SATURDAY, 2 JUNE, 2018 HISTORY AT HIS MERCY FOREVER PUTS IT If Aidan O=Brien wins Saturday=s G1 Investec Derby at Epsom, TOGETHER IN THE OAKS he will equal the record of seven wins in the blue riband while still very much in his prime, and will just edge out the great Fred Darling in one respect. That Beckhampton legend spread his septet over 19 years from 1922 to 1941, but the current helmsman of Ballydoyle can do it in 17 having begun in 2001 with what has become in many ways the cornerstone horse of his career in Galileo (Ire). Everyone is looking to >TDN Rising Star= Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to provide Derby number 13 in total for the world=s most famous training centre, with the late great Dr Vincent O=Brien carving out the initial six between 1962 and 1982. One of those to have immortalised himself and his trainer was Britain=s last Triple Crown hero Nijinsky II, and now there is another with the Alook of eagles@ whose momentum is set on that particular path. Cont. p4 Forever Together and Donnacha O=Brien | racingfotos.com IN TDN AMERICA TODAY Still a maiden entering Friday=s G1 Investec Oaks at Epsom and never nearer than 3 1/2 lengths away from the winner in three LUCKY AND GOOD starts, Forever Together (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) left that tag at the Chris McGrath looks at the recent purple patch of success for Coolmore America’s Lookin At Lucky. Click or tap here to go start as she powered to a 4 1/2-length success from Wild straight to TDN America. Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) under the 2000 Guineas-winning jockey Donnacha O=Brien. Settled in a share of fourth early along with that 5-2 favourite, the 7-1 shot--who had been second in the May 9 Listed Cheshire Oaks--was brought stand=s side and had the Godolphin rival=s measure approaching the two-furlong pole. Staying on stoutly to the line, the bay provided her trainer with a seventh renewal in the process as stablemate Bye Bye Baby (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) trailed by another 3 1/2 lengths in third. AShe was very impressive and I got a beautiful trip through the race,@ her rider commented. AI got onto the rail and she was very genuine and galloped out to the line very well. She=s a proper staying filly and I should have been a lot closer at Chester. When the rain came I was a bit worried, but she handled it well. I didn=t expect her to do that, but it all played out perfectly and the stand=s rail seems the place to be. Dad=s an absolute genius and is able to do things with these horses I don=t understand. He tweaks little things and brings out massive improvement in them.@ Cont. p2 TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 2 OF 18 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 2 JUNE 2018 Forever Puts It Together In The Oaks cont. from p1 finished strung out on the testing ground with four of the five Forever Together, who was becoming the first maiden to win O=Brien fillies in the first five places. Aidan O=Brien, who had this since Sun Princess (GB) in 1983, was fitting a now-familiar missed Donnacha=s triumph on Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep pattern for her stable as she learnt on each outing at two Impact {Jpn}) in the Guineas, was on hand this time but was without the need to produce big figures before she was ready. typically keen to attribute the credit elsewhere. AIt is incredible-- Enjoying the ideal introduction under a hands-and-heels finish I=m so delighted and thankful for everyone,@ he said. AShe=s a when fourth to Who=s Steph (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) over a mile at staying filly that gets the trip very well. I=m over the moon and Naas in the first week of October, the bay was more aggressively so happy for everyone.@ ridden later that month when third to >TDN Rising Star= Contingent (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at that trip at Leopardstown. Beaten a combination of almost 14 lengths in those two juvenile DAD’S AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS AND IS starts, she re-emerged a different proposition but encountered trouble in running when 3 1/2 lengths second to Ryan Moore=s ABLE TO DO THINGS WITH THESE choice Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) at Chester=s May meeting, HORSES I DON’T UNDERSTAND. which has become a tried-and-tested trialling ground for Donnacha O’Brien Ballydoyle=s Epsom candidates. Keeping >TDN Rising Star= Wild Illusion company as Bye Bye Baby set a demanding tempo in the conditions with Magic