Aidan O'Brien closing in on breaking record he holds
Aidan O'Brien can edge nearer to his own record of Group and Grade One victories in a year at Saint-Cloud on Sunday. His current benchmark of 28, established in 2017, is coming under mounting pressure after Hawk Mountain's triumph in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster brought him to 23 for the campaign. He dispatches a formidable squad to France with three Group Ones up for grabs and whilst Queenstown appears to confront a challenging assignment in the Prix Royal-Oak, the two-year-olds Puerto Rico and Pierre Bonnard will be heavily fancied. Puerto Rico, whilst consistently appearing a promising prospect, has truly flourished since being stepped up in distance, capturing the Champagne Stakes and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend. He advances to a mile for the Criterium International, which O'Brien claimed last year with Twain and in which he also fields Piazza San Marco, New Zealand, Daytona and Port Of Spain. "Since we stepped him up to seven furlongs he's improved a lot," said O'Brien. "We're stepping him up to a mile now, he seems to be in very good form at home so we thought he could go again." Pierre Bonnard caught the attention of paddock observers at Newmarket before his outing in the Zetland Stakes and he supported his appearance with a commanding performance in the Group Three. "He's a beautiful looking horse and we were delighted with him at Newmarket as that was his first time over 10 furlongs," said O'Brien. "This race was always a possible after he won, we just wanted to keep an eye on him but he came out of his race well." The Ballydoyle trainer also has Christmas Day, ridden by Tom Marquand, Endorsement and Isaac Newton under his wing.
