Red's Visit to Irish Oaks Weekend - Pictures of all of the Ballydoyle Runners Huge thanks to Red

Saturday

Sherpa

Russian Emperor

Iberia

Pistoletto

San Andreas

Dunkirk Harbour

Pink Dogwood

Peach Tree

Fleeting

Sunday

Blissful

Goddess

Chablis & Coral Beach

Misc

Red's Visit to Coolmore & Castlehyde Stud January 2019

Mastercraftsman

The Gurkha

U S Navy Flag

Caravaggio

Gleneagles

Australia

Camelot

Churchill

Saxon Warrior

Sioux Nation

Order Of St George

Gustav Klimt

War Command

Kingston Hill

Yeats

Ruler Of The World

Westerner

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Red (AKA Josephobrienfansite) has picked 4 Ballydoyle juveniles that she thinks you should be keeping an eye on.

I have had a quick look through Aidan’s 2-year old’s and I have picked out four of them that I will follow until they retire.

I’m not a betting fan and I don’t sit around studying form then decide what horse to follow, I look at a name and it will usually jump out at me and have some significance attached to it. I have picked a few the past few years to follow closely before they run.

I follow Capri as I have visited the bay near Capri on one of my cruises and the Capri was one of my favourite cars growing up with my favourite television programme at that time The Professionals.

I follow Saxon Warrior and Saracen Knight with my background in medieval re-enactment and for my love of Knights in Maille and the warriors of old.

I have been lucky with Capri and Saxon Warrior they have won 4 Group 1’s between them. But for injury to Capri this year and Saracen Knight starting off his season only the other day I’m sure there would have been more Group 1’s added to the tally.

My 4 of Aidan’s horses to follow this time around are Enticed, Heaven On Earth, Gathering Storm and Druids Glen.

I hope at least 2 out of the 4 can do something great but with horses you can never tell.

Enticed – Galileo x Dialafara

Bred by HH Aga Khan all her foals are by Galileo, Capri being the best of them a 6-time winner including 2 at Group 1 level when winning the Irish Derby and the English St. Leger. Dialafara only ran once over 10 furlongs in a Listed race in France where she finished unplaced. Enticed isn’t one of the regal names but I am hopeful that she can at least get some black type and turns out far better than her dam was.

Heaven On Earth – Galileo x Lillie Langtry

All her foals are by Galileo, 7-time Group 1 winner Minding being the best of them a winner of 2 of the English classics when taking the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks. Lillie Langtry was a winner form 6 furlongs to a mile. She was a winner of the Group 1 Matron stakes in Ireland and the Group 1 Coronation stakes at Royal Ascot. I have hopes that she can be a Group 1 winner, I picked her out as the Heaven On Earth I associate with Rosslyn Chapel and the Templars which is near me.

Gathering Storm – Galileo x Aleagueoftheirown

All her foals are by Galileo. She is the dam of 3-time Group 1 winner Alice Springs. Aleagueoftheirown won over a mile. I hope that Gathering Storm would be one for the Irish 2000 Guineas. Gathering Storm jumped out at me as I remembered one of the battles we were re-enacting there was a storm gathering over one of the Castles and we were dressed in Maille and carrying swords, spears or had on metal helmets the storm clouds were yellow and rolling down towards us, the name stands out for that reason.

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Druids Glen – Galileo x Honour Bright

All her foals are by Galileo the best of them being Botany Bay who won over 1m 5 furlongs. Honour Bright was an unraced Danehill mare. Druids Glen stuck out for me as an ancient Celtic race of people who the Romans feared they were high ranking individuals. They are not those people who are gathered at Stonehenge for the solstice. I hope that Druids Glen can win a few races.

