O’Brien bids to master Trophy rivals
The Sadler’s Wells colt, a full-brother to 2006 Oaks heroine Alexandrova, chased home the smart Gan Amhras on his debut and confirmed that promise when bolting up at Gowran Park next time.
He was beaten just half a length into third in the Group Two Beresford Stakes at the Curragh last time and O’Brien, who also saddles Indian Ocean and Set Sail, thinks he has improved significantly since.
“Masterofthehorse is very well. We didn’t really get serious with him until after the last day. His work has been more serious now and we’ve been very pleased with him,” said O’Brien.
“It’s going to be very interesting to see what’s going to happen but looking at him at home, he definitely has stepped forward.”
Indian Ocean was last seen finishing fourth in the Group One National Stakes and O’Brien believes he is capable of even better on a faster surface.
“Indian Ocean, we always thought was a nice horse,” the trainer continued.
“He ran a nice race in the National but I think the ground was too heavy for him. He’s a nice mover and we think he will get a mile well and he definitely will be a classy horse next year.
“Set Sail is a solid horse. We ran him in the Vintage Stakes, maybe when he wasn’t 100% ready, but he’s improved a bit.”
Meanwhile, O’Brien is hoping Yeats can put his poor record in France behind him when he lines up in the Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp tomorrow.
The seven-year-old made history back in June when winning the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot for the third time, marking him down as one of the best stayers of all time.
However, he has twice been a beaten odds-on favourite at Longchamp, most recently finishing fifth in the Prix du Cadran, and O’Brien is keeping his fingers crossed he can make it third time lucky at the weekend.
“Yeats is in good form but it’s just that maybe the season has been long. We don’t know, but he seems to be in good form at home,” said the trainer.
“People say that he might not handle Longchamp but Johnny (Murtagh) felt he didn’t make enough use of him the last day. Johnny felt that, I’m not saying that’s right, but he wanted him to run here.”
O’Brien also saddles likely pacemaker Mikhail Fokine and Irish Oaks heroine Moonstone. The latter is tackling this trip for the first time, but O’Brien is confident stamina will not be an issue.
“The filly, you’d imagine looking at her that she might get a mile and six (furlongs) so it will be interesting.”
