Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has positioned himself for a thrilling climax to the 2025 flat season, giving himself two clear opportunities to equal his own world record for the most Group 1 victories in a single calendar year.
The Record in Sight
The master of Ballydoyle has already secured an astonishing 26 top-level wins in 2025. This remarkable haul leaves him just two victories short of the historic benchmark he set himself back in 2017, when he achieved 28 Group 1 successes.
All eyes will now turn to Sha Tin racecourse for the Longines Hong Kong International Races on December 14. The prestigious event, often dubbed the 'Turf World Championships', features four elite Group 1 contests on its card, offering O'Brien his final chance this year to add to his tally.
O'Brien's Strategic Hong Kong Assault
With the Hong Kong Sprint and Hong Kong Cup seemingly dominated by the local superstars Ka Ying Rising and Romantic Warrior respectively, O'Brien has shrewdly targeted the other two feature races.
For the Hong Kong Mile, he will saddle The Lion In Winter, a horse who arrives with strong credentials after finishing a creditable third in the Breeders' Cup Mile. In the Hong Kong Vase, over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs, the O'Brien challenge will be led by Los Angeles, who is looking to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
A significant question mark hangs over the participation of O'Brien's stable jockey, Ryan Moore. The star rider has been sidelined since August with a fractured femur, and his fitness for the Hong Kong meeting is yet to be confirmed.
A Glittering Stage for a Historic Pursuit
The Hong Kong International Races have attracted a stellar international line-up, with 22 individual Group 1 winners set to compete for a share of the record £12 million in total purses.
The meeting promises its own slice of history, with Romantic Warrior aiming to become the first four-time winner of the Hong Kong Cup, having triumphed in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Meanwhile, Ka Ying Rising will attempt to extend his unbeaten streak to an incredible 16 consecutive races.
O'Brien has a strong previous record in the Vase, having won the race with Highland Reel in both 2015 and 2017, and with Mogul in 2020. He will face competition from last year's winner, Giavellotto, and a challenge from his eldest son, Joseph, who prepares the triple Group 1 winner Al Riffa.
Andrew Harding, the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s executive director of racing, expressed his excitement, stating: "We are excited by the quality of selected runners for this year’s Longines Hong Kong International Races and the presence of so many of the stars is in keeping with our long-held commitment to deliver sporting excellence."
The stage is now set for a dramatic conclusion to O'Brien's record-chasing year, with the world of horse racing watching to see if he can once again make history.
