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Has Aidan got another ace up his sleeve?

| 02.01.2015
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has a typically strong team of three-year-olds to go to war with in 2015, and Coral are offering specials on some of his potential stars landing the 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby double.

The Ballydoyle handler saddled Camelot to do so in 2012 and become only the third horse since the mighty Nijinsky in 1970 to bag both Group 1 prizes.

This year, O’Brien has several fascinating contenders who could follow in Camelot’s footsteps, and the most interesting in my book are John F Kennedy and Ol’ Man River.

JFK got turned over at odds-on on debut at Leopardstown when finishing runner-up to Hall Of Fame, but was clearly badly in need of the experience and went on to win his next two starts in impressive style.

The big question mark is whether the beautifully bred son of Galileo will have the speed for the 2,000 Guineas as all his runs as a juvenile were over a mile and he shaped as if middle distances would be ideal for him this season.

However, connections reserve such massively high profile names for those that are regarded as having a serious chance of going on to be great horses, and it would be no surprise if JFK turned out to have the perfect blend of speed and stamina.

Coral go 25/1 about him completing the Guineas/Derby double.

O’Brien also has another very exciting prospect for Classic honours in the shape of the unbeaten Ol’ Man River.

The son of Montjeu created a huge impression on debut when coming from an impossible position to score at the Curragh, and went on to show a terrific turn of foot to land the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the same venue when last seen in action.

The latter race has produced some great horses over the years, including Sea The Stars who completed the Guineas/Derby double in 2009.

Ol’ Man River looks the real deal to me and has stronger form in the book than his stable companion JFK, and Coral go 16/1 for him to complete the Guineas/Derby double.

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Author

David Metcalf

A lifelong Manchester United supporter, David has over 25 years’ experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a huge horse racing, football and greyhound fan and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR front man for a betting firm. David has also written for most of the top Premier League football fan websites, and produced a Cheltenham Festival guide with former eight-times champion national hunt jockey Peter Scudamore, MBE, after helping him to set up a syndicate for his trainer son Michael.