared to riding winners he said: “ It’s completely different, it’s a big buzz. A dream come true really.”

Auguste Rodin remains on course for Newmarket

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Auguste Rodin heads 15 colts confirmed for the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.

Aidan O’Brien’s son of Deep Impact is not only ante-post favourite for the first Classic of the season on the Rowley Mile but also heads the market for the Derby at Epsom next month, such was the impression he made as a juvenile last term.

Auguste Rodin won three of his four starts at two, rounding off the year with a dominant display in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster, and looks set to make his return to action this weekend.

One of his biggest threats could come from his own yard with stablemate Little Big Bear, who has not been seen in competitive action since his brilliant victory in the Phoenix Stakes in August, also standing his ground. Cairo, meanwhile, is a potential third string for O’Brien.

Little Big Bear leads the way in the Phoenix Stakes
Little Big Bear leads the way in the Phoenix Stakes (Lorraine O’Sullivan/PA)

Speaking at the Curragh on Monday, the Ballydoyle handler confirmed his intention to saddle both Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear.

He said: “So far so good, everything has gone good so far. At the moment both are on the way, that’s the plan at the moment.”

On jockey bookings, O’Brien added: “Obviously Ryan (Moore) won’t decide that until he sees everything. I would imagine at the moment he’s going to ride Auguste, but that’s not in stone.”

The home team is headed by Chaldean, who unseated Frankie Dettori shortly after the gates opened in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury a couple of weeks ago, but has proven class and course form as the winner of last season’s Dewhurst Stakes.

Roger Varian looks set to saddle Mill Reef winner Sakheer and the Greenham runner-up Charyn, while Charlie Appleby has the unbeaten Gimcrack victor Noble Style and Breeders’ Cup second Silver Knott in the mix as he bids for back-to-back wins following the victory of Coroebus last season.

Other hopefuls include Paul and Oliver Cole’s Royal Scotsman, who was beaten a head by Chaldean in the Dewhurst, and Craven winner Indestructible – one of three possible runners for trainer Karl Burke along with Holloway Boy and Flight Plan.

French Group One winner Dubai Mile (Charlie Johnston), Galeron (Charlie Hills) and Hi Royal (Kevin Ryan) complete the acceptors.

Aidan O’Brien out to scratch Tetrarch itch

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It has been 20 years since Aidan O’Brien has tasted success in the Coolmore Stud Blackbeard Irish EBF Tetrarch Stakes, but the master of Ballydoyle holds a strong hand as Classic credentials will be put to the test at the Curragh on Monday.

O’Brien has won this contest – which often serves as a stepping stone to the Irish 2,000 Guineas – five times in the past and saddles two this year in the form of Paddington and Drumroll.

Both have found the scoresheet already this term with Paddington winning a handicap over seven furlongs on his seasonal return while Drumroll, a brother to 2000 Guineas hero Saxon Warrior, won over a mile in heavy going on his debut at Navan

Winning connections with Paddington at Naas
Winning connections with Paddington at Naas (Brian Lawless/PA)

O’Brien said: “Paddington won over seven last time and he’s only ever run over seven to date. This is a step up to a mile so we’ll learn a lot more about him.

“We’ve been very happy with him since his first run.

“Drumroll won over a mile in heavy ground and he looked like a horse who will stay further

“We just felt we needed to get more experience into him and learn a little bit about him.

“We thought he was ready to start before his debut but we weren’t really sure what he was going to do. We had been happy with him at home, though.

Jessica Harrington’s Bold Discovery is another who heads to post for the Listed contest, stepping up to a mile having finished second to Ballydoyle’s Hans Andersen at Leopardstown on reappearance.

Bold Discovery (centre) chased home Hans Andersen at Leopardstown last time
Bold Discovery (centre) chased home Hans Andersen at Leopardstown last time (Niall Carson/PA)

“We hope he will be competitive,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager for owner Mark Chan.

“It’s a big day as it will tell what level you are at. He’s highly rated and long term we hope he will be a really nice horse.”

Before that the two-year-old speedsters will get to showcase their precociousness in the GAIN First Flier Stakes.

The race was won by Blackbeard 12 months ago and this time O’Brien is represented by debutants Unquestionable and His Majesty – the latter, like Blackbeard, a son of No Nay Never.

However, it could be Adrian Murray who holds all the aces as he saddles both the exciting Amo Racing-owned Bucanero Fuerte and intriguing newcomer Valiant Force.

“It’s a nice step for Bucanero Fuerte from his maiden so hopefully now he will step forwards,” said Murray.

