Aidan O'Brien wearing sunglasses and a suit.DUBLIN, IRELAND – SEPTEMBER 09: Aidan O’Brien after training Auguste Rodin to win The Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse on September 09, 2023 in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images) Credit: Getty

AIDAN O’BRIEN is pulling out all the stops in his bid to beat world’s best racehorse Calandagan.

The Aga Khan-owned five-year-old was crowned best thoroughbred on the planet in the prestigious Longines awards last year.

But he had to play second fiddle to O’Brien’s Jan Brueghel in Epsom’s Coronation Cup 12 months ago.

The former St Leger winner worried Calandagan out of it in the 1m4f Group 1 as they served up a titantic tussle down the hill.

But something switched in the Francis Graffard-trained monster after that and he has not lost since.

He has won an astonishing five Group 1s on the spin since that half-length defeat, taking his career earnings soaring to just shy of £9million.

O’Brien will be desperate to win the Saturday race – which comes on the same card as the £2m Derby for which – given it is sponsored by Coolmore.

And he looks to be ready to employ bullying tactics a bit like we saw in the French Derby on Sunday.

There, Montreal set a good gallop as Ballydoyle stablemates Hawk Mountain and eventual winner Constitution River settled in behind.

The genius move .

And O’Brien will be hoping for similar at Epsom having confirmed Jan Brueghel, former Derby winner Lambourn and confirmed stayer Illinois.

Coronation Cup latest confirmed runners

Bay City Roller
Calandagan
Convergent
Illinois
Jan Brueghel
Lambourn
Sunway
See The Fire

Coronation Cup odds via Paddy Power

Evens Calandagan
5-2 Jan Brueghel
9-2 Convergent
5 Lambourn
20 Bay City Roller
33 Illinois, See The Fire
100 Sunway

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Eze Chidiebere Paul

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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