'It's something we've never done' - Aidan O'Brien forced into late Newmarket travel rearrangements due to coronation

Aidan O'Brien has issued a note of caution about his two colts for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas with stepped-up security for the coronation of King Charles III forcing the trainer to make last-minute travel rearrangements and fly a day earlier than planned.

Hot favourite Auguste Rodin and stablemate Little Big Bear left Ballydoyle on Friday and will spend the night before the first Classic of the season away from home at Newmarket, something O'Brien has never done prior to the Guineas.

Speaking to the Racing Post, O'Brien said: "We've had to change our travel arrangements as there are security issues with the coronation. We were supposed to be flying on Saturday morning, as we always do, but that flight has been cancelled so the two colts had to travel over today [Friday]. They set off at lunchtime.

"It's not something we usually do and we have never done it for the Guineas. We always travel over on the morning of the race. Hopefully they will cope with spending the night away but it's just something different and something we're not used to doing.

"Other than that, everything has gone well with the two colts in the lead-up to the race. We've been very happy with how their preparations have gone."

Auguste Rodin: favourite for the 2,000 GuineasCredit: Edward Whitaker

Just like Auguste Rodin and Little Big Bear, leading Qipco 1,000 Guineas fancy Meditate will travel over the day before the Classic.

"Ideally we would have liked to fly over the morning of the race both days, but that just wasn't possible," O'Brien added.

O'Brien is the most successful trainer in the history of the 2,000 Guineas and is seeking an 11th victory. He won it first in 1998 with King Of Kings and his most recent victory came in 2019 with Magna Grecia.

Meditate will bid to give him an eighth success in the 1,000 Guineas. He has won three of the last four runnings with Hermosa (2019), Love (2020) and Mother Earth (2021).

The 1.30pm start time for the Betfred Derby may force O'Brien to rearrange his Epsom travel plans and fly over the day before.

Speaking in the aftermath of the earlier off-time news, he said: "We always bring them over in the morning. We haven't decided anything yet but there is a big chance we wouldn't be able to do that now. It would be a very early start now."

Read more . . .

2023 2,000 Guineas: the runners, the odds, the verdict 

'Ryan has loved him from day one' - will Auguste Rodin spark Triple Crown dream in 2,000 Guineas? 

2023 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas tips: why these horses can win the big races at Newmarket 

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