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Established in 1981, at the now-defunct Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois, the Arlington Million Stakes was, as the name suggests, the first horse race to offer $1,000,000 in prize money and, in its heyday, the most valuable race in the world. The first British-trained horse to win the Arlington Million Stakes, or the Budweiser Million Stakes, as the race was known, briefly, in the early eighties, was the three-year-old Tolomeo in 1983.

Bought, as a yearling, by retired Italian lawyer Carlo d’Alessio – a one-time astronomy student, who named him after Ptolemy, the Greco-Roman cosmologist – Tolomeo was put into training with Luca Cumani in Newmarket. The son of Lypheor, from the family of Northern Dancer, duly shed his maiden tag at his local course in October, 1982, on this third start of a juvenile but, prior to his journey Stateside, his three-year-old campaign consisted of a string of near-misses, albeit at the highest level. Tolomeo had finished second in the 2,000 Guineas, the St. James’s Palace Stakes and the Sussex Stakes and third in the Coral-Eclipse, leading to a difference of opinion on opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Priced up at 5/1 second-favourite by British bookmakers, Tolomeo was, nonetheless, dismissed locally, such that he was sent off at 38/1, in a field of 14, on his American debut. Ridden by the late Pat Eddery, he made his challenge, on the inside, halfway up the home straight, as the leader, Nijinksy’s Secret, weakened and rolled away from the rail. Tolomeo led by a length or so at the furlong marker, but was ultimately all out to hold the fast-finishing John Henry – who had won the inugural Arlington Million two seasons previously and, as an older horse, was conceding 8lb – by a neck. Hold on he did, though, thereby pocketing the $600,000 winning prize money for connections.

As we approach the midway stages of the 2025 flat racing season, few trainers have enjoyed as dominant a campaign as Aidan O’Brien.

From Classic triumphs to Group 1 success, the master of Ballydoyle has once again underlined his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

With almost £4 million in prize money racked up already, we’re going to look back at four of O’Brien’s biggest victories in Britain this year—and the significance behind each.

Coronation Cup: Jan Brueghel

St Leger winner Jan Brueghel bounced back from his second in the Group 3 Alleged Stakes at the Curragh on reappearance with another top-level success in the Coronation Cup at Epsom.

Second favourite in the market behind odds-on French raider Calandagan, the four-year-old was still a popular choice with those who had taken advantage of their top free bets and backed the O’Brien charge.

Jan Brueghel was pushed out to lead two furlongs from home and stayed on gamely back over one mile and four furlongs to hold off the Francis Henri Graffard-trained challenger by half a length in a thrilling finish.

Oaks: Minnie Hauk

On the same day as her Ballydoyle stablemate’s success in the Coronation Cup, Minnie Hauk landed an 11^th Epsom Oaks for O’Brien—marking his first win in the prestigious Fillies’ Classic since Tuesday’s triumph in 2022.

1000 Guineas winner Desert Flower was the short-priced favourite for the contest, but questions were asked about her staying power over one mile and four furlongs, and she was no match for O’Brien’s 1-2 in the Oaks.

15/2 shot Whirl, with Wayne Lordan in the saddle, gave Minnie Hauk and Ryan Moore a good run for her money inside the final furlongs, but the latter pair just about did enough to win by a neck at the line.

Derby: Lambourn

While Lordan missed out on Classic success 24 hours earlier, the Irish jockey had his crowning moment in the most elite race of them all—winning the Epsom Derby for the first time aboard Lambourn.

The son of Australia was technically O’Brien’s third-string runner with start-price odds of 13/2, as those free bets preferred race favourite Delacroix with their free bets, but Lambourn made easy work of the Derby field.

The three-year-old made virtually all the running in the one-mile and four-furlong contest, opening a lead by three lengths at the three-furlong marker and was never going to be caught by any of his rivals as he stormed to an 11^th Derby win for his trainer.

Eclipse: Delacroix

Bouncing back from his disappointing run in the Derby, finishing ninth and 16 lengths behind the winner, Delacroix was dropped back to one mile and two furlongs for the Eclipse and scored in jaw-dropping fashion.

6/4 favourite Ombudsman looked to have the race wrapped up for John and Thady Gosden as the Godolphin-owned horse pulled away from The Lion In Winter under William Buick, but Delacroix came from nowhere to win by a neck.

