AIDAN ON COURSE FOR RECORD

AIDAN O'BRIEN'S march towards breaking his own unique racing world record is gathering pace as the flat season approaches its closing months.

- BY BRIAN FLANAGAN

Eight years ago O'Brien smashed legendary American trainer Bobby Frankel's 2003 record of saddling 25 Group One winners in a season.

In a sensational year, the Master of Ballydoyle, trained an astonishing 28 Group One winners, thanks mainly to the exploits of horses like Churchill, Hydrangea and Order Of St George.

Almost a decade on the 55-year-old is within striking distance of beating his own record with three more Group One winners on Irish Champions Weekend and at the St Leger meeting in Doncaster taking his tally to 18 for 2025.

He needs another 11 Group One successes - but although there are no more top level races on Irish soil, there are many opportunities left in the UK and elsewhere.