Aidan O’Brien believes Mission Central can serve it up to his elders once again and help him secure a record-breaking sixth success in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup at Newmarket on Saturday.
The son of No Nay Never will spearhead the Ballydoyle master’s small but select team that will travel over from Ireland to represent him at this year’s Debenhams July Festival, which gets underway on Thursday.
It has been so far so good this season for Mission Central, who backed up a brace of Listed wins at Naas over five furlongs with a last gasp success in the Group One King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot over the same trip.
And now the improving three-year-old will look to show that same form at six furlongs in the Group One contest, which O’Brien has previously won with Stravinsky (1999), Mozart (2001), Starspangledbanner (2010) U S Navy Flag (2018) and Ten Sovereigns (2019).
The trainer said: “He ran a lovely race in the Group One at Ascot. His first three runs this year have all been over five furlongs so going back up to six furlongs will be interesting to see what he can do.
“You are never sure until you see that they can do it, but going back up to six furlongs you would like to think it would be possible that he can be as effective as he won over the trip three times last year. His two sprints were against older horses before he went to Royal Ascot so it was always possible that he could beat them at Royal Ascot with that experience on his side.
“He is likely to have to come forward again, and with the way that he is going this season that is possible.”
Before Mission Central bids to double his own tally, stablemate Precise will attempt to make a hat-trick of Group One wins for the campaign in the Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Falmouth Stakes.
Since suffering defeat behind True Love in the Betfred 1000 Guineas, the daughter of Starspangledbanner has not looked back after turning the tables on her stablemate in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh and Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
And O’Brien, who has won the mile prize on two previous occasions, expects Precise to continue her progression.
He said: “The plan is to run Precise here and send True Love over to France. It was quite an easy decision in the end. She is in good form and everything has gone well since Royal Ascot. We have been happy with her since then.
“I think race fitness just caught her out in the 1000 Guineas as it was her first run of the season. We knew it was possible that she could reverse the form in the Irish 1000 Guineas, but you are never sure until you see it, but we felt she had come forward plenty from Newmarket.
“We were very happy with her in the Coronation Stakes. She did everything lovely like we thought and hoped she would.
“The July Course shouldn’t give her any problems as she is a straightforward filly. "She does have that option of going further anytime we want to do it, but we will stick at the mile for the moment while she is doing what she is doing.”
All eyes will be on Abraham Lincoln in Saturday’s Group Two Superlative Stakes, a race O’Brien last won with four-time Group One winner City Of Troy in 2023.
The son of Wootton Bassett, who cost 2.3 million euros as a yearling, made an impressive start to life with victory in a six furlong maiden at the Curragh last month. Although he has a way to go to match the exploits of the 2024 Betfred Derby, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International winner O’Brien expects the step up to seven furlongs to suit.
O’Brien said: “He was in the July Stakes, but after his win at the Curragh we were always probably going to step him up to seven furlongs. It was just a matter of when and I think this race might suit him well.
“We were very happy with what he showed us over six furlongs. We thought he would learn a lot, and he did. The first time out for any horse you can never be totally sure, but we liked what he did in the build up before that and we think he has gone the right way since.
“He has always looked the part in his work, but we have always liked him.”
Qatar Prix du Jockey Club and Coral-Eclipse hero Constitution River had to settle for second best last year in the Rossdales British EBF Maiden Stakes, which gets Saturday’s card underway.
However, O’Brien hopes that Oklahoma can go one place better by building on an encouraging second on his debut in a seven furlong maiden at the Curragh last month behind stablemate Giant Sequoia.
He added: “We are probably going to run Oklahoma out of the three we have entered in the race. He was second in a maiden at the Curragh so he has a bit of experience. We thought he ran a lovely race the first time out, but we do like this horse and we always have done.”
While O’Brien will send out several of his big guns across days two and three of the meeting Listowel third Madam Secretary will look to get his July Festival off to a flyer in Thursday's British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
“She has only had the one run at Listowel, but she has missed a couple of other engagements since. We think she has come forward since Listowel," he said.
“She ran a grand race on her debut as Listowel is difficult for a first timer. That was over six furlongs, but we think going up to seven furlongs will help her.
“We think the experience of going over to England will do her good and we hope she runs a nice race."
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