Galileo Dame looks to have a bright future based on the way she quickened up to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Leopardstown.

The last three winners have all gone on to be Group One performers in Tarnawa, Above The Curve and last season subsequent Irish Oaks winner Savethelastdance was successful in it.

Aidan O’Brien ran two with Ryan Moore preferring the claims of Rubies Are Red, a full-sister to multiple Group One winner Found and it was she and stablemate Flight Of Fancy who went for him just off the bend.

Dylan Browne McMonagle was just biding his time on the Joseph O’Brien-trained winner, though, and as soon as she was in the clear despite the ground being heavy she sprinted away to win by three and a half lengths at 13-8.

“She had a good run in soft ground last year and we thought that 10 furlongs would suit her well,” said Joseph O’Brien.

“I was very pleased and looking at that you’d have to say she’s a smart filly.

“I suppose the obvious thing now is to go into an Oaks trial of some sort. That’s probably where she’ll go.

“She’s owned by a great group of lads, the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate, Sean O’Driscoll and Brian McKieran. It’s exciting for them to have a real smart filly.”

Rebel’s Romance caused a surprise in the Dubai Sheema Classic, in which dual Derby winner Auguste Rodin finished last.

While Charlie Appleby’s six-year-old did win the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2022, he was well beaten in the corresponding race 12 months ago and looked to be up against it in a field stacked with quality.

Along with Auguste Rodin, who is developing an all-or-nothing reputation, there was Emily Upjohn, Spirit Dancer and Japanese challengers Liberty Island and Stars On Earth.

The pace was pedestrian, set by Aidan O’Brien’s Point Lonsdale, but only William Buick on the eventual winner and Liberty Island were keen to stay close to it.

With half a mile to run, that trio had opened up a sizeable gap on the remainder of the field and when Buick kicked on to take up the running well over a furlong out, the writing was on the wall.

A strong stayer at the trip, Rebel’s Romance, who won the UAE Derby back in 2021, galloped all the way to the line, with Shahryar, Liberty Island and Justin Palace, all from Japan, taking minor honours. Emily Upjohn fared best of the rest just behind but Auguste Rodin offered nothing.

Appleby said: “He’d won a Breeders’ Cup Turf and four Group Ones, yet he was 20-1, which showed just how deep a race it was.

“William told me he had a plan but I told him not to tell me, then I couldn’t roast him if it went wrong!

“We were confident the right thing to do was go forward and heading down the back, I felt confident because I knew the fractions weren’t strong.

“William knows this track so well and did everything right.

“To have a winner tonight, on what has been a really international night, to get one on the board for Godolphin and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed is very pleasing.”

The Newmarket handler added: “It was our last throw of the darts, but we were confident he was in as good a place as we could get him. He went to Kempton and then had a great ride in Qatar from William.

“He has travelled a lot but we were confident he was at his best. Plan A was to go forward to give the horse the best chance to run his best race.

“This whole night is a huge space in the racing calendar that everyone will aim for. You’ve got to look after these horses and make sure you don’t give them one race too many.

“We toyed with the Champions & Chater Cup in Hong Kong next, but we will enjoy today and he deserves a bit of a rest.”

Buick commented: “He showed in Qatar that he can still perform from the front or close to it. He has a big stride and we decided to get across and somewhere near the action. We were given an easy lead off easy fractions. I was surprised he was in his comfort zone, going easily.”

Charlie Appleby is likely to point last season’s Doncaster Futurity winner Ancient Wisdom at the Qipco 2000 Guineas as a stepping stone to a crack at the Betfred Derby.

The Moulton Paddocks handler feels the Newmarket Classic – for which the Aidan O’Brien-trained City Of Troy is the red-hot favourite – is more attractive than the longer Dante Stakes at York to give the son of Dubawi a trial for Epsom in early June.

He explained: “Ancient Wisdom won the Futurity on very soft ground and has been held in high regard from very early in his career.

