“Aidan O’Brien is the one that everyone’s trying to latch on to,” Appleby, who saddled four Group One winners on three continents last season, said. Whether or not Osborne’s return to Ireland was linked to John Gosden’s increasing significance in the Godolphin operation is anyone’s guess. Their close neighbour’s increasing influence at Godolphin will surely increase pressure on Appleby and Suroor to get results, above all in the major classics in England, France and Ireland over the next two-and-a-half months. Both classic contenders spent the winter in Dubai and will return to Newmarket early next week. “The further Ghaiyyath goes, the further the improvement you’ll see,” Appleby said.

Source: The Guardian March 29, 2018 14:12 UTC