With the season-opening Lincoln Meeting at Doncaster now in the books and Newmarket’s Craven Meeting on the immediate horizon, the hype is beginning to build ahead of the biggest flat contests.
No fewer than 38 Group 1 events will light up the lives of flat fans between now and October, all of which offer significant prize money and prestige. However, even amongst this catalogue of top-tier events, there are those which stand out from the crowd. Focussing on the three-year-old division, the five Classics of the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, Epsom Derby, Epsom Oaks, and St. Leger stand tall above the rest.
Attempting to select the most likely Classic heroes and heroines is all part of the fun of the early season, with many punters picking out their ante-post multiples long before the first trial. When identifying the leading players for Newmarket, Epsom, and Doncaster, some will simplify matters by focussing on the yard of one man – Irish supremo Aidan O’Brien.
A Classic Record Beyond Compare
Why Aidan O’Brien, you may ask? The answer is a simple one. The master of Ballydoyle has more Classic wins than any other trainer in history. Successful seven times in the 1000 Guineas, eight times in the St. Leger, and 10 times in the 2000 Guineas, Oaks and Derby, his tally of 45 puts all other handlers in the shade.
If continuing at his current rate, O’Brien appears likely to hit the half-century landmark in the coming seasons, with many expecting him to take at least a couple of steps closer in 2025. If he is to edge closer to the magical 50 in the coming campaign, the following five contenders may be the most likely to put his name up in lights.
The Lion In Winter
This son of the great Sea The Stars rocketed to the head of the market for the 2000 Guineas and Derby following impressive wins at the Curragh and York – the latter success seeing him smash the 7f juvenile track record on the Knavesmire. A setback saw him miss his final assignment of the Dewhurst Stakes. Reportedly behind his stablemates in terms of fitness, Newmarket may come too soon, but he maintains his place at the head of the Derby market.
Lake Victoria
By Frankel and out of the Group 1 winning sprinter Quiet Reflection, Lake Victoria is bred to be smart. However, during her debut campaign, she was little short of sensational. Unbeaten in five outings, she mopped up top-tier contests over 6f, 7f, and 1m to mark herself as a filly out of the very top drawer.
In common with The Lion In Winter, she is not yet up to speed with her stablemates and, as such, isn’t certain to line up at Newmarket. Despite that, she remains the second favourite for both the 1000 Guineas and Epsom Oaks.
Twain
The first of two Wootton Bassett colts who left it very late to announce themselves as potential Classic stars of 2025. Twain only made his debut in October but quickly made his mark with a six-length romp at Leopardstown. Eight days later, he crossed The Channel to bag the Group 1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. This good-looking bay must be talented to score at the top table on only his second career start and looks a big player for the 2000 Guineas.
Expanded
Having scored on debut only seven days earlier, Expanded headed to the Group 1 Dewhurst as the yard’s second string behind The Lion In Winter. However, with that colt missing out, he was thrust into the limelight with Ryan Moore taking over in the saddle. Whilst he didn’t manage to win that day, he couldn’t have come much closer – only losing out in the shadow of the post to Shadow Of Light. This one looks to be a little behind Twain in the pecking order but may yet accompany his half-brother to Newmarket. If not, a shot at the Irish 2000 Guineas may be his big early-season target.
Delacroix
By super-sire Dubawi, who scored three times in Group 1 company, and out of the dam Tepin, who struck six times at the highest level, Delacroix is another Coolmore contender with an enviable pedigree page. He has largely delivered on that potential in producing form figures of 212121 over his first six outings. Beaten just a nose in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on his final start at two, he recently returned to claim the key early season Derby trial of the Ballysax Stakes in grand style.
The above quintet bring the highest profiles into the heart of Classic season, but as ever, other regally bred sorts may join them in O’Brien’s latest assault on the most significant prizes.
