DEL MAR, United States – “If we get the horses, we can deliver,” said Ger Lyons after emphatically proving his point in Friday's opening race of the Breeders' Cup at Future Stars. “We have to improve our game every day to compete against Aidan. It’s just fantastically competitive at home.”
This second point was proven again and again in the following hours as Lake Victoria (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) remained unbeaten in their victory over the Juvenile Fillies Turf and Henri Matisse (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). . ) gave Aidan O'Brien a record-breaking 20th victory in the Breeders' Cup with victory in the Juvenile Turf.
For Lyons, the sturdy little bullet Magnum Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) secured a maiden victory at the Breeders' Cup meet, and the trainer has topped the list by winning two Classics in a month in his native Ireland in the first months of the Covid pandemic.
“The secret to training winners is getting the horses, and that is a very arduous task at the moment,” he said. “But we got this horse and he was so professional from day one.”
All three of Friday's turf winners are home-bred – for Coolmore and Sheikh Abdulla Bin Isa Al Khalifa respectively – and that's exactly what this meeting is all about. Sheikh Abdullah was represented in California by Jerome Hulin of Acorn Stud, where the powerful stallion was bred before moving to Lyons Glenburnie Stables in Co Meath. With his third place in the G2 Flying Childers Stakes he earned the right to travel across the water for a start in the Juvenile Turf Sprint and had the winner of that race, Aesterius (Ire), and runner-up Huge Mojo (Ire) on Friday behind him.
Lyons continued: “As they came past the finish line at Doncaster I said the Breeders' Cup was made for this horse – not that I knew it, but after watching it for so many years I thought brisk pace, brisk ground, it was made for this horse.
“It's great that my CV says I'm a two-time Classic winning trainer, but it was Covid and we were alone in a stand with no excitement. Don't get me wrong, but then you come here and understand it – That's what athletes want. You work difficult and get more losing days than winning days. Money can’t aid it.”
“The icing on the cake is the participation of Colin Keane as he is the most underrated champion jockey on the planet,” Lyons said. “Once you approach this man, the job is straightforward. I can't tell you everything enough. He's the most unassuming man, he's so humble. He came here and won two Breeders' Cups and still no one knows anything about him. He's a bit like the trainer in that we both like to stay on the farm, walk our dogs and mind our own business. But when he comes out and gets the right ammunition, he can deliver, and he's proven that more than once. Personally, I would like to see him on the large stage more often. I need the world to wake up with him.”
The world was certainly watching on Friday, although Keane didn't have long to take in the applause, even if it would have been his way of doing so. His flight left California at 7pm and eventually headed to Ireland, where he will undertake six rides at the Curragh on Sunday and collect his sixth Jockey Champion trophy.
“Without this man I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today,” he said as he sat next to Lyons at the post-race press conference. “He gave me my first job as an apprentice and a lot of people, including me, thought he was crazy. Without him I wouldn’t be here and I’m glad I can repay him.”
The subsequent one-two punch from Lake Victoria and Henri Matisse for Team Coolmore ensured a neat sweep of Friday's turf races for Ireland. The latter was the second son of Wootton Bassett in a row to win the Juvenile Turf, after Unquestionable (Fr) last year. Seven of O'Brien's Breeders' Cup victories have come in this race, and his 20th success in this championship puts him on a par with the legendary D Wayne Lukas.
“We all know what a special man Wayne is and it's an honor to be truly close to him,” O'Brien said in tribute to the 89-year-old Hall of Famer. “What can you say about Wayne?” He is a very special person and has always helped us a lot. He called me during the week and told me everything about this route, how to drive it and what to do and what not to do. He explained to us a little about the classic and how he thought we should ride our horse. We are very grateful that he was kind enough to tell us everything.”
Two wins on the list, particularly with Banker Lake Victoria, may have helped composed some nerves in the Coolmore camp ahead of the battle for Classic glory from the meeting's most talked-about horse, City Of Troy (Justify) .
“I'm cheerful for everyone because many have worked difficult to get her here, but tomorrow is a fresh day,” O'Brien said.
Ryan Moore, who has now won the Breeders' Cup 16 times himself, noted O'Brien's habitual recognition of the team behind the stable's success, but insisted the trainer must take much of the credit himself.
“I remember watching Johannesburg win as a child and that was 23 years ago,” he said. “What he has done is incredible.”
Johannesburg gave O'Brien his first Breeders' Cup winner and he remains his only cross-country winner. On Saturday, his great-grandson will try to become his deputy and push O'Brien to the top spot as the winningest coach in the meet's 41-year history.
Friday's future stars have taken another step forward, but there is one confirmed star who will occupy O'Brien's mind as Saturday rolls around. However, Lyons can sleep straightforward after a job well done.
“Yesterday is yesterday and tomorrow may never come, and I just won a Breeders' Cup,” he said with obvious joy. “Normally something like this happens when I leave Ireland and it doesn’t work, but today everything worked.”
In fact it was.
