Aidan O'Brien's fine summer on British turf continued on Thursday with a 3-1 win for Content and Ryan Moore in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks. O'Brien's stable star City Of Troy appears to have run his final race of the year in Europe, but he has a host of stablemates who continue to mount a charge.
“City looks set to go head-to-head in the (Breeders' Cup) Classic,” O'Brien said, “and that opens up the door for other horses.”
In addition to Content, who “may go to the Ark Trial, the Ark or America”, O'Brien has a strong contender to compete in next month's St Leger Stakes at Doncaster and will continue to have a strong as ever line-up of junior Group One stakes at Newmarket, Ascot and Doncaster in September and October.
Content's victory was O'Brien's eighth victory in Britain's premier race this year, and while it will be difficult to match his record of 16 wins from 36 Group 1 races in 2017, he looks almost certain to win his seventh British Trainers' Championship with two months left of the season.
It was Galileo's 100th individual win at the highest level and Contento showed plenty of the fighting spirit that Galileo has inherited from his progeny, taking the lead in a tight three-way battle with Emily Upjohn and You Got to Me in the final quarter mile.
“Ryan gave her a great ride. She's not simple or easy,” O'Brien said. “She's very fast but he did a great job keeping her relaxed. She's a very brave filly and will do better in faster races.”
City of Troy's journey to Del Mar in Southern California will take him through less glamorous surroundings, with O'Brien hoping to give the extraordinary winner of Wednesday's International Stakes a run on an artificial turf track before crossing the Atlantic.
Aidan O'Brien has been in almost unstoppable form for York this week. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA
“I think he'll go to one of the tracks, Southwell or Wolverhampton as Ryan mentioned,” O'Brien said. “We just want to get him on a different surface and then he'll go straight there.”
City of Troy is the top odds at 4-1 to give O'Brien his first win in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 2, while Japanese challenger Forever Young, an unlucky loser who finished third in the Kentucky Derby in May, is runner-up at about 8-1.
Bradsell Bank, Nunthorpe
Big Eves narrowly beat Ashoura in a highly anticipated speed showdown at Goodwood three weeks ago but the Australian-trained filly was six pounds heavier in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes and is the 2-to-1 favourite to make an upset in Friday's main race at York.
Henry Dwyer's filly is tough and reliable, having beaten most of her rivals in her two races in Britain this year. All eyes will naturally be on Ashoura and Big Ebbs, but Bradsell (3.35), who came from a difficult starting position to finish a narrow third at Nunthorpe 12 months ago, has slipped into the race largely unnoticed at attractive odds-on.
Archie Watson's colt won the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer and showed continued good form after an 11-month break when he won a Listed race at Deauville this month. Unlike Big Ebbs, who is boxed in 14th place and on the outside, this horse is boxed in 3rd place and is 7-1 favourite to give Holly Doyle her ninth G1 win of her career.
York 1.50 This month's Shergar Cup 12 furlong race was run in very good time with Insanity winning by a head over Dream Harder in the final half furlong. Ian Williams' gelding is a pound favourite over the winner so it's surprising to see his odds at around 20-1.
Quick Guide to Greg Wood's Friday Tips Show
Newmarket 1.35 Joda 2.10 Valiant Knight 2.45 Twilight Jazz 3.20 Promethean 3.55 Typical Woman 4.30 Golden Phase
York 1.50 Dream Herder (nb) 2.25 Point Lonsdale 3.00 Camille Pissarro 3.35 Blood Cell (nap) 4.10 Invisible Friend 4.45 Ultra Soul 5.20 Native Warrior
PHOSPLAS 2.00 EAGLE ONE 2.35 GLORIOUS 3.10 DIAMOND SINZA SAND 3.45 KIMCHI 4.20 ICONIC 4.55 MARMALADE LADY
Goodwood 5.15 Papavera 5.50 Queen Allstar 6.20 Crystal Cask 6.50 Crystal Flyer 7.20 For Adaai 7.54 Beautiful Crown
Hamilton 5.35 Boston Run 6.05 Imperial Express 6.35 The Reverend 7.05 Sally Mist 7.35 Moonstone Boy 8.09 The Object
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York 2.25 Aidan O'Brien's Point Lonsdale has enjoyed an unconventional career since finishing his two-year-old season as the antepost fancy for the Derby in 2021, and has often been used as a pacemaker for his stablemates in Group One events. But he is the stable's only runner here and, stepping up to two miles for the first time, has a top chance after the form that saw him win at Chester in May.
York 3.00 Aidan O'Brien's last Gymcrack winner was Rock Of Gibraltar in 2001, but the Camille Pissarro-trained horse is a favourite to win this race for a third time. He showed some impressive footwork in his last Group Three at the Curragh, finishing half a length ahead of Babouche, and the winner proved his form with a Group 1 win this month.
York 4.10 A two-length win with an £8 rating increase may seem a bit harsh but Invisible Friend's performance in June, beating the three-time winner Pol Roger over this course and distance, looks strong and he is eligible to race for his first race since September.
