Aidan O’Brien is simply a phenomenon in the world of racing. Since being appointed as the trainer in the historic Ballydoyle complex in 1996 at the age of just 26, he has broken every record worth breaking and won every race worth winning in Europe and beyond. Royal Ascot has always been a focus point for O’Brien and it is a meeting that he has enjoyed a great amount of success at. Indeed, he overtook Sir Michael Stoute as the most successful trainer in the long history of the meeting in 2024 with his record now standing at 96 winners. As well as that, O’Brien has been crowned the leading trainer at the meeting on no less than 13 occasions. Aidan talked with Kevin Blake of attheraces.com to discuss his team for the upcoming Royal meeting. Older Horses Minnie Hauk 4 b f Frankel – Multilingual Rated 123, she won the Oaks at Epson, the Irish Oaks and the Yorkshire Oaks as well as finishing an excellent second in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe last year. “The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes has been her aim. We feel that the Tattersalls Gold Cup just didn’t play out well for her and we are prepared to forgive that run. She obviously stays further and a well-run race suits her well. Ascot should suit her well and we’re looking forward to seeing her in action.” Scandinavia 4 bb c Justify – Fabulous Rated 117, he won the Goodwood Cup and the St Leger at Doncaster last season and has won both his starts in stakes company this year. “He is very much on track for the Gold Cup, and we couldn’t be happier with him. It’s going to be interesting to see if he gets the trip. We won’t know until we see it, but he has all the characteristics of a horse that will have a good chance of getting it. He’s a very relaxed, efficient horse, and that will very much help him. He’s always been a waiter when he gets to the front and we’ve seen that in his two runs this year.” Three-Year-Olds  Albert Einstein  3 b c Wootton Bassett – Yet Rated 107, he won the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh last year and has run well in three starts in stakes company without winning this season. “We have a couple of days left to go, but we feel that everything is lining up for him in terms of his preparation for the Commonwealth Cup. We’ve been gentle with him for most of the season and he took a good step up when dropped in trip last time. We think he’s come well forward from that again. We are really looking forward to seeing what he can do as we still very much believe in him.” Benvenuto Cellini 3 ch c Frankel – Newspaperofrecord Rated 112, he won the KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown last year and made a winning return to action in the Chester Vase prior to being declared a non-runner after finishing down the field in the Derby. “There’s a chance he could run in the King Edward. We have to see how he is in the coming days, but we’re working back from the King George with him and we are worried that the ground for the Irish Derby could come up too soft for him, so if everyone is happy with him in the coming days we might just send him to Ascot as we know he’ll get his favoured firmer ground there.” Causeway  3 b c Wootton Bassett – Heaven Of Heavens Rated 108, he has won four of his five starts including the Gallinule Stakes at the Curragh on his most recent outing. “He is an intended runner at the meeting, but which race will depend on what we end up doing with Benvenuto Cellini. If he doesn’t run, Causeway will most likely run in the King Edward. If Benvenuto Cellini does run in that race, then Causeway will most likely go for the Queen’s Vase. He’s a horse that we always planned to step up in trip, and he’ll give himself a great chance to stay those sort of trips with the relaxed racing character that he has.” Charles Darwin 3 b c No Nay Never – Muirin Rated 110, he has won four of his six starts last season including the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. “He was obviously disappointing at Naas, but he hit a ridge there and Ryan looked after him after that. We’re happy to put a line through that run. We’re looking at the Commonwealth Cup with him and he’ll wear first-time blinkers. He’s always been a lazy type, and we think the blinkers will help him focus.” Gstaad 3 b c Starspangledbanner – Mosa Mine Rated 120, he has won the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar and the Irish 2,000 Guineas as well finishing second in the Prix Morny at Deauville, the National Stakes at the Curragh, the Dewhurst Stakes and the 2000 Guineas. “We’re delighted with him and everything has gone smoothly since the Curragh. We feel he has improved again. He’s a very balanced horse