岳伯仁(2007年度)馬房透視
The shock news of Holy Roman Emperor's early retirement to a stud career dealt Aidan O'Brien a bad hand before the Flat season began but the return of George Washington to Ballydoyle has helped soften the blow for the Champion trainer.
O'Brien will train approximately 140 horses (80-85 two year olds) for the current season and mentions he "never had as many unraced 3yo maidens than this year - almost 25 in total. It was just the way the year went last season - we didn't force anything, we just let it happen." :kkk: :kkk:
However he does add "all winter we were putting all our eggs in the Holy Roman Emperor basket - concentrating on how to beat Jim Bolger's Teofilo. :yyy: We felt unlucky in the Dewhurst as he didn't have his ideal ground and didn't get as clear a run as we hoped but he was very forward and had been working great.
"However, things changed and we are lucky to have George Washington back. That said, we could have done without the loss of Holy Roman Emperor, but we understood when George Washington came back."
O'Brien hasn't lost his sense of humour though and saw the funny side after "Jim Bolger came to me yesterday at The Curragh and told me he had booked five mares to Holy Roman Emperor!"
He added "all our Guineas horses are half-speeding at the moment. We work them a shade bit sharper than the rest but they are still carrying plenty of condition."
Regarding riding arrangements for the season, O'Brien stated "I don't think we've ever had as many jockeys at our disposal.
"Kieren Fallon has been here every morning during the winter and will return to race-riding in Ireland in June. Seamus Heffernan will ride for us along with Colm O'Donoghue, Sean Levey and Amelia Hegarty while we will also be hoping to use Mick Kinane, Johnny Murtagh and Pat Smullen."
He added "Christophe Soumillon is retained by HH Aga Khan but has made it known to us that he is available to ride for us when not retained. We may be of the opinion that certain horses suit certain jockeys so we are lucky to have all these jockeys." :ccccc:
Fifty two horses pull out for each lot and everything runs like clockwork, except for the clock in the indoor school which is an hour slow. O'Brien states his goal for the season: "to try to find a classic horse is the big thing" and proceeds to discuss his prospects for '07.
Older Horses
Alexandrova: "she has been coming along too quick and is ready to run tomorrow so we had to step her back a bit. She will run in the Pretty Polly Stakes on Derby weekend."
Dylan Thomas: "a great moving horse and we would have loved to have run in the Arc last year but Hurricane Run ran instead. If he gets that far and the ground is good, he'll run there this year." :jjjj: :jjjj:
George Washington: "he got six mares in foal - all towards the end of his stud stint and there's a good chance his fertility problems can sort themselves out next year. :yyy: :yyy: However, at the moment he has five legs and he has to realise he can't cover everything he sees - naturally that's the way he is at the moment. He is a strong-willed horse but did improve mentally throughout last year, and although I never trained a horse returning from stud before, hopefully we can get him back to run in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. He will gradually be reintroduced to other horses in his training."
Marcus Andronicus: "we will probably start him off in the Gladness Stakes."
Septimus: "he was sore after the Derby and had no run since, but came back well after the winter and will go for the Tattersalls Gold Cup."
Scorpion: "a horse that wants a trip. He had been lame but is back cantering for the last three weeks and will step up to 1m6f for the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown."
Yeats: "it's very exciting to have an Ascot Gold Cup horse in training and as long as the wheels stay on we'll keep him in training. He'll go for the Ascot Gold Cup again and we couldn't rule out the Melbourne Cup either."
O'Brien's main classic contenders:
Admiralofthefleet: "possibly a Derby horse who wants fast ground. The Dante Stakes at York is a possibility and he should improve from his two year old career."
Anton Chekhov: "won't go the Guineas route and will race at 10f+. He'll start in either the Ballysax Stakes or the Derby Trial at Leopardstown."
Archipenko: "a horse who should improve and is a possible for the Leopardstown Guineas Trial and the English Guineas."
Astronomer Royale: "is definitely in the Guineas picture and may go for the French Guineas. Hopefully he'll get a mile but he could drop back if he fails to get the trip."
Duke Of Marmalade: "we always thought a lot of him. He was unlucky and ran a bit green at Goodwood but he fractured his pastern after it and has had two pins inserted. He has done very well physically over the winter and is definitely in the English Guineas picture. He should get further than one mile and will probably head straight to the English Guineas. However, his form does need to improve further to get to Holy Roman Emperor's level."
Chinese Whisper: "should improve from last year and the ground at Tipperary was the reason for his very bad run there. He'll probably go to France for the Derby Trial."
Eagle Mountain: "has done well over the winter and probably wants a trip. He could run in the Leopardstown Guineas Trial or wait for the Derby Trial and should get the Derby trip."
Excellent Art: "he did his first canter for us at The Curragh yesterday (Mar 25) and goes for the French Guineas Trial. He won a maiden on soft but has lots of speed and the French Guineas will give him the chance to get one mile."
Macarthur: "is a very good moving horse, has done very well physically over the winter but won't go the Guineas route and will race at 10f+. He could run in the Ballysax Stakes or the Derby Trial and could also work at Leopardstown."
Mount Nelson "a big loose horse who has the range and scope to be anything. He has done very well physically over the winter and may work at Leopardstown rather than have a run before the English Guineas. He'll probably go straight to the English Guineas now but needs to improve further to get to Holy Roman Emperor's level - the horse he beat in his Group 1 win in France was beaten since. He is out of a fast Selkirk mare and I'm not sure if he'll get 12f."
Soldier Of Fortune: "the Irish Derby Trial and the Ballysax Stakes are possibilities for him."
Spanish Harlem: "won a maiden, should improve and likes nice ground. He is a possible for the Leopardstown Guineas Trial."
Yellowstone: "has the scope to improve and he'll probably go for the Leopardstown Guineas Trial before going for the English Guineas."
Regarding his three year old fillies, O'Brien did mention "Uimhir A Haon, "runs at Navan next weekend (April 1). She is a lovely filly who is going really well. She could turn into an Oaks filly. Nell Gwyn could go to the Leopardstown Guineas Trial while Diamond Necklace is a lovely filly who wants nice ground. She is much better than her runs thus far. All My Loving is a nice staying type while Cherry Hinton is a very nice filly."
Others to note:
Acapoluco: "we always thought a lot of him. He is a very nice horse and could turn into anything."
Alexanderofhales: "should improve on his two runs."
Brave Tin Soldier: "could run in the Leopardstown Guineas Trial."
Flying Cheetah: "a very sharp horse."
Giant Footsteps: "disappointed last year but wants fast ground."
Giant Sequoia: "he should improve from his last run."
Puss In Boots: "is unraced but could be anything."
Red Rock Canyon: "had a few problems, should get it together this season."
Sorolla: "could win a Stakes race."
Suppose: "a well handicapped filly"
Theann: "goes for the Guineas Trial."
The Ethiopian: "a brother to High Chapparral who will leave his last run well behind."
Trinidad: "should get a trip."
Trinity College: "disappointed last year but wants fast ground."
O'Brien also mentioned maidens Albert Einstein, Diego Valasquez, Honolulu and Peeping Fawn, and Johannesburg's brother Marcus Brutus as likely future winners.
Two year olds
Most of O'Brien's two year olds are unnamed at such an early stage of the season and he "hasn't a lot done with them yet." However a few that are showing early promise include Mahler, "a nice horse", and an unnamed colt by High Chapparal out of Mountain Holly who "is showing a lot, like his father at the same period. He is a lovely, precocious horse."
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