irishracing.com | Horse Trainer A P O'Brien

Ascot was his first run of the year and he had a tough enough race over a mile and six. It was a big call and a big worry to run but obviously there is only one Irish Derby. We were always going to ride him patiently as that’s the way he has to be ridden. The rain was a big help to him as he handles an ease in the ground. I think it was an honest gallop. They ran good races, so I'm delighted. Santiago is a lovely, straightforward horse. He likes to take his time in his races and Seamus got a lovely run through and stayed very well. We thought he could be a Leger horse, and we were going to look forward to him for next year. He's a lovely, clean winded, honest horse. We thought he’d be a lovely Cup horse for next year. If he didn’t come here he might have gone to Goodwood over two miles. I think so (go for the St Leger), it looks a lovely race for him. There is a chance he could have a break now and be trained for the St Leger. We have the second and the third there too, so we will see what the lads want to do. They are two lovely horses (Tiger Moth and Dawn Patrol) and are two babies. They are progressing. In a month's time they will be even better we think. Seamus is a great fella, lot of experience and works hard. We are delighted for him. He knows the horses very well.

Tipperary Fri, 26th Jun, 2020 Merchants Quay

It was a good performance. She ran a bit too free here last time,. I said to Wayne to put her to sleep today and have her coming home. He gave her a fantastic ride. I suppose being a filly with a good pedigree, and after winning a good pot today, we'll try and get some black-type. We'll see what the handicapper does.

Curragh Fri, 26th Jun, 2020 Merchants Quay

Curragh Sat, 13th Jun, 2020 Lancaster House

she's a lovely mare; we had her in at Ascot but we were afraid of the ground getting soft and didn't want to wait. It was a lovely race for her here and it's nice to get her started back. She could go to the Eclipse or the Pretty Polly. She's an unbelievable mare. She hadn't run over a mile since her debut. She has a lot of class, she's a great mare and I'm delighted with her. Up to now she has travelled a lot but that was all cancelled so she's been kind of waiting there a while so that's why we just wanted to get her out. She loves that nice fast ground, she doesn't like soft ground.

Curragh Sat, 13th Jun, 2020 Peaceful

Donnacha (O'Brien) loved her when he won on her in Thurles last year and then she went to Newmarket and couldn't walk a yard in the heavy ground but still kept fighting and wasn't beaten far at the line. That's the sign of a really good filly, she just wouldn't lie down. She's obviously very good. She loves the ground, skipped along, and is very uncomplicated. We always thought she'd stay a lot further than a mile. Epsom has to be a possible, the lads will decide, but it has to be a possible for all those fillies. We knew he had nice fillies. They are Galileo fillies and we are just so lucky to have them. They are beautifully-bred, big, rangy, scopey fillies and they get better and better.

Curragh Sat, 13th Jun, 2020 Snow

she's tough and hardy. She stays well and she's a sister to Kew Gardens. We thought that these were going to be Oaks fillies and they'll probably turn up in a trial next. They will love going a mile-and-a-half.

THE IRISH TIMES

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