Aidan O’Brien’s Group One autumn rampage could go global in the coming weeks although the champion trainer’s focus on Wednesday is strictly local with his son Donnacha hoping to guide Finn McCool to maiden success at Navan.
This midweek fixture has its own pedigree when it comes to throwing up future Group One stars with O’Brien’s subsequent 2007 Irish Derby hero Soldier Of Fortune featuring on the roll of honour for the juvenile maiden.
Finn McCool may never rise to such heights but he didn’t get the run of the race when favourite at the Curragh on his previous start and can provide his young jockey – already assured of the apprentice title – with a 42nd winner of the season.
The juvenile fillies maiden was won by the subsequent Guineas winner Marvellous in 2013, and by Bocca Baciata, a year later. Key To My Heart is an interesting Ballydoyle contender this time although now that Wayside Flower gets better ground, and first time headgear, a 90 rating helps make a convincing argument for her chance.
O’Brien runs a trio of Fastnet Rock newcomers in a two-mile maiden where Dermot Weld’s high class hurdler Vigil makes a first start on the flat. The former dual-bumper winner should be a tough opponent for his younger rivals.
Newmarket With Churchill likely to be the star performer among O'Brien's Group One raiders at Newmarket this week, and the Arc heroine Found not ruled out of a quick reappearance in the following weekend's Champion Stakes at Ascot, the trainer's scintillating topflight form is also set to spread to Australia next weekend.
Sir Isaac Newtown is still in contention to take his chance in Saturday week’s Caulfield Cup in Melbourne, a first runner in the historic mile and a half handicap for the Irish trainer who broke his Group 1 duck ‘down under’ with Adelaide in the 2014 Cox Plate.
Sir Isaac Newton was part of a large international contingent that landed in Melbourne last weekend ahead of the famous Spring Carnival along with the Godolphin star Scottish who is also set to line up at Caulfield.
Taufan’s Melody became the first horse outside of Australia and New Zealand to win the Caulfield Cup when successful in 1998. Since then All The Good for Godolphin 2008, Dunaden in 2012 and Japan’s Admire Rakti in 2014 have also successfully raided from overseas.
Later in the carnival, O’Brien is due to be represented in the Melbourne Cup by Bondi Beach and his hot-streak of top-level success now makes him as low as 5-2 with Powers to break Bobby Frankel’s world record tally of 25 Group 1 victories in a year. The Irishman is currently on 18 for the flat in 2016.
