AIDAN STILL TOP OF THE TREE

lan Heitman looks on as the Irish genius sends out more future superstars

- lan Heitman

Aidan O'Brien saddled his first classic winner in 1997, Classic Park in the Irish 2000 Guineas, and 26 years later, Auguste Rodin's win in the Irish Derby, the fifth time he has trained the English/Irish Derby winner in the same season, he was celebrating his 100th classic winner, a remarkable achievement.

Some would say he gets the bestbred horses to train and there is some truth in that, but he still has to get them to be at their best on a given day and to get Auguste Rodin to win the Derby after the disappointment in the 2000 Guineas is testament to his genius.

Two of the 100, George Washington and Mastercraftsman, were both successful in the first two-year-old Group 1 race of the year in Europe, the Phoenix Stakes, a six-furlong race at the Curragh which this year will be run on August 12th, before going on to win the 2000 Guineas and Irish 2000 Guineas respectively.

Since 1990, Aiden O'Brien has trained 17 Phoenix Stakes winners, most recently in 2022 with Little Big Bear, who like Auguste Rodin flopped in the 2000 Guineas before bouncing back on his next start, albeit in Group 2 company.

One of the races O'Brien has used as a stepping stone with his Phoenix winners is the Group 2 Railway Stakes, five of the 17 having run in that race which took place on the Irish Derby card on July 2nd.

Three of the nine runners were trained by Aidan O'Brien with retained jockey Ryan Moore opting to ride maiden winner Unquestionable ahead of Norfolk Stakes fourth His Majesty and the outsider of the trio Democracy.

Unquestionable headed the market at 15/8 ahead of his stablemate His Majesty, with the horse with best piece of form, Coventry Stakes third Bucanero Fuerte, only third in the betting at 100/30.