O'Brien looking to go one better than 2012 with Classics sweep

Mickael Barzalona and Encke celebrates after beating hot favourite Camelot and Joseph O Brien to win the Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes in 2012.

Only Encke’s surprise win in Doncaster’s St Leger, denying the Triple Crown-seeking Camelot, stopped racing’s quiet genius from achieving this feat. Yet it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that O’Brien will head to Town Moor in September looking to go one better than 2012.

He has already completed the Guineas double courtesy of Churchill and Winter; Rhododendron is expected to blossom in today’s Epsom Oaks for fillies and he’s responsible for six of tomorrow’s 19 runners in the Derby itself, the sextet headed by Cliffs Of Moher.

With his Ballydoyle stable allied to the dominant Coolmore breeding empire, and O’Brien able to call upon the services of Ryan Moore who is widely regarded as the world’s best Flat jockey, it is little wonder that rival trainers are envious of a handler who has won 27 Classics – and counting – in Britain and 36 in his native Ireland.

As for Rhododendron, she would have won last month’s 1000 Guineas if she had enjoyed a clear passage at Newmarket. Once the gaps opened, stablemate Winter was already in the clear.

O’Brien, who also saddles Cheshire Oaks runner-up Alluringly and rank outsider Pocketfullofdreams in today’s big race, does not expect the step up in distance to prove a problem for the odds-on favourite.

He said: “We were very happy with Rhododendron in the Guineas. Ryan (Moore) was very happy, too.

“She was coming home really well that day.

“Everything has been fine with her since.

“She is a filly we always thought would stay much further than a mile. Obviously she’s up to a mile and a half. She seemed to get a mile well as a two-year-old in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket.

“Alluringly ran a great race at Chester. We were delighted with her run.”

As such, John Gosden – arguably the most respected trainer on this side of the Irish Sea – is under no illusions about the task facing Enable in today’s big race.

The daughter of Nathaniel emerged as a leading contender for the mile-and-a-half Classic after she won the Cheshire Oaks a shade over three weeks ago.

“The last thing Aidan wants is a walkover – he likes his horses competing at the top level. We’ve got to take him on and make it as competitive as we can,” said Gosden.

“I know the favourite is a fabulous filly. She is a legitimate favourite and was unlucky in the Guineas.

“Enable is in good form and breezed on Monday morning.

“We were very happy with her run at Chester and she handled the track very well,” addedGosden.

Frankie Dettori partners the Khalid Abdullah-owned filly for the second time in public.

She was third behind her Dettori-ridden stablemate Shutter Speed on her penultimate start at Newbury and the popular Italian admitted to being taken aback by her performance at Chester.

Dettori said: “She surprised me at Chester. I rode her in the spring and she was nice, but I watched the video of the Newbury race and she looked a nice stayer, but a bit one-paced.

“What she showed me at Chester was very good – she whizzed round that turn like a greyhound. For a staying filly she showed a good turn of foot.

“I’m very excited about her and I think she’s going to run a decent race.

“The favourite comes with all the best credentials, but I think Enable will do well.”

Gosden, who won the Oaks for the first time with Taghrooda three years ago, has an interesting second string to his bow in Coronet, in a race that again forms part of the Qipco British Champions Series.

The Dubawi filly was doing her best work at the finish when third behind the reopposing Sobetsu in last month’s Prix Saint-Alary at Deauville.

The trainer said: “We’re very happy with both of them. It’s a quality Oaks.”

Meanwhile, the O’Brien-trained full brothers Highland Reel and Idaho head 10 declarations for today’s Coronation Cup, a mile and a half race over the oaks and derby course for older horses.

Though four-year-old Idaho achieved a career highlight when winning York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes, five-year-old Highland Reel boasts four Group One successes including last year’s King George and Breeders’ Cup Turf.