THE horses don’t wait for anyone at Ballydoyle so the media gather around Aidan O’Brien in the barn as 70 horses circle to the sound of some soft rock on the speakers before heading to the gallops.
Aidan was obliging enough to descibe his day for us, a 4.45am start, bit of breakfast, look at the sheets, out to supervise three lots of 70 horses each, lunch, into the yard in the afternoon, tea at six, then office/yard until 9-10pm then bed at 10-10.30pm if possible.
And no, the phone is never, ever switched off even when the family goes for a holiday to Barbados after the Breeders’ Cup where they relax at Sandy Lane or “at J.P’s, we’re very lucky”.
“I sleep for the first for the first four days, it’s a beautiful climate. I only talk to the lads back in Ballydoyle four or five times a day.
“You can relax in your mind. You can switch the contentment switch on in your mind if you want to. It’s the same for everyone – you just have to find that switch.’’
Saxon Warrior canters past, allowed slightly more space between the leading and following horses. “He is the horse with all the privileges at the moment, he doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to,’’ said his trainer. “He’s a good traveller and strong, you can see he carries his head low.
“We were a bit worried about his Guineas run because that was the first time he had run on grass with the late spring.
“Even though we always thought of him as a middle-distance horse, he ran like a miler and then quickened.
“But if you’re asking me if I would be happier if he had been a staying on third … well.
“Supposing he had run the Guineas like Camelot then you could say he is more of a middle-distance horse but the Guineas is one of the best Derby trials, so. We could have gone to the Dante but we wanted to get him out onto the grass.
“If they can handle the dip at Newmarket, they can handle the contours of Epsom.
“He shows characteristics of Galileo, Danehill and his stallion (Deep Impact) so that’s very interesting.’’
DERBY CHALLENGE
The Ballydoyle team is expected to run another three in the Derby, Delano Roosevelt and The Pentagon, second and third in Sunday’s Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown, and Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Kew Gardens.
Chester Dee Stakes winner Rostropovich is likely to go for the Prix du Jockey Club.
(Everyone had trouble pronouncing the Chester winner and O’Brien disarmingly replied when asked how he gets his tongue around some of the horses’ names: “I learn from ye, the way you’re pronouncing them now!”).
O’Brien was asked how does he have the same enthusiasm for the Derby as it comes around again for another year?
“Well it’s the same tension because it’s different horses and different variables. With this late spring you wonder how your horses will progress. There is one thing and that is never to be complacent. If you’ve done your best and you fail you can accept it.
“The past is for experience, it’s all about now and tomorrow. In 20 years’ time if I’m still here it will be time to reflect on my record on retirement!
“Look, when there is a big win we’re delighted for everyone, all of this means a lot of time and work and investment. My pleasure is in getting results.
“I go to bed and hope to get up and when I’m up I hope to get to the night,’’ he joked.
TRIPLE CROWN
With the second leg looming, there is plenty of supposition as to Saxon Warrior’s chances of attaining the Triple Crown. O’Brien commented: “The Triple Crown will never the be all and end all, every horse is an individual, we want to get to the next stage then think about it.
“The lads have changed in their thinking since I’ve been here. Having a `commercial’ stallion is not as not as important as exposing horses to see their capabilities. They have a huge broodmare band and a big team of stallions. It will be something to see how far Saxon Warrior will stay.’’
Ryan Moore will be on board the Derby favourite after being replaced by Donnacha O’Brien at Newmarket when his father watched on from Kentucky but will he ever be number one at Ballydoyle?
“Donnacha is a big fellow he’s as big as Joseph, it would be very hard for him to last. But this pressure is good for him, great experience for life. He’s only 19.
“We’re lucky that he’s enjoying it, it’s a hobby as well as work.’’
A phone call interrupts O’Brien and it’s his daughter Ana reporting on a successful half-speed canter by Order Of St George and Magical.
Ana is acting as an assistant to her father (“it’s great for me’’). She still rides two lots but her riding future has not been decided.
“We are so grateful she is well,’’ commented her father to the nods from all his listeners after her horrific fall.
TRAVELLING
How does Aidan cope with the amount of travelling required by the international racing calendar?
“I get to sleep when I’m on board travelling. If there is one thing I have learned is that emotionally and physically it will break you if you don’t rest. It will come and get you. At this time of year it’s hard, sometimes I only get three or four hours.’’
The team ran the two horses last out at Epsom, James Cook and Zebreskie in the Dante Stakes at York on Thursday. Zebreskie was a staying-on third but James Cook has a lot to prove having finished in eighth place.
Regarding the Oaks, Cheshire Oaks winner Magic Wand will head the pack, supported by runner-up Forever Together. Happily might go for the Irish Guineas and then onto the French Oaks but she might not get the mile and a half.
“Magical didn’t run on Sunday because of the ground. She could go straight to Epsom.
“Before we could run fillies in the Irish Guineas and then go on to Epsom, because there was an extra five or seven days between.
“This year there’s not, so we can’t do the two. Clemmie is going to start in the Irish 1000 Guineas and because she had a little setback we have to be very careful.
“She was a little bit wrong behind. We think she tweaked a muscle and we could never really find anything on the X-rays or scans, but she wasn’t 100% in her trot.
“She is now and she’s working very well, but if Clemmie runs a nice race in the Irish Guineas and finishes in the first four or five, we’ll be very happy going to Ascot.
“If she comes out of it okay there’s going to be a lot of improvement in her.”
September is not 100% and is trotting for two weeks, she will be taken along easily and miss Epsom.
heavy ground
O’Brien was disappointed with Gustav Klint’s Newmarket run and the explanation could have been the heavy ground at Leopardstown on his previous taking a heavy toll. “He raced a bit behind the bridle, maybe he will go to the Irish Guineas and then to Ascot for the St James’s Palace Stakes.’’
Capri won’t be back until the autumn not being sound since his last race in Naas in mid-April. He bruised his shoulder.
“Hydrangea could start off in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, start for a run and trying her best but she should show drastic improvement after that.’’
And Cliffs Of Moher’s plans are undecided but he could go for that race or the Coronation Cup. “We’re not sure if he is a mile and a half or mile and a quarter.’’
Does O’Brien go to bed worrying about the successor to Galileo?
He laughed: “Nothing disturbs my sleep! I go to bed and wipe it all out of my mind. Every horse that does well each season could be the one, the lads just try them and move on. That’s how they will find the new Galileo. Maybe it will be Australia or Camelot or Churchill.
“And now we have horses by Deep Impact, three from last year. He’s a great out-cross. The distance doesn’t matter. The world is a small place you just get on a plane if you want something.’’
employment
There are between 180-90 people employed at Ballydoyle with ancillary services provided from the hinterland,
With about five-six stable units there is a friendly but intense rivalry for each yard to get the best colts and fillies and so on in the pecking order.
Sometimes one of the best horses is stabled in a secondary yard which of course is great for morale as it begins to win.
“When we go away everything is cleaned down and repainted and the new horses are coming from Coolmore and all these decisions are being made about where they are to go. Everyone is giving their opinion - it’s great. I don’t always agree but I let it happen.’’
As for O’Brien’s future?
“I don’t take anything for granted we will keep going as long as I can. you try to have a balance, there’s people around you friends and family.
“This time of year is intense, there is so much going on. You are trying to give the best of information to the people who are making the bigger decisions.
“It’s not going to be good every day, you just have to try to accept whatever happens and move on.’’