“After getting beaten at Ascot he progressed physically, as you would expect from a Dubawi.”

Appleby is concerned that the Dante is closer to Epsom than ideal and added: “It’s possible there will be slow ground for the Guineas, and we will take a look at that with the view that a mile and a half will prove his forte.

“If I waited for York and the ground was soft, there’s not much time left until Derby to put things right should they go wrong, and it would be a more ambitious route to take.”

Appleby also had news on his unbeaten Classic-bound filly Dance Sequence.

He said: “Dance Sequence has done well. William (Buick) sat on her the other day and was delighted. We will take her to the Nell Gwyn and then the English Guineas.”

Auguste Rodin is set to have a busy first half of the season, which will kick off with a run in the Sheema Classic in Dubai.

Aidan O’Brien’s dual Derby and Breeders’ Cup winner is then scheduled to take in the Tattersalls Gold Cup closer to home at the Curragh before a trip to Royal Ascot, after which connections will take stock.

Being by Deep Impact, a race on dirt would not usually be considered, but O’Brien was so taken by the way he acted on the surface in the mornings when preparing for the Breeders’ Cup, that he is giving the idea some serious thought.

“Auguste Rodin has another bit of work to do before he goes on Saturday, but everything looks good at the moment. It’s his first run of the year but we’re very happy with him,” he said.

“The plan was he goes there, then he could go to the Curragh for the Tattersalls and then Ascot for the Prince of Wales’s.

“After that, we could have a look at a dirt race with him after that, we’ll see how that goes. He could go to Saratoga. The world has gone small now.

“His season will be split in two really, with a busy first half and then a break.

“As a rule, Deep Impacts are mainly turf horses, but we were surprised how well he worked on the dirt at the Breeders’ Cup, he floated over it. He has an unusual action, so it will be interesting to see.”

Another stalwart of the yard due to return is Kyprios, who missed the majority of last season before finishing second in the Irish St Leger and at Ascot on Champions Day.

The usual O’Brien route to the Gold Cup back at Ascot will be taken, with the Vintage Crop Stakes and the Saval Beg early targets.

“It was amazing he came back, I couldn’t believe it. He seems in good form, he’ll go to Navan and then he’ll go to Leopardstown, that’s the plan, the usual Ascot (Gold Cup) route,” said O’Brien.

As for the two-year-olds, none have been named to date but there are several catching the studious eyes at Ballydoyle.

“None of the two-year-olds are named yet, but we think we have two good Justifys, out of two sisters (Fabulous and Butterflies),” said O’Brien.

“We’ve some nice Wootton Bassetts this year, more than we’ve had before. We’re starting (the season) earlier and I was conscious that I didn’t want to have them ready to run in that ground because they have to be very fit, so if they are, they won’t make it through the summer.

“The Wootton Bassett out of Immortal Verse looks very smart, as does the Wootton Bassett out of Ennistymon. We’re just going gently with them.

“Wootton Bassett looks very different, we only had two colts last year and they were both very good – River Tiber and Unquestionable.”

City Of Troy could be seen at Saratoga this year, if everything goes as hoped with the red-hot Classic favourite.

Unbeaten in his three juvenile starts, the Aidan O’Brien-trained Dewhurst winner is set to reappear in the Qipco 2000 Guineas back at Newmarket on May 4.

Labelled “our Frankel” by co-owner Michael Tabor, the Justify colt is also favourite for the Betfred Derby at Epsom on June 1.

And if he is still on track after those engagements, an exciting trip for a dirt assignment could be on the agenda.

“We are particularly happy with how well he has wintered. He’s working away on bad ground at the minute as they all are obliged to,” the Ballydoyle handler said in a stable tour on Attheraces.com.

“He seems to handle it and handled a good cut in the ground in the Dewhurst, but as anyone can see he is a particularly beautiful mover which is what makes it so exciting to see what he does when he meets firmer ground. The better the ground, the better he’ll be.