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O’Brien’s four Group 2 wins at Royal Ascot in the Coventry with Gstaad, True Love in the Queen Mary, Charles Darwin in the Norfolk and Ribblesdale Stakes with Garden Of Eden are also worth mentioning.

The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is the pinnacle of the European flat racing season and a major highlight in any analysis from the key horse racing meetings each year. As one of the sport’s most prestigious races, the Arc plays a central role in shaping trends and outcomes across horse racing bets, with punters and bookmakers alike paying close attention to how contenders peak for this autumn showdown.

Held at ParisLongchamp in early October, the Arc is renowned for attracting the best middle-distance thoroughbreds in the world. While French-trained runners have traditionally fared well, several British-trained winners have left their mark on the race in recent years. Here’s a look back at those standout performances.

2024 – Bluestocking

A landmark win for trainer Ralph Beckett and jockey Rossa Ryan, Bluestocking’s Arc triumph was a feel-good story and a breakthrough moment.

After a career of near-misses at two and three, the filly progressed massively at four—winning a Group 2 and two Group 1s before the crowning moment on one of Europe’s biggest stages.

The win marked a record seventh Arc victory for the global breeding and racing powerhouse Juddmonte. For Beckett and Ryan, it was a first Arc success and a major statement on the international scene.

“She is an extraordinary beast,” Beckett said afterwards.

“The draw helped. Rossa got her in the right place – everything went to plan and this is our best-ever day.”

2022 – Alpinista

Trained by Sir Mark Prescott, Alpinista completed an unbeaten six-race Group 1 streak with a gutsy Arc win under regular rider Luke Morris.

Already a star on the continent with top-level wins in Germany, France and the Yorkshire Oaks, her Longchamp success crowned a masterfully managed career.

Bred and owned by Kirsten Rausing, Alpinista’s victory was a testament to patience, planning, and pure ability.

2017 & 2018 – Enable

One of the all-time greats, Enable secured back-to-back Arc wins in 2017 and 2018 for trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori.

Her 2017 win as a three-year-old was a dominant display, while her 2018 triumph came after a disrupted season—highlighting her incredible resilience and talent.

Enable was just held by Waldgeist on her hat-trick attempt, denied history, and placed sixth when trying to reclaim her crown again in 2020.

2015 – Golden Horn

Derby winner Golden Horn capped a stellar three-year-old campaign with a commanding Arc victory. Despite a wide draw and testing ground, Dettori gave him a tactically perfect ride to defeat a high-class field.

Also trained by Gosden, Golden Horn’s versatility and consistency earned him Horse of the Year honours and cemented his place in racing history.

2010 – Workforce

After a record-breaking Derby win earlier that season, Workforce bounced back from a King George defeat to land the Arc in dramatic fashion.

With Ryan Moore in the saddle for Sir Michael Stoute, the colt dug deep to fend off a strong international field, ending an eight-year wait for a British-trained winner of the race.

The late Gerald Barnard Balding Jr., known as ‘Toby’ since childhood, became the youngest trainer in Britain when, aged 20, he inherited the licence at Fyfield House in Weyhill, Hampshire following the untimely death of his father, Gerald Barnard Balding Sr., on September 16, 1957. Toby Balding was always a ‘dual purpose’ trainer, but is probably best remembered for his exploits in the sphere of National Hunt racing. Indeed, he had the rare distinction winning the Grand National (twice, with Highland Wedding in 1969 and Little Polveir in 1989), the Champion Hurdle (twice, with Beech Road in 1989 and Morley Street in 1991) and the Cheltenham Gold Cup (with Cool Ground in 1992).

Aside the ‘Holy Trinity’ of National Hunt races, Balding also achieved several notable successes on the Flat, stretching back to New World, who landed a gamble for the yard, in the Portland Handicap at Doncaster in 1959. Much later in his career – in fact, the year before he retired from training to care for his wife, Carolyn Anne (née Barclay), who had been diagnosed with cancer – he did, indeed, win the November Handicap at Doncaster.

By that stage of his career, in late 2003, Balding had recently moved to the purpose-built Kimpton Down Stables and, while it would be fair to say that the traditional season finale was not the race it had been in its heyday, the four-year-old Turbo still beat 23 rivals to lift the £29,432 first prize. Ridden by Tony Clark, who also retired the follow February, the Piccolo gelding was sent off at 25/1 at Doncaster but, despite persistently hanging left in the closing stages, stayed on well to win by 1½ lengths. In so doing, he became the first winner sent out from the yard and the last major winner for his versatile trainer.