Royal Ascot: Six of the best runners to win for Ballydoyle handler Aidan O’Brien as he hunts down all-time record! | Racing News

With Aidan O’Brien now one away from Sir Michael Stoute’s Royal Ascot document of 82 winners, we check out a number of the Ballydoyle handler’s finest winners.

Big’s Causeway – St James’s Palace Stakes (2000)

On the again of two gallant second-placed efforts in each the English and Irish 2000 Guineas, Big’s Causeway would give Aiden O’Brien his first Group One winner at Royal Ascot.

Despatched off the 7/2 favorite within the arms of Mick Kinane, he was at all times up with the tempo and was despatched for dwelling rounding Swinley Backside and confirmed his battling high quality by lasting dwelling to win by a head.

This may be the beginning of a magical summer time for him as he would then go on to take the Eclipse, Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte Worldwide and the Irish Champion Stakes.

Labelled the iron horse, he was retired to stud on the finish of that season after a slender defeat within the Breeders’ Cup Basic and sired a number of champions together with Shamardal, Footstepsinthesand and Ascot Gold Cup winner Ceremony Of Passage.

Johannesburg – Norfolk Stakes (2001)

The Cartier two-year-old Champion European Colt, Johannesburg confirmed the world his electrical flip of foot and put the race to mattress inside a matter of strides.

On simply his second begin, he was restrained early by Mick Kinane till letting the handbrake off and coasted to a easy success in final type.

He would then go on to document 4 Group One successes that season starting from six to 10 furlongs culminating within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Johannesburg would solely run three extra occasions the next season together with when overwhelmed within the Kentucky Derby earlier than going to face at stud in the USA and later Japan.

Rock Of Gibraltar – St James’s Palace Stakes (2002)

Working within the colors of Sir Alex Ferguson, Rock Of Gibraltar was searching for revenge on the Royal assembly with stablemate Landseer, who beat him within the Coventry Stakes in 2001.

Off the again of success within the English and Irish 2000 Guineas, he was searching for his third Group One inside six weeks and was despatched off a pink scorching 4/6 favorite.

Underneath solely arms and heels driving, he hit the entrance with a furlong to go along with his earlier Ascot conqueror Landseer trailing in his wake.

Not many horses would have been capable of carry out on the highest stage inside a brief house of time and that’s testomony to the coaching abilities of O’Brien.

Yeats – Gold Cup (2009)

A spot in historical past would await Yeats as he was bidding to grow to be the primary horse to win 4 Ascot Gold Cups.

Geordieland was trying to flip the tables after filling the runner-up spot for the 2 earlier years and was aiming to spoil the fairytale.

Johnny Murtagh drove Yeats to place his head into the lead with half a mile to run but it surely was Patkai and Ryan Moore who began closing within the ultimate furlong.

The submit got here in time although and Yeats had rewritten the historical past books. He went on to grow to be a profitable Nationwide Hunt Stallion and sired 2022 Grand Nationwide winner Noble Yeats.

So You Assume – Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2012)

A five-time Group One winner in Australia, So You Assume was purchased by Coolmore after ending third within the 2010 Melbourne Cup.

On the again of successful the Tattersalls Gold Cup for the second time, he went off a really properly fancied 4/5 favorite to document his first victory at Royal Ascot.

Having travelled easily into the race, Carlton Home loomed up as a hazard but it surely was So You Assume’s flip to spoil the get together by denying Her Majesty The Queen a Royal winner.

This may be the final time the Australian champion was seen on a racecourse however his wonderful worldwide document would by no means be forgotten.

Caravaggio – Commonwealth Cup (2017)

Having received on the assembly when successful the Coventry Stakes the 12 months prior, it was no shock to see Caravaggio go off at 5/6 for twin Ascot victory.

A robust Godolphin problem within the form of Mill Reef winner Harry Angel & Gimcrack victor Blue Level weren’t going to make issues simple.

Following Adam Kirby’s each transfer on Harry Angel, Ryan Moore requested for optimum effort from Caravaggio inside the ultimate furlong earlier than getting the higher of the Godolphin duo.

It was a race for the ages as Harry Angel went onto grow to be a twin Group One winner, while Blue Level accomplished the uncommon double by successful the King’s Stand and the Diamond Jubilee in the identical week two years later.