“He’ll go away for a gallop in the next week or 10 days, that is always an important step for the Guineas horses. It was great for him to get the experience of the undulations of both the July course and the Rowley Mile at Newmarket last season. That will all stand to him in the 2000 Guineas.

“We’ll play it race-by-race, but you’d have to be made of stone not to be dreaming of the Derby if all goes to plan at Newmarket. After that, he could even go to somewhere like Saratoga for a Grade One on the dirt. He’s that type, he could do anything, but we’ll take it one race at a time.

“We have an unbelievable group of three-year-olds this year, but he has always been the leader. Horses like him are very rare.”

Before City Of Troy is unwrapped for the season, O’Brien has important business in Dubai on Saturday week, with dual Derby, Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Auguste Rodin set for the Sheema Classic.

He said: “Everything is running really smoothly with him. He leaves here for Dubai this weekend and the Sheema Classic on March 30 is his target. We’ve been really happy with him since his gallop at Dundalk late last month. We feel he has matured well from three to four and it goes without saying that we are very excited to get him going again.

“The horse did all his own talking on the track last year, but we really do think that he’s a very important horse for the thoroughbred breed. It is a huge thrill to have him back for this year and we can’t wait to see him race.

“If all goes smoothly in Dubai, we have it in our head that he could come back for the Tattersalls Gold Cup and then drive on to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.”

In what might be an ominous portent of what is to come, City Of Troy “should have no problem over a range of distances” this season, according to Aidan O’Brien.

The unbeaten Justify colt enters his Classic year with a sky-high reputation and ranked second only to Johannesburg – a four-time Group One-winning juvenile – among O’Brien’s 13 champion two-year-olds to date with a rating of 125 following the unveiling of the European classifications.

“He looks very exciting, obviously, and he looks like he’ll have no problem going up in distance,” said O’Brien of the Dewhurst winner, who is favourite for the 2000 Guineas and Derby and has even been talked of as a potential Triple Crown horse.

“I suppose from the first time he ran he looked something different and we always felt that he was a horse who should go forward from two to three, so he’s very exciting from that point of view.

“Johannesburg was more of a two-year-old, he was a small horse. This horse has a massive big, long stride, a bigger horse and obviously he looks very exciting.

“He’s made good physical progress, we’re very happy with him. He’s not too big a horse, he’s not too small, he’s medium-sized and a lovely, well-balanced horse, he’s got a lovely mind. He’s moving very well and he looks like a horse who should have no problem over a range of distances.

“I suppose what makes him different is the tempo he goes in a race and then he just kicks into another gear at halfway, really.

“We didn’t have a horse as exciting ever as City Of Troy as a two-year-old, probably.”

O’Brien enjoyed notable success from a relatively small sample with offspring of American Triple Crown hero Justify, and he floated the idea of taking some of them out to the States to race on dirt.

“We will definitely consider taking the Justifys to America. I would imagine they will be made for the dirt, Justify was a big dirt sprinter who got a mile and a half, but that is why he’s so exciting, they are as good on turf as dirt,” said O’Brien.

“The Kentucky Derby is unlikely as we might not have anything forward enough for that, but after that, once the Classics are out of the way, there’s every chance we could travel over with some of them.”

City Of Troy was rated 5lb clear of Bucanero Fuerte, trained by Adrian Murray, while just 1lb behind him was another O’Brien inmate, Henry Longfellow, also unbeaten in three races.

“We always thought they were two very good colts but we never put them together,” said O’Brien.

“Both travel very well and quicken very well. City Of Troy has a lower action, while Henry Longfellow bends his knee a little bit.

“Henry Longfellow was impressive in his three runs but what City Of Troy did, he always looked different.

“We were thinking at the moment, although obviously it can change, of starting City Of Troy at Newmarket and we’re thinking of maybe starting Henry Longfellow in France.”