Wand just ahead, Forever Together was allowed the stand=s rail as Ryan Moore glanced behind on the labouring Magic Wand after Tattenham Corner, and that proved crucial as Wild Illusion was The winner is almost guaranteed to head to The Curragh for sent on into a brief lead. Once the eventual winner was past last the Irish equivalent now, according to her trainer. AI think it will year=s G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine with over two furlongs be the [July 21] Irish Oaks next, we=ll see what the lads want to still to race, there was no fight left in her main rival and they do, but that=s what you=d be thinking. TDN EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL • PAGE 3 OF 18 • THETDN.COM SATURDAY • 2 JUNE 2018 Before and After: Forever Together pictured on the left as a i900,000 Goffs Orby purchase, and on the right winning Friday=s G1 Investec Oaks Photos courtesy Goffs and Racing Post She=d love The Curragh, you=d imagine. I was very happy with all This is the family of the GI Yellow Ribbon S. scorer Spanish Fern the fillies, really. Donnacha rides her in her work and rode her at (El Gran Senor), G1 Gran Criterium winner Hearts of Fire (GB) Chester and she was the filly he wanted to ride, Ryan couldn=t (Firebreak {GB}), the GI Santa Anita H.-winning sire Heatseeker get off his filly as he was delighted with her at Chester. It=s (Ire) (Giant=s Causeway) and MGSW sire Democratic Deficit (Ire) incredible what Donnacha is doing and we=re grateful to a lot of (Soviet Star). Under Al Bahathri is a lengthy list of high-class people who work hard every day, we really appreciate it. runners including the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Champion S.- Donnacha has always been a very good rider, he=s very cool, he winning sire Haafhd (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), the MGSW sire Munir rides a lot of work at home, but he=s only 19. He=s a tall fella, (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), Hong Kong Horse of the year Military we=re very grateful to him, he=s very confident, he=s been Attack (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), last year=s G1 Gold Cup hero Big watching racing since he opened his eyes so tactically he=s very Orange (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), the G1 Hong Kong Vase aware. He can make his own decisions and stand by them.@ hero Red Cadeaux (GB) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and even last Wild Illusion was unable to overcome the much-discussed one year=s G3 Molecomb S.-winning sprinting juvenile Havana Grey draw that Saxon Warrior also has in the Derby, but William Buick (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}). was not blaming that for the favourite=s defeat. AYou do just Green Room was bought by Vimal and Gillian Khosla for have to use a bit going uphill from there, but it was only a $240,000 at the 2006 Keeneland January Sale and her last two nine-runner race and I certainly wouldn=t call it a coffin draw,@ daughters to go up for auction were this filly and the useful he said. AIt=s really the ground that is the issue, as it has now Signe (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). They fetched i2-million in total changed a few things. I=m rely proud of her, as she=s grown up a at the Goffs Orby Sale and she has a yearling full-sister to lot and stayed on well. It=s very testing out there for those fillies Forever Together and Together Forever to come. Click for the and I had a fair fight with Donnacha in a straightforward race, so free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. fair play to the winner. My filly stays a mile and a half and has a bit of zip and class, so there is a lot to look forward to.@ Trainer Charlie Appleby added, AWilliam said she was not comfortable Friday, Epsom, Britain coming down the hill. She came there to win her race, but the INVESTEC OAKS-G1, ,500,000, Epsom, 6-1, 3yo, f, 12f 6yT, winner has outstayed us and was the better horse on the day.@ 2:40.39, sf. 1--FOREVER TOGETHER (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Galileo (Ire) Pedigree Notes... 1st Dam: Green Room, by Theatrical (Ire) Forever Together wins no prizes in the naming department, 2nd Dam: Chain Fern, by Blushing Groom (Fr) being a full-sister to the operation=s G1 Fillies= Mile heroine 3rd Dam: Chain Store, by Nodouble Together Forever (Ire), who was only seventh in this three years 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. ago. Also a half to the speedier G1 Prix Jean Prat-winning sire (i900,000 Ylg >16 GOFORB).