Record breaking Aidan O’Brien is just different class

Saturday’s Virgin Bet November Handicap will bring the curtain down on the 2025 British Flat season, As ever, there have been plenty of highs and lows, but we have been treated to some outstanding performances along the way, writes Paul Alster.

The biggest shout out has to go to the remarkable Aidan O’Brien, crowned champion British Flat trainer for the eighth time on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot – even though he doesn’t even train here!

The Irish legend amassed more than £8 million in prize money from just 136 runners, thirty-one of those being winners. His strike rate of 23% came mostly in top pattern races making his achievement all the more praiseworthy. Andrew Balding, runner-up in the championship race, had a wonderful season and sent out 188 winners from over one thousand runners but still couldn’t peg back the Ballydoyle maestro.

Minnie Hauk led the way for O’Brien winning the Cheshire, Epsom and Yorkshire Oaks to go along with her Irish Oaks success, while Delacroix’s Coral Eclipse victory formed just a part of his season-long battle with old rival Ombudsman that culminated in him defeating John & Thady Gosden’s star at Leopardstown in the Irish Champion Stakes in September. Standout juveniles such as True Love and Gstaad helped keep the board ticking along, while top young stayer Scandinavia also made a significant contribution to the Irishman’s tally, winning at Royal Ascot, then adding the Group 1 Goodwood Cup and the Group 1 Betfred St Leger.

Yes, O’Brien has a vast array of regally bred horses, but this master horseman has an uncanny ability to place his blue bloods to best advantage, to keep them sound throughout the season, and keep them on top form for longer than most of his rivals can only dream of. It is also worth crediting him with being able to seamlessly keep the show on the road despite losing stable jockey Ryan Moore to injury in the second half of the season. Christophe Soumillon and Wayne Lordan, in particular, have stepped impressively into the breach meaning it was business as usual for O’Brien and ‘The Lads’ wherever they competed.

Recently crowned the winning-most trainer in Breeders’ Cup history, O’Brien has now won the Irish trainers’ title for a mind-blowing twenty-eight times, including every championship since 1999. His dominance of both Irish, and to a great extent British racing is hard to comprehend, yet he does it all in a never changing self effacing, modest manner that has endeared him to racing fans the world over.

Despite the best efforts of Andrew Balding, John & Thady Gosden, Charlie Appleby, William Haggas, Karl Burke and many more, it is hard to see the 57-year-old super trainer not adding to his tally in 2026.

Paul Alster has broadcast and reported on the British racing industry for four decades as a commentator, journalist, TV and radio presenter, betting correspondent, SP Returner, tipster and form analyst, among other things.