The leading two-year-old filly for 2023 was another Ballydoyle inmate, Opera Singer, a five-length winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac.

“I think we’ll probably start her in the English Guineas. Physically she’s done very well, she’s at the same stage as City Of Troy at the moment,” said O’Brien.

“We’ll probably split them up, one might go to France and one might go to England, her and Ylang Ylang (Fillies’ Mile winner), that’s what we’re thinking at the moment.

“She’s a Justify and they are very versatile but she’s out of a Sadler’s Wells mare (Liscanna) and we didn’t think she’d have any problems handling an ease in the ground. We were hoping good ground would bring out the best in her.”

Opera Singer is a half-sister to Hit It A Bomb and Brave Anna, who both won Group Ones at two but failed to train on at three.

“I suppose she’s by Justify which is the massive thing and Justifys improve a lot a three, that’s what we’re thinking. She’s much bigger than they were, scopier, so I think the Justify factor will make a massive difference to her,” said O’Brien.

“When you look at a horse you can tell physically if they have changed from two to three, first impressions is always the thing. Some might get heavier but physically they don’t change.

“They’ve done all their strength and conditioning now and their canters are starting to build up so you want them to be looking like three-year-olds now.”

Aidan O’Brien is looking forward to taking on home favourite Romantic Warrior in Sunday’s Hong Kong Cup.

Luxembourg has not been seen since almost upsetting stablemate Auguste Rodin in the Irish Champion Stakes.

That form looks red-hot, with Auguste Rodin having won the Derby at Epsom and the Irish equivalent before subsequently triumphing in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

However, in Romantic Warrior, who travelled to Australia to win the Cox Plate recently, he faces a stern rival.

“He was second in the Irish Champion Stakes and then he had a foot bruise, this was a race we had our eye on with him,” said O’Brien.

“It’s going to be great, hopefully we have him right and well and hopefully we’ll be able to gauge those mile-and-a-quarter races all over the world. We’re looking forward to it.

Asked about taking on last year’s winner Romantic Warrior, O’Brien said: “He’s obviously a very good horse, Romantic Warrior, we totally respect every horse and he is very good.

“It’ll be interesting. I think it’ll be a nice race to watch and it’ll be an even-run mile and a quarter I’d imagine. Hopefully he’ll run well.”

The Ballydoyle handler will have four runners on the card with Aesop’s Fables in the Sprint and Cairo in the Mile, while Warm Heart holds very strong claims in the Vase.

She did not win her maiden until May 7 but went on to land the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot, the Yorkshire Oaks, the Prix Vermeille and went down narrowly at the Breeders’ Cup to Inspiral over 10 furlongs.

Due to the sex allowance, Ryan Moore will get down to 117lb (less than 8st 4lb) to ride her.

“He always got on very well with her and I think he’s looking forward to it,” said O’Brien.

“She has a nice weight pull, she’s well in and is a very consistent filly. It looks like she’s a little bit better maybe at a mile and a half, Rachel (Richardson) rides her out and she’s very happy with her. She looks very well.”

Aidan O’Brien enjoyed a one-two in the Prevagen Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf as Unquestionable led home Mountain Bear in the Grade One race.

There was a change of plan when stablemate River Tiber was unable to compete in the contest on veterinary advice, meaning Ryan Moore took the ride on Unquestionable in place of Frankie Dettori.

The former horse was expected to be a contender, but in his absence it was Unquestionable who strode to a decisive success as Mountain Bear was steered to the runner-up spot by Dylan Browne McMonagle.

Hard To Justify was a tough winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for Flavien Prat and Chad Brown.

The bay came into the race with two races and two victories under her belt and showed a great will to win when when surrounded by horses during the turn for home.

She put her head down in the home straight and pushed through in the middle to retain her unbeaten record.

European trainers provided plenty of interest in the mile contest with Simon and Ed Crisford’s Carla’s Way well fancied after her Rockfel Stakes win, with Aidan O’Brien fielding Content and his son Donnacha sending his Cheveley Park winner Porta Fortuna.

