The Lion In Winter makes winning start at Leopardstown
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Wed 15 Apr 2026
Aidan O’Brien has his sights on a third Lockinge Stakes with The Lion In Winter after the four-year-old landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown.
Unbeaten as a two-year-old, the Sea The Stars colt disappointed in last year’s Derby before returning to a mile to be Group One-placed at Deauville, ParisLongchamp, Ascot and Del Mar.
He was in contention with Cowardofthecounty down the final straight before hitting the front at the two-furlong pole under Wayne Lordan.
The 11-10 favourite stretched his lead, before fast-finishing stablemate Expanded closed the gap to half a length in a one-two for the Ballydoyle handler.
“The plan was to come here and then go to the Lockinge,” said O’Brien, who has previously won the Newbury showpiece with Hawk Wing (2003) and Rhododendron (2018).
“He went there and just got a bit tired, but Wayne was very happy with him.
“He has a lot of racing to do this year so we didn’t want to have him too ready starting off.
“He had to have a run, obviously, before he goes to Newbury.
“I’m delighted with the second horse, the plan was the same with him. He’ll go to the Lockinge as well.”
Eretria came out on top for Donnacha O’Brien at Leopardstown (Gary Carson/PA)
Donnacha O’Brien has big plans for Eretria following her runaway success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
Second on her Dundalk debut two weeks ago, the Camelot filly was a 5-2 shot to go one better switched when to the turf and did so in some style, pulling six and a half lengths clear of her rivals in the hands of Gavin Ryan.
“She’s a smart filly,” said O’Brien. “I thought the last furlong was impressive because I knew she had plenty of pace, but the way she stuck at it, I thought, was very impressive,
“She’s a lovely filly going forward. I’ll give her a little bit of time now, she’s only two weeks back from her first run.
“Maybe something like the Naas Oaks Trial could fit in nicely. She’s in the Irish Oaks and also the Epsom Oaks. We also have the option of something like the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot as well. All that is open to her.”
Another to impress was the Joseph O’Brien-trained Mixed Feelings in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden, with the 11-10 favourite striking by six lengths to get off the mark at the second time of asking.
“She had a good run last year and you’d hope that she’d come here and be hard to beat, but you don’t see them pull away lengths from the field like that very often,” said O’Brien.
“I thought it was an impressive win and she looks like a nice filly.
“We think a bit of her and her run last year kind of backed it up.
“I thought she still looked very green today so we might look at having another run somewhere before we go into a Group race.
“We obviously could jump into a Guineas trial, but she did still look a bit green there. We’ll see how she pulls up and then we can decide then, but she’s a nice filly for the future, hopefully.”
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