Aidan O’Brien Equals World Record as Benvenuto Cellini Lights Up the Breeders’ Cup

Aidan O’Brien has once again written his name into racing history, equalling his own world record of 28 Group or Grade 1 victories in a calendar year after Benvenuto Cellini landed the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland.

It was another major international success for Ballydoyle and another reminder of the extraordinary standards O’Brien continues to set at the very highest level of the sport.

Photo: Antoine / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0

Moore Keeps His Cool

Ryan Moore was in the saddle for Benvenuto Cellini and delivered the kind of composed ride that has become synonymous with the partnership. On one of racing’s biggest stages, the Irish Derby winner produced when it mattered and gave his trainer another landmark success.

For O’Brien, the victory took his 2026 tally to 28 top-level wins, matching the world record he had already set himself.

Another Remarkable Ballydoyle Season

The remarkable thing about O’Brien’s record is not simply the number of elite races won, but the range of horses, distances and countries involved. Ballydoyle has again been a major force across the international programme throughout 2026.

There could still be another chapter to come. A possible Hong Kong appearance for Benvenuto Cellini in December would leave O’Brien with an opportunity to move beyond 28 and establish a new outright record of 29.

Keeneland racecourse.

Breeders’ Cup Dominance

The result also strengthened O’Brien’s extraordinary Breeders’ Cup record. He now has 24 victories at the meeting, moving further clear of Bob Baffert on 22.

That record says plenty about Ballydoyle’s ability to travel horses and have them ready to perform against the best from around the world.

How Good Could Benvenuto Cellini Become?

Benvenuto Cellini already had an Irish Derby on his CV, but this Breeders’ Cup victory takes his profile to another level. He also has a fascinating pedigree: his dam, Newspaperofrecord, was herself a Breeders’ Cup winner, taking the Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2018.

If he does head to Hong Kong, he could yet provide one of the defining racing stories of the closing weeks of the year.

The Guvnor’s View

I’ve followed racing for more than 50 years and what Aidan O’Brien continues to achieve is exceptional. Records at this level are difficult enough to reach once; to keep putting yourself in a position to equal or break them again says everything about the consistency of the operation. Benvenuto Cellini is clearly a top-class colt, and if he travels to Hong Kong he will be one I’ll be watching very closely.

Their Guvnor Files Record

These are not Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore’s overall career statistics. They show how their runners and rides have performed specifically when they have been selected by The Guvnor Files.

Aidan O’Brien — 28 selections | 16 winners | 57.14% strike rate | +46.26 pts profit | +82.61% ROI

Ryan Moore — 40 selections | 17 winners | 42.50% strike rate | +24.69 pts profit | +31.86% ROI

O’Brien & Moore Together — 19 selections | 13 winners | 68.42% strike rate | +30.76 pts profit | +80.95% ROI

When O’Brien and Moore have teamed up on one of our selections, 13 of the 19 have won — a 68.42% strike rate and +30.76 points profit. That’s exactly the kind of trainer-and-jockey angle we track every day as part of our selection process.

A Strong Week for The Guvnor Files

Last week our Main Bets produced +26.17 points profit from 50 selections, with 20 winners, a 40% strike rate and +24.23% ROI.

Under our weekly profit strategy, 13.09 points were banked and the remaining half was left in the betting pool to continue growing the bank.

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For our daily horse-racing selections, Nap of the Day, Daily Double, Lay of the Day and regular racing analysis, visit The Guvnor Files and follow @guvnorfiles on Instagram and X.

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