All-conquering O’Brien is really only warming up

THE extent to which Ballydoyle has left all of the opposition in this country trailing miles behind in its wake was further emphasised by that 1-2-3 in Sunday’s Irish Derby at the Curragh.

As the press waited patiently, after the contest, to be given access to the main players, a colleague turned to me and asked, “do you have last year’s report on your computer?’

He went on to make the point that all one really had to do was change the names of the horses, a couple of words here and there and you were away in a hack.

It was a bit of an exaggeration, of course, but not quite as mad as it might have sounded at the same time.

Eventually we plodded across to the far side of the Curragh, to the tent where the press conference is always held.

There seemed little enthusiasm among most for the journey, we knew what was coming and had seen it all many times before.

The likes of Aidan O’Brien, Colm O’Donoghue, Michael Tabor and John Magnier were duly wheeled in.

Des Scahill ran the show and posed a few questions. We scribbled the responses and then it was thrown open to the floor.

Two journalists dug deep and a couple of more softies were tossed in the direction of those behind the table. They were lightly batted back and then it was over.

We trudged away and considered the 700 or so words that were to come. Oh, for an original thought!

It is not Ballydoyle-Coolmore’s fault that, in the pursuit of sheer excellence, they dominate Irish flat racing in a way that has become quite extraordinary, if more than a trifle unhealthy.

I grew up believing there could never be another Vincent O’Brien. But, in a magnificent career, he managed to win the Irish Derby on ‘just ’six occasions.

Aidan has already done it nine times, the first coming only as far back as 1997, and, you could even argue, is really only warming up. That is a telling statistic and there are others.

Have a glance at this one, for instance. O’Brien’s horses in Ireland so far this season have won in excess of €2.7m.

He is going to be champion trainer again and, at the moment, is chased by Jim Bolger, Dermot Weld, Jessica Harrington, John Oxx, Kevin Prendergast and David Wachman.

Now if you add together what those six trainers have won between them it actually comes to less than O’Brien’s total and by more than €100,000 to boot.

Then have a look at the line-up for Sunday’s Derby, in which O’Brien saddled half of the eight-strong field.

Kevin Prendergast relied on the increasingly disappointing Dunboyne Express (5th) and Dermot Weld ran Notable Graduate (8th), who had absolutely no chance on all known form. Bolger and Oxx had no runners.

A year ago Cape Blanco, Midas Touch and Jan Vermeer filled the first three places in the Derby for O’Brien.

Weld, Prendergast and Oxx weren’t represented and, indeed, the only other Irish trainer who was prepared to tilt at windmills was Bolger.

He allowed the outclassed pair, Carraiglawn (6th) and Puncher Clynch (8th), to fly the flag. Incidentally, O’Brien ran five in all in the race.

Such total domination cannot be good for the game and even Ballydoyle must get at least slightly bored of having themselves to beat!

Sadly, there is no reason whatsoever to think there might be a major challenger looming on the horizon any time soon.

Coolmore has the best bloodlines, headed by Galileo, Montjeu and Danehill Dancer. But there are up-and-coming stallions as well and who knows what the likes of Excellent Art and Holy Roman Emperor may throw in the coming years.

Right now Ballydoyle houses the best three-year-old colts and fillies, the best older horses and the best stayers.

And already they seem well ahead of the rest with the juveniles, headed by the Royal Ascot winners, Power and Maybe.

Jockeys come and go at Ballydoyle — Kinane, Spencer, Fallon and Murtagh — but the more things change the more they stay the same.

One thing which never changes, though, and that’s O’Brien. You can find a top jockey somewhere along the road, but he is simply irreplaceable.

As long as O’Brien decides Ballydoyle remains the job for him then, you suspect, this is an organisation with the potential to become even stronger. It is a terrifying prospect for the opposition. But what is Ballydoyle-Coolmore supposed to do?

Mind you the old saying that familiarity breeds contempt does readily come to mind.