Aidan O'Brien stable tour: The Lion In Winter set to chase Classic double in 2000 Guineas and Derby
The Lion In Winter is 5/1 for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May and 7/2 to capture the Derby at Epsom; Aidan O'Brien's Classic contender is two from two, winning the Acomb Stakes at York last season
Friday 21 March 2025 16:03, UK
Aidan O'Brien has set his sights on a famous double with 2025's leading Classic contender The Lion In Winter.
The Ballydoyle master had the same target for City Of Troy this time last year, with his previous stable star disappointing at Newmarket before roaring back to success at Epsom.
The Lion In Winter was unbeaten in both starts as a juvenile, culminating in breaking the seven-furlong two-year-old track record at York.
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He is 5/1 for Guineas glory at Newmarket in May and 7/2 to capture the Epsom Classic.
"He couldn't have done much more than he did in his two runs last season," said O'Brien in an exclusive stable tour with Kevin Blake for attheraces.com.
"He was impressive in his maiden and then broke the juvenile track record in the Acomb Stakes at York. The form of the Acomb has worked out well since too.
"For a Sea The Stars from a middle-distance family to be doing that much in the middle part of his two-year-old year is obviously very exciting and would have you dreaming of what could happen this year.
"He had an away day at the Curragh earlier in the week and all went smoothly. We'll get an idea of how much that has brought him along in the coming days and plans will soon start to come together with him, but he's an obvious candidate for the 2000 Guineas."
Looking beyond the colts' first Classic, the The Lion In Winter could step up half a mile in distance for the blue riband of the turf on the first Saturday in June.
"In terms of how far he'll stay, looking at his pedigree you'd say he'll surely stay a mile-and-a-half, but not too many with that profile of pedigree have the pace to do what he did as a two-year-old, so we won't know until we know.
"Sure look, with a colt like him all you can say is that he's very much in the mix for the 2000 Guineas and the Derby. We can't wait to see him back on the track."
