Joseph O'Brien

Charlie Appleby says Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) will line out in Friday's $1m Bahrain International Trophy with a favourite's chance but admitted that stall 12 could make things tricky for the dual Group 1 winner as Godolphin ready a five-strong team for the Group 2 contest. Last seen winning the G1 Canadian International in October, Nations Pride will be joined by stablemate Highland Avenue (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), with William Buick opting to ride the former in his bid to win the race for a first time. Appleby said, "Nations...

The Joseph O'Brien-trained Valiant King (GB) (Roaring Lion) will not take part in the G1 Melbourne Cup on Nov. 7, and has instead been sent for a spell after suffering a setback, co-owner Ozzie Kheir confirmed on Friday. The grey was most recently sixth in the G1 Caulfield Cup and was found to be lame in his left front leg earlier this week after a Racing Victoria vet inspection. ''After this morning's RV inspections where Valiant King was found to be mildly lame post his work, we had our own...

It is very clear how important the Melbourne Cup is within Australia. Observers at Tattersalls last week were left in no doubt of that. A large proportion of the most expensive lots were bought to head Down Under, with the Melbourne Cup repeatedly mentioned as the ultimate target. It is now, though, a major race both within Australasia and internationally, its global appeal having increased dramatically 30 years ago in the 3 minutes 23.43 seconds which it took Vintage Crop (Ire) to take the prize on the first Tuesday in...

Al Shira'aa Farms' homebred Atlantic Coast (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}--Liwa Palace {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) backed up a debut win over seven furlongs at the Curragh in August with a third going one mile for last month's G2 Golden Fleece S. at Leopardstown and stepped forward to notch a personal best in Saturday's G3 Killavullan S. back at the Foxrock track. The 2-1 second choice was settled back in the field and raced several lengths off the pace in fifth through the early fractions. Inching closer once past halfway, he...

Joseph O'Brien could launch a two-pronged attack on Saturday's Caulfield Cup with Okita Soushi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Valiant King (GB) (Roaring Lion) described to be in rude health ahead of the Group 1 contest. With two G1 Melbourne Cup triumphs on his CV already courtesy of Rekindling (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) to add to a G1 Cox Plate triumph with State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), O'Brien knows what it takes to win the big-race riches in Australia. The team at Owning Hill...

Emotions ran high deep into the opening session of Book 3 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when young pinhooker Luke Coen produced an incredible result with his Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly selling for 115,000gns.  Coen may be in his early 20s but he knows the time of day and came to Park Paddocks full of confidence with his €23,000 foal purchase from Goffs last November.  After an entertaining bidding war, it was Olivia Perkins-Mackey, who works closely with bloodstock agent Justin Casse and trainer Joseph O'Brien--and who was involved...

Many hands make light work. Or in this case, it was many feet and steps that allowed Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock to find and then secure the Sea The Stars (Ire) colt who topped the final session of Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale on Wednesday at 425,000gns. It was Juddmonte's Sam Guyette, shortlisting for the top bloodstock agent this week, who first lauded the Norelands Stud-drafted colt as a potential nap.  Brown revealed that, after taking this nugget with a heavy pinch of salt initially, he...

It was always going to take something special to luminate the Curragh against the backdrop of that dark grey sky, but the Joseph O'Brien-trained Lumiere Rock (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) had just the answer in the G2 Moyglare-sponsored Blandford S. under a razor-sharp Dylan Browne McMonagle.  Lumiere Rock has danced every dance this season. Her big moment at the Irish Champions Festival was richly deserved but it was achieved in far more tenacious fashion than the three-length winning margin would suggest.  Having gone out on her sword behind the fantastically-talented...

Multiple group winner Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio), who ran second in the G1 Phoenix S. to Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), is under consideration for the G1 Moyglare Stud S. on Sept. 10, trainer Donnacha O'Brien revealed on Wednesday. The daughter of four-time winner Too Precious (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) won a maiden race at the Curragh in April, and followed up with Group 3 victories in the Fillies Sprint S. and Albany S. at Naas and Royal Ascot respectively in May and June. The Phoenix was her...

Some water has passed under the bridge since we last had the privilege of seeing Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}), but all that has really happened has been the strengthening of his aura and it is with great anticipation that Deauville welcomes him back from his mini-break in Tuesday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. While the clock suggested at the time that Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak's representative had produced something special in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, subsequent events have proven that his performance in that 10 1/2-furlong...

by Emma Berry & Heather Anderson    A field of eight make up Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Irish Oaks, and a strong Irish contingent faces just one English challenger, Juddmonte's Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}). Aidan O'Brien runs four fillies, including the favourite, Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The Aga Khan homebred Azazat (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) is another who is taking her chance in this 1 1/2-mile Classic at the Curragh, and will attempt to become the third winner for her owner/breeder after Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) in 1997 and Shawanda (Ire) (Sinndar...

The GI Saratoga Derby Invitational, slated for Saturday, Aug. 5 at Saratoga, will offer the winner an automatic berth into the G1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate, the New York Racing Association, Inc. and Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) announced Wednesday. The new partnership will provide the winner of the Saratoga Derby, a 1 3/16-mile test for sophomores, a place in the starting gate for the Ladbrokes Cox Plate Oct. 28 at Moonee Valley in Victoria, Australia, with winning connections afforded subsidies for transportation and accommodation. In 2021, the Joseph O'Brien-trained State...