It was the last-named filly who fared best of the raiders, with jockey Oisin Murphy going for a run up the inside rail in the straight before eventually having to settle for second.

Murphy felt the race had not gone in his mount’s favour and said: “I was unhappy with the pace. They went very steady and I would have liked to find more space down the inner where it got a bit congested.”

Content finished with a flourish in fourth having been sat near the rear of the field, but Carla’s Way was unplaced after racing on the outside of the pack and dropping away in the straight.

James Doyle rode Carla’s Way and thought the filly failed to produce her best effort.

He said: “She jumped like her usual self but was keen all the way down the back. On the bend she lugged out and I feel we can draw a line through it.”

Ancient Wisdom showed an abundance of spirit and stamina to land the Kameko Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.

Charlie Appleby’s charge made the running early on but was headed by Devil’s Point and Dancing Gemini when the pace quickened three furlongs out.

However, Ancient Wisdom got a second wind in the latter stages and galloped on strongly to outstay Devil’s Point by a length and three-quarters.

William Buick’s mount was sent off the 5-4 favourite, while God’s Window stayed on to finish a head behind Devil’s Point in third. Aidan O’Brien’s Diego Velazquez faded out of contention.

Ancient Wisdom, supplemented for the race on Monday, was cut to as short as 6-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power for next year’s Derby, while Coral offered 8-1 for him to win the Epsom Classic.

The start of the race was delayed by a nasty incident when Battle Cry reared up in the stalls and fell backwards, unseating jockey Ben Curtis in the process.

That forced the O’Brien-trained outsider to be withdrawn but both horse and jockey were thankfully able to walk away.

Auguste Rodin and his old rival King Of Steel could lock horns once again as both feature among the pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

Aidan O’Brien’s colt came on top when they clashed at Epsom in the summer, wearing down Roger Varian’s charge deep inside the final furlong and was then much the best when claiming the Irish Champion Stakes in September.

King Of Steel finished well to be fourth on that occasion, and would head to California with confidence sky high having carried Frankie Dettori to a fairytale success on British Champions Day.

Plenty of familiar names could feature in the Turf, with Royal Ascot and Juddmonte International champion Mostahdaf set to represent John and Thady Gosden and Donnacha O’Brien’s Piz Badile joining Ballydoyle’s Bolshoi Ballet and Broome.

The Amo Racing-owned King Of Steel also has the Classic as a second preference, a race won last year by the all-conquering Flightline and this year could see a match-up between Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo and Kentucky Derby hero Mage.

Paddington has been given the option of ending his stellar 2023 campaign in the Mile, where he could meet Saeed bin Suroor’s 1000 Guineas and recent Keeneland scorer Mawj.

She is one of two for Godolphin alongside Master Of The Seas who will bid to give Charlie Appleby his third straight success in the race.

High-class duo Inspiral and Warm Heart will lead the raiding contingent in the Filly & Mare Turf with both operating at the peak of their powers this season, while Simon and Ed Crisford’s Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers is the sole British challenger in the Dirt Mile.

Brad Cox’s Caravel held off the British raiders in the Turf Sprint 12 months ago and has the likes of Adam West’s Nunthorpe hero Live In The Dream and King’s Stand Stakes winner Bradsell to take on this time.

Michael Appleby’s Big Evs will carry British hopes on the opening night of action when he looks to round off a brilliant juvenile campaign in the Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington bids for a triumphant return to Ascot in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The three-year-old has enjoyed an immense run of form through the season, winning a string of races that carried him from a Naas handicap to a Group One four-timer that included the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes.

His sole defeat of the season, and only the second loss of his career, came at York in the Juddmonte International as he came home third behind Mostahdaf and Nashwa.

That was in August and the Siyouni colt has not been seen on course since, meaning he will arrive at Ascot a fresh horse as he looks to regain the winning thread.