and we feel a round mile will suit him well. He’s very straightforward and his form tells you how talented and tough he is. We’re looking forward to taking on Bow Echo again. Our horses were only going ok at the time of the 2000 Guineas, and they’ve all stepped up a gear since then. It looks a very exciting race on paper and we’re looking forward to seeing it play out.” Mission Central 3 b g No Nay Never – Thar She Blows Rated 110, he has won five of his eight starts including both his starts in Listed company this season. “He is on track for the King Charles III Stakes against the older horses. He’s a fast horse, a strong traveller in his races, but against these older horses he will be going as fast as he ever has. We’re looking forward to seeing how he measures up in this company.” Precise 3 ch f Starspangledbanner – Way To My Heart Rated 115, she has won five or her seven starts including the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh. the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket and the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh. “She’s on track for the Coronation Stakes. We feel she has improved again from the Curragh. The round mile will suit her well and she’s obviously a very good filly.” Puerto Rico 3 bb c Wootton Bassett – April Showers Rated 119, he has won three of his nine starts including the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp and the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. “He’s on track for the St James’s Palace Stakes. We had been training him for the 2000 Guineas and felt we had him peaking for it, but we decided to switch him to France the following week and the edge might just have gone off him by the time he got there. He ran very well on the day, but we feel he’s better than that run and we’ve been training him for this race since then, so he is fully lined up this time.” True Love 3 b f No Nay Never – Alluringly Rated 115, she has won five of her 10 starts including the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Railway Stakes at the Curragh. the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket and the 1000 Guineas. “She will go for the Coronation Stakes and take on Precise again. This will be a different setup again with this being a round mile. We’ve been very happy with her since the Curragh.” Two-Year-Olds Aix La Chapelle 2 b c Justify – Immortal Verse Made a winning debut in a seven-furlong maiden at the Curragh in June. “We were very happy with his debut win, and we are aiming him at the Chesham. He was only just ready to start off at the Curragh, and we think he’ll improve a lot for that. He stays well and should be suited to the race. He’s a lovely horse.” Carry The Flag 2 b c No Nay Never – Ejaazah Won a five-furlong maiden at Naas prior to finishing second to Great Barrier Reef in the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh. “Carry The Flag might run in the Norfolk Stakes. He ran well the last day and coming back to five furlongs shouldn’t be a problem for him.” Confucius  2 br c No Nay Never – Millisle Made it second-time lucky when winning a maiden at Naas in May. “He looks to be the main one for the Coventry Stakes. We felt he would improve a good bit from his second run, and he looks to have done that based on what we’ve seen at home. I’d imagine Ryan will ride him as it stands right now.” Great Barrier Reef 2 ch c No Nay Never – Gems Unbeaten in a maiden and the Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh. “He’ll go for the Coventry Stakes. He ground it out well in the Marble Hill and we’d be hoping that he can improve again at Ascot.” Sergei Diaghilev 2 b c Wootton Bassett – Embellish Made a winning debut in a six-furlong maiden at the Curragh in May. “He’ll be the one for the Windsor Castle Stakes. He’ll stay at least seven furlongs, but we think he has improved since his debut, and this looks a good spot for him.” South Dakota 2 b c St Mark’s Basilica – Palace Shaped well on his debut at the Curragh. “We feel he has improved a lot since his debut, and we’ll let him take his chance in the Chesham Stakes.” Sun Goddess 2 b f Sioux Nation – Etoile Bleu Made it second-time lucky when winning a maiden at the Curragh in May. “She looks to be the one for the Albany Stakes. She showed big improvement from first start o second and the hope will be that she can improve again.” Victorious  2 b f Wootton Bassett – Heaven On Earth Unbeaten in a maiden and a Group 3, both at Naas. “We’re going to drop her in trip and run her in the Queen Mary. The trip might be a bit tight for her, but we feel she’s very classy and might be able to get away with it. We think she has improved quite a bit since her last run.”