English/Ire
Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe target for Los Angeles
Despite being over five months away, Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien is already looking towards the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October with Los Angeles, third behind Bluestocking and Aventure at ParisLongchamp last year, and beaten less than three lengths at the line.
The Irish Derby winner of 2024, who also won the Group 2 Sky Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last season, returned with a neck victory over White Birch at the Curragh this week in the Group 2 Coolmore Stud City Of Troy Irish EBF Mooresbridge Stakes over a mile and a quarter, showing plenty of tenacity over a trip that may be short of his best.
After the race, trainer Aidan O'Brien said:
"The plan would be to come back here for the Tattersalls Gold Cup and, if that went well, Los Angeles would go to Ascot for the Prince of Wales's Stakes. Then we could have a look at the King George, give him a little break after that, and then have a prep for the Arc, maybe back here in the Royal Whip, before having another go at the Arc.
"We're delighted with him. He's a lovely, big, honest horse. When he gets there, he doesn't do much, but that's always been him. You can see he's still as big as a bull - he's big and powerful. It's very hard to get by him, because he's lazy and he'd be waiting there.
"We don't want to go too far with him until we have to. We want to keep him sharp for when he goes up to a mile and a half. If he goes to the King George, he'll want to be sharp".
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