“He has come on well since his debut, he will have improved plenty. He was quite green that day and he will be a good bit smarter and better.”

On Valliant Force he added: “He looks a real nice horse. He looks a fair tool. You don’t know until you run them, but on his homework he looks nice.”

William Haggas’ Queen Aminatu will attempt a bank holiday raid on the Coolmore Stud Circus Maximus Irish EBF Athasi Stakes.

Owned by Derby and Arc-winning owner-breeder Anthony Oppenheimer, the four-year-old was last seen plundering a huge pot at Newcastle on All-Weather Championships Finals Day and will now attempt to extend her winning run to four returning to turf.

The opposition for the UK raider includes the likes of Paddy Twomey’s Sceptre Stakes winner Just Beautiful and Henry de Bromhead’s Star Girls Aalmal.

Luxembourg adds star touch to Curragh card

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Luxembourg is the star attraction at the Curragh on Monday as the dual Group One winner makes his seasonal reappearance in the Coolmore Stud Sottsass Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes.

Derby favourite after rounding off his juvenile campaign with a top-level triumph at Doncaster, the Camelot colt only enhanced his Epsom claims when third in last season’s 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

However, Aidan O’Brien’s charge did not make it to the premier Classic and was ultimately not seen in competitive action again until registering a workmanlike win in a Curragh Group Three in August.

O’Brien was adamant Luxembourg would improve significantly, though, and was once again proved spot-on as he saw off French raiders Onesto and Vadeni to secure Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes, after which he got stuck in the mud in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Luxembourg had the option of returning to France for his four-year-old debut in Sunday’s Prix Ganay, but O’Brien has opted to start him off in calmer waters on home soil the following afternoon.

He said: “We just thought this looked an easier option at home rather than taking him to France.

“The ground doesn’t look too testing, hopefully it will be just nice ground for everyone.

“We’re happy with where he is, he’s ready to start back. He will come on plenty for it, I’d have thought, but he is ready to start.”

Luxembourg’s rivals include Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve, who struck Group One gold in the Prix Saint-Alary last season, and her stablemate Visualisation, who was best of the rest behind Point Lonsdale in the Alleged Stakes a fortnight ago.

Aidan’s youngest son Donnacha is represented by Piz Badile, who won last season’s Ballysax Stakes before filling the runner-up spot in the Irish Derby.

Willie McCreery saddles his star mare Insinuendo. The six-year-old secured her third Group-race success in the Park Express Stakes in late March and got within a neck of Luxembourg last summer.

Jessica Harrington’s Trevaunance and Noel Meade’s Layfayette complete the seven-runner field.

Moss Tucker surprises Tenebrism at Naas

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Moss Tucker reversed recent form with Tenebrism to foil the odds-on favourite in the Anglesey Lodge Equine Hospital Woodlands Stakes at Naas.

A Group One winner at two and three, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Tenebrism looks set to be a big player in the all the top sprint contests this year and started off in winning form at Cork earlier this month.

Ken Condon’s Moss Tucker was back in fifth on that occasion, but proved really tough in front this time having looked like being swallowed up when Ryan Moore produced the 2-5 market leader for her effort.

A length and a half was the winning margin for the Billy Lee-ridden 9-2 chance.

Condon said: “On the face of it the last day was slightly disappointing, but Billy came back in and said put a line through that. He slightly missed the break and they went steady enough for two furlongs.

“That’s more his thing, a stiffer track. Ground seems to come the same to him but he’s a tough, honest relentless galloper. I’m very fond of horses like him.

“Donal and Geraldine (Spring) bred him and he’s given them so much enjoyment.”

He added: “He could look at races like the Greenlands and we could travel with him. We might go to Ascot and races like the Flying Five. He ran in the Abbaye last year and we might go there again.”

O’Brien had been looking at a King’s Stand-Platinum Jubilee double bid with Tenebrism, but may now concentrate on the latter.

“It was very tacky ground and the plan was to go to the Curragh (for the Greenlands) and then do the two races in Ascot,” he said.

“We might go to the Curragh and then just do the Diamond (Platinum) Jubilee. That’s the way we are thinking now.”

Boogie Woogie is set for an Oaks trial
Boogie Woogie is set for an Oaks trial (PA)

O’Brien and Moore did get on the scoresheet, courtesy of Boogie Woogie (1-2 favourite) in the 10-furlong Race & Stay Fillies Maiden.

O’Brien said: “She was green the first day and got beaten three times last year, but we always liked her.

“The plan was to come here and if everything went well she might go for the Oaks Trial at Lingfield. It would be a good education for her and she’d learn plenty there.”

