Aidan O’Brien’s 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior set to have a crack at the Triple Crown this season
O'Brien's colt won the QIPCO 2000 Guineas in good style at the weekend and looks to have a big season ahead of him
SAXON WARRIOR could have his season geared around achieving the Triple Crown after his 2000 Guineas win.
Aidan O'Brien's colt grabbed glory in the first leg at Newmarket on Saturday and is now set to have a crack at the full set.
If Saxon Warrior is to win the Triple Crown, he will need to be successful in the Derby next month and the St Leger later in the year.
O'Brien told ITV Racing "We were watching it from afar but it was unbelievable.
"Donnacha (O'Brien) has ridden him in all his work so he knew what he was able to do. He knew the horse better than I did.
"The lads always had it in their heads he would go for the Guineas and Derby. Donnacha was very happy, too, so I think that is what everybody is thinking next.
"The Triple Crown has to be on our minds, if he wins the Derby that would be the obvious thing to do but I haven't been told yet."
O'Brien confirmed that Ryan Moore would be back on board at Epsom in his role as number one rider.
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The last horse to win the Triple Crown was Nijinsky back in 1970, although O'Brien went agonisingly close with Camelot back in 2012 when the colt went down by less than a length in the final leg at Doncaster.
Saxon Warrior was making his first start of the season when he gave O'Brien his ninth 2000 Guineas win on Saturday.
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He had previously won the Racing Post Trophy when last seen and remains unbeaten in four races.
Bookies slashed him for the Derby following his Newmarket win and he is now a best-priced 11-10 shot for the Epsom contest on June 2.
The colt is already the 7-2 favourite for the final leg of the Triple Crown, the St Leger, on September 15.