O’Brien after eight wins before halfway in Series

O’Brien has been at the centre of attention in most of this years Series. Picture: Racingfotos.com

The Coral-Eclipse is this 16th race of 35 in this year’s QIPCO British Champions Series and Aidan O’Brien is firmly on course to beat the ten winners he managed last year.

O’Brien has already saddled the winners of seven of this year’s races courtesy of Churchill (QIPCO 2000 Guineas), Winter (QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes), Highland Reel (Investec Coronation Cup and Prince of Wales’s Stakes), Wings Of Eagles (Investec Derby) and Caravaggio (Commonwealth Cup).

Not content with that haul, he has also had the runner-up in five of this year’s contests with none going closer than Order Of St George, who was beaten a short head by Big Orange in the Gold Cup. Six of his other runners have finished either third or fourth.

In total, O’Brien has had 33 runners in this year’s Series and been represented in all bar two of the contests – the Betway Yorkshire Cup and Diamond Jubilee Stakes.