Aidan O'Brien aims for a historic milestone: Hong Kong could yield his 28th G1 victory of the year

The Irish trainer equaled his 2017 record of 28 top-level victories in a single season at the Breeders' Cup. He now prepares a formidable contingent for Sha Tin, with Benvenuto Cellini, Diamond Necklace, Lambourn, and Minnie Hauk among his potential representatives

Aidan O'Brien stands one victory away from rewriting the record books once again. The formidable Irish trainer,whose career seems to acknowledge no boundaries, faces one final major opportunity to cap 2026 with an unprecedented milestone: surpassing the 28 G1 victories he captured in 2017, a mark he recently matched during the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland.

The stage chosen to attempt such a feat could be Sha Tin, host next month to the Hong Kong International Races,one of the premier meetings on the global calendar that routinely gathers leading figures from Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

O'Brien enters this juncture following an extraordinary campaign, crowned in Kentucky with three victories during the world championships. Among them was Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel) in the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1), a result that allowed the Ballydoyle master to reach that benchmark of 28 top-level wins once again.

Now, the objective is to take one further step. Judging by the roster of prospective travelers to Hong Kong, he is prepared to mount a full-scale assault.

Benvenuto Cellini emerges as one of his primary contenders. The chestnut colt comes off a stellar performance at Keeneland and could find in the Hong Kong Vase (G1), over 2400 meters, another platform to showcase his international credentials. It would also serve as an ideal spot to build on momentum that has established him among the world's premier stayers.

Yet the Breeders' Cup hero would not travel alone. O'Brien is also weighing campaigns for Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica), a multiple G1-winning filly; Lambourn (Australia), hero of the 2025 Epsom Derby (G1) and Irish Derby (G1); and Minnie Hauk (Frankel), another standout from his powerhouse stable.

Joining them on the preliminary list are Queenstown (Galileo), True Love (No Nay Never), and Puerto Rico(Wootton Bassett), underlining the strategic priority Ballydoyle assigns to the Asian fixture.

The undertaking, however, presents a stiff test. The Hong Kong International Races invariably pit visiting runners against formidable local turf specialists, who are notoriously difficult to beat on home turf.

The meeting features four G1 events sponsored by Longines, offering roughly £12.3 million in total purses. The Hong Kong Cup, over 2000 meters, carries a £3.8 million purse; the Mile, over 1600 meters, offers £3.4 million; the Sprint,over 1200 meters, distributes £2.6 million; and the Vase, over 2400 meters, holds a £2.5 million prize fund.

European representation promises to be deep. Giavellotto (Mastercraftsman), winner of the Hong Kong Vase in 2024 and second in 2025, could return for trainer Marco Botti, while Ed Walker has nominated Almaqam (Lope de Vega) for the Cup.

Aidan's son, Joseph O'Brien, is likewise considering a raid with several runners, including Galen (Gleneagles), fourth in the 2025 Hong Kong Cup, alongside Bright Light (City Light), Goodie Two Shoes (Fastnet Rock), James J Braddock (Zarak), Omni Man (Invincible Spirit), Sons And Lovers (Study of Man), and Trustyourinstinct(Churchill).

Godolphin's potential squad includes Military Order (Frankel), Glacius (Too Darn Hot), and Wimbledon Hawkeye(Kameko), with other European entries under consideration including Enfjaar (Lope de Vega), Never So Brave (No Nay Never), Docklands (Massaat), and Survie (Churchill).

The Hong Kong Sprint could feature British contender Tuco Salamanca (Belardo), though awaiting there is the extraordinary Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress), ranked among the world's elite horses in international ratings and coming off a runner-up effort in Australia's The Everest (G1).

For O'Brien, the pursuit transcends purses and opposition. His 28 G1 wins in 2017 appeared to set a towering benchmark that might never be matched. Nine years later, he has equaled it and now holds the opportunity to eclipse it.

It would not be merely another record for a trainer accustomed to collecting them. It would serve as definitive proof of sustained excellence at the absolute pinnacle of international thoroughbred racing.

Hong Kong may well provide the setting for his 29th G1 victory of 2026. And Benvenuto Cellini, who just delivered a landmark triumph at Keeneland, could once again serve as the catalyst for another historic chapter at Ballydoyle.