PURPLE PATCH: After another win in a British Classic, we decided to take a look at Aidan O’Brien’s staggering record in those races since 2010.


We saw yet more British Classic success for master trainer Aidan O’Brien over the weekend with Mother Earth coming home in front in the 1000 Guineas.

The daughter of Zoffany’s victory at Newmarket continued O’Brien’s Purple Patch in Flat racing’s biggest races as the Irishman continues to dominate all before him.

Since the start of 2010, the Ballydoyle handler has won 44% of the British Classics with his success split across all five contests.

Mother Earth’s win followed the victories of Homecoming Queen, Minding, Winter, Hermosa and Love in the fillies mile contest, while he’s won the colts equivalent, the 2000 Guineas, a further five times, with Magna Grecia the most recent in 2019.

He’s also dominated the two Classics at Epsom, the Oaks and Derby, winning them five and six times respectively.

Love took out the 2020 renewal of the Oaks, while Serpentine, not fancied by many, continued the O’Brien stranglehold in the Derby.

O’Brien has not been quite as successful in the final Classic of the season, the St Leger, but has still won it three times since 2010 with the last of those successes coming with Kew Gardens in 2018.

And with O’Brien currently responsible for the ante-post favourite in the remaining three Classics of the 2021 season, there’s plenty to suggest his dominance will continue.