Australia: ‘There’s no point beating around the bush — we’ve never had a horse like this’

Aidan O’Brien yesterday described Australia as a "step up" from anything he’s ever trained before and revealed the Derby favourite had to contend with a cough that subsequently affected the rest of the stable six to eight weeks before the 2000 Guineas.

Australia ultimately finished third in a messy race at Newmarket but O’Brien believes that due to a less than ideal build-up “there’s a chance there’s more to come” from the son of Galileo.

“Australia was sick six weeks before the Guineas,” the Ballydoyle maestro said. “He was the first to cough — it was probably seven weeks before the Guineas — and next thing it went through the place. But we were lucky because Australia got over it within a week or two. Then we had to train him for the Guineas. There’s a chance there’s more to come.”