Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 29 June 2026

I’ve recently come to the conclusion that Aidan O’Brien starts the season without a clear idea of the pecking order of his horses.

He is admirably forthcoming in the previews and on open days, and there is no doubting his probity, but his gushing enthusiasm for so many of his horses may devalue the currency of his judgement.

Compare this with trainers in my formative years who, traditionally, would not divulge anything about their horses.

However, the trainers of the modern era are now adept at handling the media and most of them are at great ease in front of the camera. They often say they are participants in an entertainment industry and therefore accept that they must not alienate the fan base who contribute to the coffers in some form or other.

Aidan O’Brien is remarkable in that respect.

He always seems to be available for a post-race interview but is invariably gushing in his appraisal of the horse, the jockey or his staff.

There is probably a term to describe his behaviour. He appears to have an extraordinary ability to remember names, and this is evidence of a great attention to detail … something that seems to be fundamental in the characteristics of genius.

This is not the the place to delve deeper into the workings of what is undeniably a great mind, much as I would like to, but the downside of this can be summed up in two words: Albert Einstein.

Very appropriate, you may say, given that he would be one of the first names to spring to mind when asked to name a renowned genius.

However, in this case I am, of course, referring to his equine namesake.

You know the script … Aidan was effusive in his descriptions of the horse’s talent, stating that he was in a different league to his workmates last season, yet there was little evidence of that pace in his two victories, when he took a furlong to catch the leader.

This season his four runs have resulted in four defeats and a rating of 107.

I have no doubt that the colt did impress in his work and he also met with a setback which kept him off the track from June, but he did not run in the manner as described from his work and neither has he done so since.

There may be an issue, of course, to which we are not privy, and Aidan is more often right than wrong but, like a child in a sweet shop, he seems to be overwhelmed by the riches before him.

His powers of discernment are, to the public view, compromised by his endearing passion and dedication to his role. It is almost like a religious calling, a zeal which those around him appear to allow to flourish unfettered.

It is to the credit and foresight of his backers that they recognised his exceptional talent early on, granting him the freedom to operate in his own unique, sometimes unconventional way. In this regard, his wife Anne-Marie—herself a former champion National Hunt trainer—has undoubtedly played a pivotal role, while the success of their children also reflects a remarkably strong family unit.

However, at the risk of sounding cynical, should we always trust his judgement? He can occasionally resemble a doting parent who sees no fault in his offspring. While I am intrigued by this remarkable man, I have long been guarded regarding his glowing appraisals of his horses. The concern is that newer followers of the sport may lack the discernment that is required to read between the lines.

Bye for now

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