Dual Derby hero Lambourn with Group One aim in Bahrain as Aidan O’Brien races for record

Aidan O’Brien might have a race on his hands to set a new world record for Group One wins, but he can call on last year’s dual Derby hero Lambourn to help him in Friday’s Bahrain International.

The $1.5-million contest has been promoted to top-flight status for the first time, and O’Brien is using it as a chance for Lambourn to return to the spotlight. A recent Breeders’ Cup hat-trick took the Irishman to 28 Group/Grade One victories this year, equalling his 2017 record.

Winner of the Derby at Epsom and the Curragh in 2025, Lambourn’s star has slipped this season, and he found himself in a pacemaker role for stable companion Constitution River in September’s Irish Champion Stakes.

He previously finished fourth behind Kalpana in the King George, beaten less than five lengths, and opened the season by besting no less than Arc runner-up Bay City Roller in Chester’s Group Two Huxley Stakes.

That was over a mile-and-a-quarter, the same distance as the Bahrain International. Joseph O’Brien could also run Galen, who finished runner-up to Royal Champion in last year’s race.

Royal Champion is back for the first Group One race ever run in Bahrain, the line-up for which also includes Wimbledon Hawkeye, beaten by a nose by Hotazhell in the Irish Champion at Leopardstown. The US Grade One winner Glacius also takes his chance, and there is also a strong representation from France.

O’Brien will try to break new ground in the Middle East with Lambourn. A multiple winner in Dubai, O’Brien scored in Saudi Arabia with Tower Of London in 2024 and in Qatar with Order Of Australia in 2023.

“Lambourn is there at the moment, and he seems to have taken his journey well,” said O’Brien.

Minnie Hauk, another 2025 dual-classic winner for Ballydoyle, is still in the mix for a trip to Tokyo for the Japan Cup at the end of the month and an O’Brien squad is being built for the Hong Kong Carnival, topped by the Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, Benvenuto Cellini.

O’Brien could be looking over his shoulder, however, after Australia’s top trainer Chris Waller reached 27 Group One victories for the year at Flemington over the weekend.

Victory for the Irish-bred Birdman in the Champions Stakes put Waller one behind O’Brien, and he doesn’t appear to be finished. Waller plans to have two runners in this weekend’s Orr Stakes and could send Buckaroo to Perth for the Northerly Stakes.

“I am happy to sit second to Aidan,” said Waller. “It would be a great thing.” However, Australian reports suggest he’s unlikely to be represented in any of the big international contests in Japan or Hong Kong.

Sunday’s racing action saw last season’s Champion Bumper winner, The Mourne Rambler, narrowly win his jumping debut at Naas with a step up to two-and-a-half miles likely to be next on the agenda.

“Initially I had thought that he’d probably go for the Royal Bond, but I think now we’ll probably go for a two-and-a-half somewhere,” said trainer Noel Meade. “I think Fairyhouse will be sharp. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have his chance in it, but I think we’d be better off thinking about two-and-a-half miles.”

Willie Mullins has a promising novice of his own in Love Me Tender, who landed a conditions hurdle in easy fashion, although his exciting chaser Kopek Des Bordes fluffed his lines in a Grade Three Chase.

Irish Panther was ultimately 10 lengths too good for the long odds-on favourite, who ultimately failed to pick up after landing a little clumsily at the second last fence.

Punchestown races on Monday, where the most interesting runner could be It’s Only A Game in a maiden hurdle. Jockey Mark Walsh rides the course bumper winner for his boss, Sean Mulryan. A first-time hood is put on It’s Only A Game, who was last seen in the Cheltenham Champion Bumper.

The Henry de Bromhead team send Coexist over jumps in an earlier maiden hurdle after the horse finished fourth to Almazann at the Curragh last month. The winner subsequently was bought to go jumping with Mullins, changing hands for €360,000.