Also notable was the victory of the Natalia Lupini-trained Blairmayne in the Best Of Luck To Our Neighbours Punchestown Ahead Of The 2023 Festival Handicap, as it brought up the 1,000th winner of Wayne Lordan’s career.

Lordan said: “I rode Winter and Hermosa to win the 1000 Guineas. I’ve been lucky enough to ride some good horses and plenty of Group Ones.

“Iridessa winning at the Breeders’ Cup was great. It’s a huge achievement to get one on a stage like that.

“I never thought that I would ride 1,000 winners. It’s a hard thing to do with the jockeys that we have here. It’s very competitive and I’m delighted.”

Emily Dickinson enhances Gold Cup claims at Navan

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Emily Dickinson could be a ready-made substitute for Aidan O’Brien to fill the void left by Kyprios in the Gold Cup following her easy win in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan.

O’Brien often uses the Listed contest over a mile and three-quarters as a starting point for his Gold Cup horses – indeed Kyprios was successful 12 months ago before going on to Ascot glory.

With the chestnut on the sidelines O’Brien needed a stayer for the Cup races and this filly, who signed off last year with a Group Three win, looks just the ticket.

Never far from the pace under Ryan Moore, she bounded clear in the heavy ground to beat the useful French Claim by five lengths.

She is now a general 4-1 shot for the Gold Cup.

O’Brien said of his 11-8 winner: “She loves a trip and she relaxes, that’s the key. She stays well and she has class as well. She’s an exciting filly, she has a big engine.

“The plan was to come here and then go to Leopardstown for the Saval Beg. Then, hopefully, she will go from there to the Gold Cup.

“She is a filly that we always thought when she went beyond a mile and a half, we would see the best of her.

“She handles an ease in the ground well, but she also handles quick ground.”

River Tiber rockets to most impressive Navan win

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Aidan O’Brien’s River Tiber was introduced into the Coventry Stakes betting in the wake of a sparkling debut in the Irish Stallion Farms Maiden at Navan.

The Wootton Bassett colt was expected to oblige and was sent off the 5-6 favourite, but even so connections will have been delighted with what they witnessed.

Ryan Moore waited until just over a furlong out before pressing the button and the result was impressive.

River Tiber – who cost 480,000 guineas – streaked to a 10-length victory over Zona Verde with Betfair going 8-1 for the Ascot contest.

Stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “A lovely introduction, he was very impressive. His work has been strong at home and it is great he brought the same to the track.

“He’s a lovely horse and you love everything about him – athletic, physical and a good mind.

“He’s one that could go to the winners’ race in Naas or maybe something like the Marble Hill at the Curragh, and then hopefully on to Ascot. Something like the Coventry.

“He’s very exciting and another nice horse hopefully for Wootton Bassett.”

He went on: “It is unfortunate the rain coming today, but Navan is a lovely track to start them. Aidan has brought a lot of good horses here before – we start them here and they have always progressed plenty from it. It is a lovely track and always well presented.

“I suppose his class got him through (the ground), he travelled very strongly and when Ryan asked him to lengthen and pick up, the response was there immediately.

“He has plenty of class and is a lovely horse to look forward to. He has got plenty of speed and travels.”

Jessica Harrington enjoyed a Listed-race double, with Ocean Quest (10-1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Committed Stakes and Village Voice (7-1) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Salsabil Stakes.

Ocean Quest booked her ticket to the Commonwealth Cup
Ocean Quest booked her ticket to the Commonwealth Cup (PA)

Of Ocean Quest, Harrington’s daughter, Kate, said: “She was going to the Cheveley Park last year and pulled a muscle the week before, so we put her away for the rest of the season.

“We knew she was good last year – she won the first two-year-old race of the season and we bided our time with her and let her strengthen up.

“Her owners have been rewarded with waiting with her, I thought she looked a picture in the paddock beforehand.

“She’ll go to the Commonwealth Cup, that’s what mum said on the phone! Obviously, mum will have a chat with the owners and everything, but it looks like the likely aim at the moment.

“The form of her Ballyhane run (in third at Naas) is top-notch.”

It was not long before Village Song followed up, with Harrington adding: “I’d imagine we will go Ribblesdale now.

“It has been a good day and a great tonic for mum. I think it is the quote of the year – I rang her coming in here and she said ‘why are you ringing me? They are about to go into the stalls!’. I told her the race had finished and she obviously pressed pause and didn’t fast forward it again!

“I told her Village Voice won and Foniska was third and she said ‘oh, brilliant!’.”