Aidan O’Brien is no stranger to landing victories in flat racing’s biggest races — his seven Ascot Gold Cups and eight Derby triumphs are just about all the proof you need. That’s why as Royal Ascot approaches, punters up and down the country will be scouring the horse betting to find the best odds for his entries at the prestigious meeting.
So, with the latest renewal of Royal Ascot on the horizon, let’s take a look at the Aidan O’Brien-trained horses to watch across the course of the thrilling five-day meeting — which will run from 15-19 June. Read on to find out more!
St Mark’s Basilica
At 11/4, St Mark’s Basilica is currently the favourite in the betting market for the St James’s Palace Stakes on the opening day of the meeting. The three-year-old was raced mainly at the Curragh throughout the course of his maiden season last year. However, he won just once in four outings at the Irish course. Frankie Dettori then took the reins for his English debut at Newmarket in October, and he led the horse to his first Group 1 victory in the Dewhurst Stakes, a race he entered as a 10/1 shot.
St Mark’s Basilica started this season with a second Group 1 triumph in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp, and with form like that, he’s certainly one to watch at Royal Ascot.
Love
Love is the 3/1 second-favourite for day two’s feature race — the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes — and given the season the four-year-old had last year, we’re sure she’ll be heavily backed by the punters to scoop a victory in the one-mile, two-furlong Group 1 race. Love had an incredible season last year, winning the 1000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket, the Derby at Epsom Downs and the Yorkshire Oaks, all by rather comfortable distances, and there’s no doubt that she’s one to watch at Ascot this year. However, it’ll be interesting to see how she fares having not raced since winning at York last August. It shouldn’t be too much to worry about though, as she won the 1000 Guineas after a 240-day break.
Mother Earth
O’Brien will be out for another Group 1 victory in the Coronation Stakes — day four’s feature race — and the Irish trainer’s best chance of victory in the one miler will come from Mother Earth. The three-year-old was heavily raced during her maiden season last year. However, she left a lot to be desired, winning just once in some eight outings. She has looked much better so far this campaign, starting the season on a high at Newmarket. With Dettori in the saddle, Mother Earth won the 1000 Guineas from 10/1, beating Saffron Beach over the line by a length. That victory meant she entered the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp as the 17/10 favourite. However, she was just beaten over the line by 38/1 shot Coeursamba. She’s expected to get back to winning ways on English soil, and if Dettori is back in the saddle, they will definitely have the backing of the crowd.
