Saint-Cloud prizes could put O’Brien on verge of new record

Aidan O’Brien can inch closer to his own record of Group and Grade One wins in a year at Saint-Cloud on Sunday.

His current best of 28, set in 2017, is under increased threat after Hawk Mountain won the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster to give him 23 for the year.

He sends a strong team to France with three Group Ones on offer and while Queenstown looks to face a stiff task in the Prix Royal-Oak, the two-year-olds Puerto Rico and Pierre Bonnard will be all the rage.

Puerto Rico, while always looking a nice horse, has really blossomed since being upped in trip, winning the Champagne Stakes and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend.

He steps up to a mile for the Criterium International, which O’Brien won last year with Twain and in which he also runs Piazza San Marco, New Zealand, Daytona and Port Of Spain.

“Since we stepped him up to seven furlongs he’s improved a lot,” said O’Brien.

“We’re stepping him up to a mile now, he seems to be in very good form at home so we thought he could go again.”

Pierre Bonnard knocked paddock watchers eyes out at Newmarket prior to his run in the Zetland Stakes and he backed up his looks with a dominant display in the Group Three.

“He’s a beautiful looking horse and we were delighted with him at Newmarket as that was his first time over 10 furlongs,” said O’Brien.

“This race was always a possible after he won, we just wanted to keep an eye on him but he came out of his race well.”

The Ballydoyle handler is also responsible for Christmas Day, the mount of Tom Marquand, Endorsement and Isaac Newton