Red's Visit to Coolmore Stud June 2017

Gleneagles

Camelot

Mastercraftsman

Zoffany

No Nay Never

Red on the stallion Trail at Coolmore & Castlehyde 27/01/17

Australia

Pride of Dubai

Zoffany

Excelebration

The Gurkha

Power

Ivawood

Rock of Gibraltar

Yeats

Champs Elysees

Dylan thomas

Unfortunately due to our commitments to an exciting new project some of the team and I are currently working on we will be unable to produce a yearbook this year, However below you will see a full in depth review of the season kindly produced by Red who now manages our sister site the Josephobrienfansite, she has concentrated mainly on the Group 1 winners. I really hope you will enjoy looking back at some of the highlights from a season no one will ever forget many thanks to Red for her excellent review. Kindest Regards Paul Rhodes (AOBFS Founder)

I will look back at the whirlwind that was 2016 with awe for not only was Aidan crowned champion Irish trainer for the 19th time, but he won a 5th British trainers championship, he was the top trainer at Royal Ascot for the 7th time and then there is the little or not so little matter of 22 Group/Grade 1 winners, 9 Group 2 winners and 20 Group 3 winners.

Actually make that 23 Group/Grade 1 winners as Aidan officially trained his first Grade 1 winner of the year in March when Ivanovich Gorbatov won the JCB Triumph hurdle, no doubt there will be some debate in many places as to who can really claim the winner, but it has to go as a win for Aidan as his name was on the licence at the time and Joseph wasn't yet qualified to train.

May - The month of May kicked off on the first day with Aidan winning the Qipco 1000 Guineas in the first classic of the year with Minding who was to become the stables star for the year. Minding was chased home in the race by her stable companions Ballydoyle and Alice Springs to give Aidan his first 1-2-3 of the year.

2 weeks later The Gurkha showed an impressive turn of foot as he went on to land the Poule D'essai Des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) leaving his rivals toiling in his wake.

Minding was then beaten a head on her next appearance near the end of May in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas, this race shouldn't go down as a shock defeat for Minding, she was injured leaving the stalls, our blooded heroine was down but certainly not out.

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June - The Month of June went in the same fashion as it had in May with Minding showing her staying capabilities with a fine display in the Investec Oaks despite her being hampered in the straight, her stable companion Somehow battling on for 4th. This race proving how mentally tough a filly we saw in Minding as the stalls incident didn't affect her confidence.

The tough and consistent filly Found was second in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh behind Fascinating Rock after being held up.

There was to be no joy for Aidan in the Investec Derby with US Army Ranger only finishing second with Idaho back in 3rd. There was some debate as to whether US Army Ranger would have won on the day if he had been riden up a bit closer to the pace. These debates can go on and on but he wasn't good enough on the day.

Found had to settle as a bridesmaid again in the Investec QEII Coronation Cup behind Postponed.

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It was then onto Royal Ascot where Order of St. George envoked memories of the great Yeats with a win in the Ascot Gold Cup.

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The Gurkha was left an impossible task in the St James's Palace stakes behind Galileo Gold after being hampered at a crucial stage in the race he ran with credit back in second.

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Found turned out again 11 days later to become a bridesmaid again finishing second in the Prince of Wales stakes at Royal Ascot.

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A few weeks later Minding returned to the winners enclosure when taking on and beating her elders in the Sea the Stars Pretty Polly stakes at the Curragh to record her 3rd Group 1 of the season.

June saw a disappointing end in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby with Aidan's team once again having to settle for second this time with Idaho behind Harzand, who was unable to peg back the winner.

July - The month of July proved to be a purple patch for Aidan and the team with 6 Group/Grade 1 victories.

The Gurkha was first up but he was to play bridesmaid yet again in the Coral -Eclipse behind Hawkbill.

His first Group 1 winner came courtesy of Alice Springs in the Tattersalls Falmouth stakes when she beat her elders this was a first Group 1 success for the Galileo filly.

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This win was followed up a day later when Deauville under an enterprising ride by Jamie Spencer won the Grade 1 Belmont Derby.

A week later Seventh Heaven won the Darley Irish Oaks under a patient ride by Seamie Heffernan.

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A week later Aidan strikes again with Highland Reel giving a front running display in the Qipco King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

4 days later and The Gurkha reverses form with Galileo Gold from their meeting in the St James's Palace stakes when he took the Qatar Sussex Stakes by a neck. This race was to prove to be the Colt's final apperance on the track as illness cut short his career and he was retired to Coolmore where he will take up stallion duties in 2017.

