Aidan O’Brien juveniles to watch before the end of the season
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Aidan O’Brien’s juveniles have once again dominated the headlines this season, with stars like Beautify, Charles Darwin, True Love, Gstaad, and Albert Einstein all claiming Group-level victories.
But as the business end of the flat season approaches, there are still promising youngsters who haven’t quite made their mark. Punters keen to get ahead of the game can explore early prices for the big horse racing meetings, where some of these emerging talents could offer significant value.
With a keen eye on form, potential, and pedigree, here’s a look at the O’Brien juveniles to watch before the season closes, alongside the horse racing odds that may shape punters’ decisions.
Circle Of Life
A name that may not be familiar yet, as he has yet to make his racecourse debut, Circle Of Life is a Dubawi colt out of US Grade 1-winning dam Athena.
He’s closely related to two winners: Never Ending Story, a Group 3 victor, and Navy Seal, who captured a juvenile maiden at Galway for O’Brien before relocating to the US under Wesley Ward.
The fact that Circle Of Life already holds entries in the Futurity Stakes, Vincent O’Brien National Stakes, Royal Lodge Stakes, and even the Dewhurst Stakes—all before his first start—speaks volumes about just how highly he is regarded at Ballydoyle.
Constitution River
A 400,000-euro yearling by elite sire Wootton Bassett and Chuppy, for whom he’s a first foal, Constitution River is already off the mark for O’Brien.
The two-year-old ran better than the market suggested on debut when only being denied by a shorthead in a maiden at the Newmarket July Festival, and he followed up with a commanding win at Galway a couple of weeks later when beating Spangled Sands by almost four lengths.
He also holds entries in the Futurity Stakes and prestigious Dewhurst, but a step up to a mile for the Group 2 Royal Lodge at Newmarket perhaps looks the most likely option, as jockey Wayne Lordan suggests he will stay the additional furlong after only being tested at seven furlongs.
Daytona
Another expensive son of Wootton Bassett, Daytona fetched 500,000 guineas as a yearling and has a lovely pedigree out of Listed-winning dam Detailed and a half-brother to juvenile winner Blindsided.
He’s lived up to his price tag thus far, boasting an unblemished record after two starts at the time of writing—winning a maiden at Gowran Park by over two lengths before landing the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes at Naas next time out.
The Royal Lodge and Dewhurst are also potential end-of-season targets for Daytona, and he could be one to watch in the Classics next year if he carries on this upward trajectory.
Montreal
By the legendary Guineas, Derby and Arc winner Sea The Stars, Montreal is another who could develop into something special for Coolmore and O’Brien.
After finishing a rather disappointing third on debut despite going off odds-on, the two-year-old blew away his rivals in a Leopardstown maiden on his second start—winning by a commanding eight lengths over Strikewhileitshot.
Montreal is the 5/1 favourite for the Royal Lodge and looks like a proper Epsom Derby prospect next year as he’ll surely want much further than a mile.
