Aidan O’Brien already appears to have a fifth British champion trainer’s title all but wrapped up and will aim to smash past the GB£5 million cross-channel prizemoney mark in Group One style at York on Wednesday.
The King George hero Highland Reel will be joined by his stable companion Sir Isaac Newton in the prestigious Juddmonte International, centrepiece of an opening day Ebor festival card that also sees O’Brien’s St Leger favourite Idaho – a brother to Highland Reel – line up in the Great Voltigeur Stakes.
Ireland's perennial champion trainer has already secured GB£4,980,201 in prizemoney in Britain this year (about €5,660,000) – more than twice that of his nearest rival, John Gosden. The tally has come from just 82 runners, of which 20 have been winners.
It puts O’Brien in pole position to land the cross-channel trainers title for the first time since 2008. He also won it in 2001, 2002 and 2007. His prizemoney haul in Ireland so far in 2016 is just over €3 million.
A highlight
Minding’s Group One British hat-trick in the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and Nassau Stakes have been a 2016 highlight so far but Highland Reel chipped in significantly too with his King George victory and he will attempt to secure his trainer a record sixth Juddmonte success.
O'Brien currently shares the race record of five with Michael Stoute, also doubly represented on Wednesday, including with the Pat Smullen-ridden Exosphere who will represent the big-race sponsors.
Highland Reel is generally rated third favourite, behind Postponed and Hawkbill, to become the tenth Irish-trained winner of the famous race.
Highland Reel faces a drop in trip at York but that prospect is also facing the hot favourite Postponed whose trainer, Roger Varian, isn't concerned by the race trip.
“This year he has travelled very strongly in his races and, most importantly, Andrea [Atenzi], who gets a number one feel of the horse, thinks he will handle himself down in trip very comfortably.
“Also, the majority of the horses in the field have perhaps shown their best level of form at a mile and a half, so he is not the only one with it to prove at a mile and a quarter,” he said.
Postponed hasn’t appeared since trouncing his Coronation Cup opposition, including the O’Brien-trained Found, at Epsom in early June and has to miss the King George due to a respiratory infection.
His prime
“He’s in his prime and one of the best around. It was disappointing to miss the King George but by no means the end of the world,” said Varian .
Ballydoyle’s Group One interest at York later in the week is set to include Washington DC in Friday’s Nunthorpe, and also a potentially ultra-string raid on Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks.
The Irish Oaks heroine Seventh Heaven could be joined by both Even Song and the top older filly Found. Idaho will try to secure a first success of the season in the Great Voltigeur which O’Brien hasn’t won since Powerscourt scored in 2003. The Major General and Housesofparliament are set to give O’Brien half the Voltigeur field.
