O’Brien looking forward to ‘classy’ Benvenuto Cellini at Ascot

Aidan O’Brien has compared Benvenuto Cellini to the colt’s superstar grandfather Galileo, with all his class and courage but “probably” a bit more speed, as he seeks a first King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes success since 2016.

The three-year-old is bidding to back up his Irish Derby win with victory at Ascot this weekend, a race Galileo won in his Classic year back in 2001.

And while it is the biggest test of his career against a glittering cast of older horses, O’Brien believes the son of Frankel has all the qualities required to become only the seventh three-year-old winner this century.

“We think he’s a very high-quality, classy horse on fast ground. He’s probably a bit quicker than Galileo was, but he moves like him and we think he’s brave like he was too,” he said.

“There’s no better mile-and-a-half race anywhere. It’s a difficult race, usually run on fast ground and it’s run at Ascot too, which is a very special place. You need a horse that stays.

“They have to have class and it’s where the three-year-olds meet the older horses for the first time (at the trip).”

Benvenuto Cellini will have to overcome not only race favourite Calandagan but last year’s runner-up Kalpana, Japanese ace Masquerade Ball and stablemate and Arc runner-up Minnie Hauk to name just four of what could be a 10-strong field.

O’Brien admits he is firing two live shots as he tries to pick off a prize he has won four times, with Dylan Thomas (2007), Duke Of Marmalade (2008) and Highland Reel (2016) adding to the victory of Galileo.

Minnie Hauk was a fine second behind Ombudsman in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes last time, a run O’Brien feels will have teed her up nicely for the return to 12 furlongs.

“We ran her in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes with a view to coming back for the King George, and we thought that was probably her best run ever. The extra couple of furlongs should really suit her,” said the trainer.

After chasing home Daryz in Paris last October Minnie Hauk rounded off her season with a sixth behind Ethical Diamond in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar in California.

And both the filly and Benvenuto Cellini could have the same target with the King George guaranteeing a place in the field for the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland at the end of October as part of the Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ series.

O’Brien said: “The Breeders’ Cup is massive. We went there last year (with Minnie Hauk) and got things wrong tactically. You can’t go anywhere better, it’s where all the horses meet. It’s very competitive racing at good tracks and the atmosphere is second to none.

“Benvenuto Cellini could go too. He’s a horse that will enjoy travelling and he’s a great mover. He would be fine coming back to a mile and a quarter, and I think you need that kind of pace at the Breeders’ Cup.

“He’s an easy horse to train who doesn’t take a lot of work so it could suit him perfectly.”

Speaking about the Breeders’ Cup initiative, O’Brien added: “We all have foals and every foal born is put into the Breeders’ Cup. That tells you how important it is. The pots are huge, the atmosphere is amazing, and it is an incredibly well-run organisation.

“The ‘Win and You’re In’ initiative is a great idea, as it encourages connections to run in those races.”