AID AIM IS TRUE AND SO PRECISE

Ian Heitman sees O'Brien zoom in on Group 1 win record... and Del Mar

- Ian Heitman

Aidan O'Brien is on the way to breaking his own record of 28 Group 1 wins in a year with 22 at the time of writing with his two-year-olds accounting for the five most recent top-level successes.

To beat his own top haul, Ballydoyle juveniles will have to continue their excellent form in the three remaining Group 1 races in Europe before the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar.

Following Precise's win in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, the next Group 1 victory came in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket courtesy of True Love who bounced back after a below par run in the Phoenix Stakes in August.

Facing eight rivals, True Love was the 2/1 favourite to give O'Brien a sixth win in the race since 2016. She was joined in the line-up by her stablemate Beautify, second in the Moyglare, who was a 5/1 chance. Lowther Stakes winner, Royal Fixation, trained by Ed Walker led the home challenge, a 7/2 chance to give her trainer a first 2yo Group 1 winner. Royal Fixation beat America Queen in the Lowther, and she too took her chance, a 13/2 shot for Richard Hughes, the same price as Havana Anna trained by Donnacha O'Brien.

Fitzella, winner of a Group 3 earlier in the season, was allowed an easy lead under Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy with True Love and Havana Anna travelling strongly close to the pace. Fitzella led until a furlong and a half from the finish when Havana Anna took over. Havana Anna was challenged by True Love and the pair had the race between them inside the final furlong, True Love getting on top with 75 yards to go to win by three quarters of a length with Royal Fixation confirming the Lowther form with America Queen, half a length between the pair.

True Love could be one of O'Brien's runners at Del Mar with the Juvenile Turf Sprint the likely race if she does make the journey. Provided she gets a low draw, she will have a good chance of adding to O'Brien's Group 1 total.