“Obviously he’s had a very busy year and it was nice for him to get a little bit of time after his last run,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.

“Everything has been really good with him and everyone seems very happy with him.

“We were very happy with his run at York, it was a great run.

“Frankie (Dettori, on Mostahdaf) went a very strong gallop out in front, Ryan (Moore) just let our horse relax and he came home very well but just didn’t catch him.

“It’s a very strong, competitive race, which is what you would expect and want.”

John and Thady Gosden’s Nashwa swerved the Champion Stakes to drop back to a mile after her fine effort on the Knavesmire.

The Frankel filly has form over both trips having won the Falmouth Stakes in July and arrives at Ascot off the back of two valiant runs in defeat in both the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes.

She will be ridden as ever by owner Imad Al Sagar’s retained jockey Hollie Doyle, who said: “It really hasn’t mattered to me which race they chose.

“Nashwa seems just as good at a mile as a mile and a quarter, so the trip doesn’t seem to be an issue, and she goes on any ground. She’d have had a right shout in either of them.

“She’s been great lately when placed against the colts in the Juddmonte International and the Irish Champion Stakes, and those two runs have been close to her career best.

“Physically she does well year in, year out, and she’s really stepped forward again this year. The figures say she’s improved significantly again, which is mad, so I’m delighted she’s staying in training.”

Ground permitting, Dermot Weld hopes to saddle the Aga Khan’s brilliant filly Tahiyra, whose season has so far involved victories in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, the Coronation Stakes and the Matron Stakes.

There are also a pair of French-trained contenders in Christopher Head’s Big Rock and Jerome Reynier’s Facteur Cheval.

The latter was beaten just a head in the Prix d’Ispahan in May and then gave Paddington a race to finish second behind him when carrying 7lb more on soft ground in the Sussex at Goodwood.

Such conditions are no hindrance to the horse and Reynier is looking forward to seeing his gelding take his chance against a quality field.

“All lights are green, the only question mark is the straight course as he’s never been racing on one, but he handles the soft ground,” he said.

“He was racing against Paddington in the Sussex and he was carrying much more weight that day, it’s always been the plan to angle the season around this race.

“We are happy, he is very consistent and he is a lovely horse.

“We can only hope for the best, it is a very competitive race and it’s very exciting to have a runner in what is probably the best race of the year.

“We don’t mind any ground with him, he is such a consistent individual and we are happy with the conditions.

“Paddington has had a bit of a rest and is nice and fresh, him and Big Rock are two horses that are ridden prominently so if we can keep up and follow them, that would be a good thing.”

Andrew Balding is represented by Chaldean, the 2000 Guineas winner who was then second behind Paddington at the Royal meeting.

The chestnut’s next outing was a beaten effort in the Prix Jean Prat, where he was seventh, but that was in early July so the horse has had a good break since.

Barry Mahon, of owners Juddmonte, said: “His work is very good and Andrew and the team are very happy with him.

“In fairness to Oisin (Murphy, replaced by Frankie Dettori), he’s been a great help the last few weeks riding him in his work and everyone seems very happy with the horse.

“In terms of the ground, we know we handle soft ground, whether we handle heavy ground or not will be another question, but he’s in very good form, he’s had a good break and his form from earlier in the year is up there with the best of them.

“It’s a top-class race, as you’d expect on Champions Day, and any of one of them would be plausible winners.”

Ralph Beckett will saddle Angel Bleu after a supplementary entry for a final run before his racing career comes to a close and he heads off to stand as a stallion in France.

Beckett said: “It’s going to be tough, but he’s in very good form and when the ground became soft we made the decision to supplement. The ground will even everything up as he is a proven soft-ground performer, unlike some of the others.

“This will be his last race as he is off to stud at the French operation of his new part owner Nurlan Bizakov.”

