Aidan O’Brien is hunting down his third Group One Prix Rothschild (1,600m) at Deauville on Sunday and looks to hold the aces with his progressive three-year-old January.
The top trainer is a force wherever he sends runners in Europe and January, who has been threatening to break her Group One duck, will be ridden by French ace Christophe Soumillon.
She has shown improved form this season, building on a modest reappearance by finishing second in the Group One Coronation Stakes (1,600m) at Royal Ascot before filling the same position in the Group One Falmouth Stakes (1,600m) at Newmarket.
Like many of O’Brien’s horses, she has improved steadily with age and experience, and O’Brien is hoping for further progress.
🔵 Cinderella's Dream - back in business with @Tattersalls1766 Falmouth Stakes glory pic.twitter.com/l1SSFGvHbB
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 11, 2025
“A mile is really her trip. We’re getting closer step by step. It’s always a little frustrating to come so close, but she ran very well. She’s improving, and we’re on the right path,” said O’Brien after her Falmouth run.
The French challenge is a strong one too, with the now Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Matilda leading the charge under Maxime Guyon.
She was previously trained by Yasmin Almenrader in Germany and was building into a really smart operator, most recently winning the Group Two German 2,000 Guineas at Cologne against the boys by six and a half lengths.
The Graffard team also runs Mandanaba, who was last seen finishing second in the Group One Prix de Diane (2,000m) and is set to be suited by the drop back to the mile.
The British raiding party is led by the Karl Burke-trained Fallen Angel, who was a Group One winner in Ireland last year.
A fine performance from the British runner Fallen Angel in the Group 1 @MoyglareStud Stakes, earning a second winner of a memorable weekend for @karl_burke, Danny Tudhope and @ClipperPlc #IrishChampionsFestival pic.twitter.com/vacXGuzjvf
— The Curragh Racecourse (@curraghrace) September 10, 2023
Her most recent run saw her finish third in the Group Two Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (1,600m) at Royal Ascot and her trainer is optimistic a big run.
“Even though we’re keen to try her over 2,000 metres, we know that on softer ground, she has enough speed to run very well over the mile,” Burke said.
There is also simulcast action in Germany from Düsseldorf, with the feature being the Group One Preis der Diana (2,200m).
O’Brien once again has a big chance with the improving Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes (2,400m) winner Garden Of Eden, though she has drawn wide under Ryan Moore.
Other big chances include the Charlie Appleby-trained Spirited Style, a Listed winner last time out, and the home team’s Lady Charlotte, who was unbeaten before her fair run in the Group One Deutsches Derby (2,400m) last month.
