Marten Julian’s Weekly Roundup 7 July 2025

David Brailsford was renowned for his use of the marginal gains theory in cycling, which is based on the premise that if you break down everything that goes into riding a bicycle and then improve it by 1% when you reassemble it you will get a significant overall improvement.

I don’t know if Aidan O’Brien is familiar with the theory, but I was reminded of it when hearing him talk about the Coral-Eclipse following the success of Delacroix.

The plan had been to make the running, or at least be prominent on the colt, but he got shuffled back and was then boxed in two furlongs out and had to switch, leaving him about four lengths adrift of Ombudsman entering the final furlong.

What becomes apparent in these big races is the attention to detail that O’Brien and Ryan Moore put into every aspect of the job. So, when things don’t go according to plan, as was the case at Sandown, they still give themselves every chance of a positive outcome.

An essential factor is the working relationship between trainer and jockey.

We had it with Lester Piggott and Vincent O’Brien and then later with Steve Cauthen and Henry Cecil, although I doubt they communicated with each other with the same intensity as you see when Aidan is spotted deep in conversation with his riders before a big race.

This intensity becomes apparent in the post-race interviews, when O’Brien hardly stops for breath in covering every aspect of the race and the tactical planning that went into it.

The hallmark of a top team is if they succeed when things don’t work out, as happened on Saturday.

In the Derby Delacroix was Ballydoyle’s main hope yet when he blew out they still won the race with Lambourn.

What is apparent is that Aidan O’Brien has a strict ritual in the way he goes about things. A few years ago he used the word ‘listen’ all the time. He now hardly says it, but instead names everyone who is linked to the horse before addressing the question.

Martin Pipe also had his foibles, for want of another word.

There is probably an acronym to describe this behaviour … it would be fascinating to learn what a psychoanalyst would have to say … but those around O’Brien evidently understand that these rituals are important to him and so they allow him the freedom and space to see them through. My father used to say “If it’s important to them, it’s important.”

This meticulous attention to detail, admittedly with some of the world’s best bloodstock and a world-class jockey, means that the team at Ballydoyle has an edge and win races even when things don’t go according to plan.

Bye for now

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