O’BRIEN BEATS FRANKEL

Six days after equalling Bobby Frankel’s Group/Grade 1 record with Hydrangea (IRE) at Ascot, Aidan O’Brien beat the legendary trainer’s achievement; by training SAXON WARRIOR to win the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. Adding to the significance of his 26th Group 1 win of the year was that it was an eighth victory in the Racing Post Trophy by O’Brien, who previously trained the likes of High Chaparral (IRE), St Nicholas Abbey (IRE) and Camelot to win the prestigious two-year-old race.

SAXON WARRIOR was sent off favourite off the back of an impressive Group 2 win last time out, following up on a comfortable debut success in August. He was forced to fight for his latest victory, with the John Gosden-trained Roaring Lion providing a strong challenge, which also saw him drift across the track and force the eventual winner close to the rail. The Warrior prevailed by a head, as stablemate The Pentagon (IRE) stayed on to take third, two and a half lengths behind them.

O’Brien later described SAXON WARRIOR as ‘a very special horse’, while he had described the winner’s dam Maybe (IRE) as ‘very uncomplicated’ after her Group 1 win in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in 2011. Undoubtedly, the same descriptions could be applied to Maybe (IRE)’s sire, and the source of much of O’Brien’s success; Galileo (IRE), whose three top-level victories were won by a combined nine and a half lengths.

Coolmore Stud were given reason to celebrate earlier in the day as SPEAK IN COLOURS provided Excelebration (IRE) with a Listed win in the opening Doncaster Stakes. The Marco Botti-trained colt looks an improving sort, having finished third on debut and won next time out at Ascot, with all three starts to date having come over six furlongs. Stakes success came by half a length, at the expense of joint-favourite Mutaaqeb, a son of Invincible Spirit (IRE). SPEAK IN COLOURS becomes the fourth individual Stakes winner by Excelebration (IRE), whose son Barney Roy won the Group 1 St James’ Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot earlier in the season. Excelebration (IRE) will command a fee of €8,000 in 2018.

Completing a Stakes double on the day for Coolmore Stud sires was SPARK WHIP, as the son of Dylan Thomas (IRE) landed the Listed Grand Prix de Nantes over a mile and a half at Nantes, France. This was the six-year-old’s third black-type win of the season for trainer C Lotoux and owner Ernest Le Clezio, with all three coming in partnership with jockey Eddy Hardouin. He beat Royalickly by a neck to in, with a further three parts of a length back to Mint Julep, a son of Mastercraftsman (IRE), back in third. British raider and market favourite Teofonic (IRE) finished fifth.

Dylan Thomas (IRE) commanded a fee of €5,000 at Castle Hyde Stud in 2017, with his 2018 fee yet to be confirmed.