Aidan O'Brien's Royal Ascot Runner-Up Sold to Billionaire Buyer and Transferred to New Trainer

A BRILLIANT Aidan O’Brien Royal Ascot runner-up has left his yard after being snapped up by a billionaire rival.

Three-year-old colt Endorsement was second to subsequent at Leopardstown in April.

Legendary owner JP McManus has moved to buy former Aidan O’Brien horse Endorsement – and he looks set for a top staying campaign in the second half of the Flat season Credit: Sportsfile Joseph O’Brien will now train a horse who was under the care of his dad and owned by Coolmore Credit: PA

And on debut at Killarney a year ago he was second behind future Irish Derby hero Benvenuto Cellini.

Held in high regard at Ballydoyle, Endorsement took Listed honours over 1m4f at Leopardstown in June before finishing second again two weeks later in Royal Ascot’s Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes.

Sent off the 11-8 favourite under Ryan Moore, they led entering the final furlong but were headed and beaten a length by Andrew Balding’s 18-1 outsider Generic.

That was to be his final run in the Coolmore colours.

That’s because leading jumps over JP McManus has bought the horse and decided to send him to Aidan’s son Joseph instead.

The pair could look to strike in style with their new purchase next month.

Endorsement has been entered in the Lonsdale Cup at York’s Ebor meeting on Friday, August 21.

The Group 2 contest, run over a bit more than two miles, is worth a shade under £150,000 to the winner.

Joseph has had a sensational season already with his middle distance and staying horses.

Limestone won the 1m6f Group 2 Queen’s Vase while Kizlyar led home a 1-2 in the 2m4 Ascot Stakes, with Defiantly finishing second.

O’Brien and McManus teamed up to almost land the Melbourne Cup last year with Goodie Two Shoes.

The mare was sent off 40-1 for the ‘race that stops a nation’ under Wayne Lordan and finished a two-and-three-quarter length second to Half Yours.

This is the second big transfer to concern the O’Briens in recent days.

A report in Australian press claimed .

The three-year-old colt is trained by her brother Donnacha and will be aimed at the Cox Plate in Australia.

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our .