3 days later and it was back to business as usual with Minding winning the Qatar Nassau stakes.

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August - This was a quiet month for team Ballydoyle with just the two Group 1's.

Caravaggio was first up winning the Keenland Phoenix stakes the Son of the late Scat Daddy has an electric turn of foot and it will be interesting to see if he will stay the trip of the Guineas or be kept to sprinting in his 3 year old season.

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Seventh Heaven comes out the winner of the Darley Yorkshire Oaks from Found who again runs a great race in defeat, another 1-2 for Aidan and the team.

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September - The Group 1's kick off with Alice Springs in the Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron stakes she stayed on strongly in the end to beat Persuasive.

A day later sees Churchill out winning the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National stakes by an impressive 4 1/4 lengths from Mehmas.

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There was another rare reversal for Minding in the Qipco Irish Champion stakes as she finished 3rd behind Almanzor with stable companion Found again in second. This race was judged to be the race of the season.

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September is brought to a close with Brave Anna's win in the Connolly's Red Mills Chevely Park Stakes to finish in front of her more fancied stable companion Roly Poly giving Aidan another 1-2.

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October - Sees a resurgance in Group 1 wins again with 5 winners. Led again like September by Alice Springs in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot stakes, this was the Galileo fillies 3rd Group 1 of the year.

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Next day was an unforgetable day as Aidan trains a 1-2-3 in the Qatar Prix de L'arc de Triomphe Found from Highland Reel and Order of St George. Aidan's feat stands alongside Michael Dickinson's who trained the first 5 home in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This was the fillies greatest day and a richly deserved big race beating out of sight Postponed who had been rated the best on turf at that point.

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5 days later and another Group 1 race comes Aidan's way in the shape of Rhododendron in the Dubai fillies mile beating Hydrangea in the process giving Aidan another 1-2, these two fillies will be allowed to bloom in their classic season in 2017.

Just a day later and Churchill proves his Classic potential for 2017 with a 1 1/4 length success in the Dubai Dewhurst stakes from stable companion Lancaster Bomber this is another 1 -2 for Aidan. Churchill goes into the winter as the current favourite for both the English and Irish 2000 Guineas and the English and Irish Derbies.

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Found again is runner up in a Group 1 race as she finishes behind Almanzour in the Qipco Champion stakes, I'm convinced she would have beaten Almanzour in the Arc if he had been allowed to take his chance and to my mind he was fresher on the day.

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Who else but Minding to round off Aidan's wins in October with success in the Qipco QEII stakes this was her best performance of the year and allowed her to get back to winning ways. She led the colts a merry dance in the race and showed a great turn of foot. The race earned the Galileo filly her 5th Group 1 of the year and her 7th in total. I for one look forward to seeing her in 2017 and wish continued success for her , she is currently 3 Group 1 wins behind the mighty Frankel as the most successful of all the Galileo's. She is Galileo's winning most filly and the most successful Galileo to be trained at Ballydoyle.

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November - Saw the only Grade 1 winner for Aidan and what a win that was by Highland Reel in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, the Galileo Colt was given the ride of the season by Seamie Heffernan making all and crushing Flintshire in the process with his stable companion Found back in 3rd, giving Aidan a 1-3 in the race.

This race was also to prove to be Found's last race. Found was one of the most genuine and consistent fillies to ever stick her head in a bridle. A winner of 6 of her 21 starts winning 3 Group 1's, thanks for the memories Found as you retire to be a broodmare I just hope in the future we have one of your offspring as tough and genuine as you.

December - Sees Highland Reel return to Hong Kong in an attempt to win the Longines Hong Kong Vase for the second year running. His stable companion Cougar Mountain takes in the Longines Hong Kong mile who would count against Aidan training another 2 Group 1 winners before the turn of the year? not me

Thank you Aidan for the special memories you created in 2016 and a

Highland Reel stretched his legs at Sha Tin on Monday morning

special thanks to all the hard work put in by the stable staff & Everyone at Ballydoyle.