NEWS ROUND-UP: AIDAN O'BRIEN'S Group One juggernaut pulls into Chicago on Saturday night when Mount Nelson attempts to follow up his Eclipse victory in the 25th running of the Arlington Million.
Halfway To Heaven secured Ireland's champion trainer a 17th top-flight success in Saturday's Naasau Stakes at Goodwood and O'Brien is now a long odds-on favourite to secure a new world record of 26 Group One wins before the end of 2008.
Johnny Murtagh will travel to the US to ride Mount Nelson, who looks like taking on nine opponents in the world famous Million, which is run over a mile and a quarter on turf.
The international element will be added to by the presence of Mike De Kock's Archipenko, a former Ballydoyle inmate, and also by the French hope Spirit One. Leading the home team are likely to be the ex-Brazilian Grade One winner Einstein and the ex-Italian runner Sudan.
O'Brien has enjoyed mixed fortunes in the Million, with Powerscourt disqualified from first in 2004 under a controversial ride from Jamie Spencer but the same horse won impressively for Kieren Fallon 12 months later.
Other Grade One races on Saturday night are the Beverly D Stakes for fillies and also the Secretariat Stakes for three year olds over a mile and a quarter.
The latter is an option for O'Brien's International Stakes winner Plan, a son of Storm Cat and the Breeders' Cup winner Spain. O'Brien won the Secretariat in 2000 with Ciro. Saturday's race could also be an option for Dermot Weld's Winchester.
Immediately after Saturday night's big races O'Brien and Murtagh face a possible trans-Atlantic dash to Normandy where the Group One Prix Maurice De Gheest is due to be run at Deauville. King Charlemagne won the six-and-a-half-furlong race in 2001, the year O'Brien saddled his previous best tally of 23 Group One winners in a year.
This time he has the option of running the July Cup runner-up US Ranger as well as the trio of Jupiter Pluvius, Honoured Guest and Astronomer Royal. Other Irish interest may include Jessica Harrington's Jumbajukiba as well as Dimenticata from Kevin Prendergast's yard.
Aidan O'Brien's record at Arlington Park also includes a victory in the 2002 Breeders' Cup Turf for High Chaparral and that champion's full-brother provides a link to this afternoon's action at Naas.
Black Bear Islandhas the second start of his career in the seven-furlong maiden and there was more than enough in his Curragh debut to suggest he has a very promising career ahead.
That initial effort resulted in him finishing just a head off Driving Snow but emerging best of the Ballydoyle team ahead of the apparent number one Freemantle.
Murtagh teams up with him today and it will be a surprise if there hasn't been substantial improvement for his first experience.
There will be some interest from classic fans in the result of the auction maiden as Vilasolputs Tyros Stakes' form to the test. Kevin Prendergast's 102-rated colt finished third to Rip Van Winkle and Cuis Ghaire 11 days ago and a repeat of that effort should be good enough.
Noel Meade's versatile campaigner Athlumney Ladreverts to jumping for today's conditions hurdle after running seventh to Majestic Concorde in last Monday's GPT at Galway.
Murtagh also looks to be a significant booking for Harriers Callin the six-furlong handicap, while Master Marvel can recoup losses from when a beaten favourite behind Vanishing Causeway at Galway during the week.
