After his extraordinary Arc 'clean sweep' on Sunday, Aidan O'Brien could make further progress towards a potential Group One world record at Newmarket this week.
Found’s Arc success was an 18th top-flight success on the flat for O’Brien in 2016 which again brings him within sight of Bobby Frankel’s long-standing world-record haul of 25 Grade One races in a single year.
Ireland’s champion trainer just missed out on the legendary American’s record in 2001 with a final tally of 24 but he looks to have an outstanding chance with the odds-on Churchill in Saturday’s Dubai Dewhurst Stakes.
Churchill was immediately installed as low as 4/7 to secure juvenile championship honours in the prestigious contest after 14 were left in the Dewhurst, including the Solario winner South Seas and Godolphin’s Middle Park runner up, Blue Point.
On Friday the Godolphin team have the favourite for the Group One Fillies Mile in Sobetsu. However, she is only just ahead of the O’Brien-trained Rhododendron who is a general 3/1 shot.
Rhododendron was third in the Moyglare last month, behind her stable companion Hydrangea who was just nosed out of that prize by Intricately.
RaceBets go 9/2 about O’Brien breaking Frankel’s record this year even though a Group One double this week would put the Irishman in a good position with ‘Champions Day’ still to come and an international programme which could see O’Brien competing up until December.
Last year Highland Reel won at Group One level on the Hong Kong International card in early December. That horse could again be on his travels later this autumn, while O’Brien is usually a major player at the Breeders Cup which this year takes place at Santa Anita.