Tom Clover’s Rogue Millennium, winner of the Duke of Cambridge at the Royal fixture, William Knight’s Checkandchallenge, Kevin Ryan’s Hi Royal and the Gosdens’ Epictetus complete the 11-strong field.

Kyprios is all set for a clash of the staying Titans in the Long Distance Cup on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Kyprios was the dominant force in the staying division last season, winning the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger before a 20-length romp in the Prix du Cadran.

He was beaten by Eldar Eldarov on his return from 11 months on the sidelines when defending his Irish Leger crown last month, but O’Brien expects him to strip much fitter for the run – which he will need to do against Alan King’s Trueshan, who has returned to his best of late and is seeking a remarkable fourth win in this race.

Assessing the comeback run of Kyprios, O’Brien said: “We were delighted with him, he was just barely ready to run at the Curragh and we think he’s made progress since then. He seems in very good form and we’re looking forward to seeing him out again.

“I couldn’t believe he made it back to any race really – I couldn’t believe the day he went out of the parade ring at the Curragh he was actually there.

“If everything goes well he would be a great horse to bring back for Ascot (Gold Cup) next year.”

High-profile stablemate Paddington bids to put the seal on a magnificent campaign in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

The Siyouni colt lit up the first half of the season, winning each of his first six races of 2023 including the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

He met with defeat for the first time this year when third behind Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International at York in August, but having since enjoyed a well-earned mid-season break, O’Brien is hopeful he can show his true colours on Champions Day.

“He’s obviously had an incredibly busy season and turned up in every big race he possibly could have. He’s an incredible horse really, so it was great for us to be able to give him the time and he really appreciated it, we think,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.

“He loves racing and loves work. He’s an unusual horse in that when you build up his work, he starts putting on weight, that’s just the way he is. He loves hard work and he thrives on it.

“He was very impressive in all his races, he’s a good strong traveller and quickens very well and handles all types of ground. We’re looking forward to seeing him out again.”

Paddington was given the option of sticking to a mile and a quarter in the Qipco Champion Stakes, but O’Brien feels he is better suited to the shorter trip of the QEII.

He added: “He goes like a real miler, even though he’s won over a mile and a quarter. I think it was always going to be the QEII for him.”

Unless Paddington is considered for a trip to the Breeders’ Cup in California next month, Saturday could well be his swansong.

“I couldn’t see him staying in training as a four-year-old. He’s a very valuable horse and a very wanted horse at stud, I’d imagine,” O’Brien said.

Jackie Oh is a major contender for the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes after being touched off by Blue Rose Cen in the Prix de l’Opera three weeks ago, but her stablemate Point Lonsdale appears to have his work cut out in a red-hot renewal of the Qipco Champion Stakes.

O’Brien added: “We always thought Jackie Oh would stay further and she loves an ease in the ground – it was probably a little bit too quick for her the last day.

“She’d been working very well and progressing every week as the year went on and her last run was probably by far her best run.

“Point Lonsdale ran well in Leopardstown (in the Irish Champion Stakes), he was only beaten just under four lengths, so it was a good run.

“He’s in good form, obviously it’s a very competitive race. We’re hoping that he runs well.”

Coolmore’s Michael Tabor described City Of Troy as “our Frankel” after his superb triumph in the Native Trail’s Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

The colt arrived at the track unbeaten after easy wins in a Curragh maiden and the Superlative Stakes, but he was far from a guaranteed contender as the soft ground threatened to scupper his run.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien eventually gave the son of Justify the go-ahead and under Ryan Moore he was sent off the runaway favourite at 8-15.

The juvenile made all the running to cruise to a three-and-a-half-length victory and now the Classics, and indeed a possible Triple Crown bid, beckon.

Owned by Coolmore, a group comprised of John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, the colt has exalted company to contend with but is still regarded as one of the best, if not the best, horse to have ever represented the owners.

Tabor was at the Rowley Mile track to witness the victory and was effusive in his praise for a horse he hopes can develop into Coolmore’s answer to the great Frankel, who bowed out unbeaten in 14 starts with 11 of those victories coming in Group One company.

