Aidan O’Brien with a strong team for the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita
Aidan O’Brien’s team for the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita is now glorified with the entry of Fame And Glory. The Marathon might be the final start for the six-year-old bay horse. The hall mark trainer has lined up Excelebration, St Nicholas Abbey and Fame
And Glory.
"He's got a bit clever," said O'Brien. "He's a little bit older and wiser now and when the going gets tough he's very happy to curl up and not try very hard.
"We'll probably run him in a visor. The dirt will be the interesting part and it's unknown. It's a bit of an experiment but we're hoping that he'll run well and it's very possible that this will be his last race."
Fame And Glory’s recent form has not been exactly impressive, and the trainer admits that the team is taking a chance by sending him for the Marathon, but are keeping hopes high with the headgears that the under charge will put on for the first time.
The winner of the 2011 Ascot Gold Cup and the Coronation Cup will join the same line-up as Fame And Glory.
Fame And Glory’s last three races have ended as failures, and that too are beyond the frame of the first three positions.
Last graded success that he bagged was the Group 3 Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup on 15th October, 2011 at Ascot race course over two miles.
He defeated the favourite entry of the race, Opinion Poll, by 1 ¼ lengths.
Surprisingly, the last race that is recorded as his success turned into a failure this year. Montjeu’s bay horse ended fifth in the Long Distance Cup this year.
“I'm not sure if he'll run again after America, it's not a decision for me really.”
The decision for his retirement has not been taken yet, but if this does turn out to be the final time, then the connections should put in all the energies to ensure success.
Covering as much ground for success as was possible, the trainer has also entered the winner of the Grade 1 Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf. St Nicholas Abbey brought back the title last year, and is in a reliable form this time around too.
O'Brien said: “St Nicholas Abbey is a fast ground horse really and Treasure Beach has been progressing - his last run was his best run - and we think he has progressed again since then.”
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