“This horse is our Frankel, I really think that. There is no question in my mind, by his comments, that Aidan thinks this horse is probably the best he’s ever trained,” he said.

“He was nervous with the ground and when you tackle that unknown factor, there’s always a chance that they just won’t do it. He’s got that action, that very low action, but they say that a good horse goes on any ground.

“This is a good horse and he obviously does go on any ground, but I’d say he’ll be much better on top of the ground.

“I know the way Aidan speaks and we’re all optimists – you have to be in life in my opinion, in this game especially – but this horse is special. No question, he is special. He is the real deal.

“Let’s hope he is as popular as Frankel was but he’ll only get that popularity as time goes. Hopefully as time goes on he’ll win all the big races and the accolades will be given to him. I like to talk before the event and I really feel that this horse could be anything.

“It’s always been John Magnier’s dream to win the Triple Crown and we were very unlucky years ago with Camelot, he got beaten a three-quarters of a length in the St Leger.

“The St Leger trip can be a trip too far but let’s take one at a time, to me the Guineas and the Derby are very realistic. Get me a bookmaker that would lay me a price!

“Aidan says this horse doesn’t get tired! Aidan is very enthusiastic, if he doesn’t believe in something then the yard doesn’t believe in it and you have to give people confidence, but I know the way he is and this is something special.”

The owner’s son MV Magnier echoed the dream of finally winning the Triple Crown after Camelot’s agonising defeat.

He said: “It looks like it’s possible. Beforehand I was talking to Ryan and he said the horse that he rode in the Superlative was the best two-year-old that he’s ridden and he would beat any two-year-old he’s seen. That was some confidence going into the race and then afterwards he said he’s definitely the best two-year-old he’s ridden.

“His mother (Together Forever) won the Fillies’ Mile here a few years ago and her sister won the Oaks. Justify, Bob Baffert always said that he was a very good two-year-old but he got injured, he won the Belmont Stakes over a mile and a half so technically, he should get a mile and a half.

“It’s what everybody wants to do, it’s all about the Derby, it’s all about the Triple Crown, it’s really the pinnacle that everybody aims for. I’ll put it to you this way, we’ll keep trying to win the Triple Crown.”

Former high-quality Flat performer Wordsworth made an impressive stable debut over hurdles for new connections at Bangor.

The chestnut, who is by Galileo, was bred and owned by Coolmore previously and trained by Aidan O’Brien to runner-up finishes in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, plus third place in the Irish Derby.

He then changed hands at the end of his four-year-old season and was briefly campaigned by Josh Halley, picking up second-placed honours on his hurdling bow at Ballinrobe in July.

Subsequently he changed ownership and stables again and settled in with Pipe for long-term Pond House supporter Professor Caroline Tisdale.

The Nightingale House Hospice Maiden Hurdle was his first run in her silks and the horse was sent off the 10-11 favourite under Jack Tudor.

He set out to make the running and hardly saw another horse throughout, jumping with accuracy and confidence to stride to a straightforward 13-length victory.

“He did it very well, he hurdled well. He was obviously a good Flat horse and they don’t always translate it to hurdles,” said Pipe.

“He seemed to have the right attitude and I’m sure he’ll get further in time.

“He’s been very good at home, he attacks them (hurdles) and he enjoys it. We’ve been impressed with his schooling since day one.”

A return to the Flat is now on the agenda as Wordsworth holds an entry for the Cesarewitch at Newmarket on Saturday week, a race particularly favoured by Tisdale.

“He enjoyed it out in front and the plan, all being well, is that he’ll go to the Cesarewitch next Saturday,” Pipe said.

Of Tisdale he added: “She’s a very loyal owner and we’ve had some fantastic days, hopefully there are more to come.

“One of her favourite races is the Cesarewitch and that was one of the reasons for buying the horse.”