Aidan O’Brien plays down half century of Royal Ascot wins

Aidan O'Brien made light of his achievement of reaching 50 Royal Ascot winners, describing himself as "only a small part of a very big team" after Even Song achieved his landmark success in the Ribblesdale Stakes.

O’Brien remains as humble and as dedicated as he was when Harbour Master gave the Ballydoyle trainer his first winner at Flat racing’s biggest meeting in 1997.

“I’m only a small part of a very big team. Everybody works hard and I’m happy for everybody. I’m very grateful,” he said.

He may have an abundance of talent to go racing with, but horses have to be trained and placed to perfection to produce the right results and Even Song is a prime example.

Though she had every right to go to the Investec Oaks at Epsom after her promising third on her seasonal debut at Newmarket, O’Brien felt the right route for her was to come to Royal Ascot and then hopefully go on to the Curragh for the Irish Oaks.

After all, he did have Minding for Epsom and the Qipco 1000 Guineas heroine duly doubled her Classic tally.

The decision to wait for the Ribblesdale proved correct as she justified heavy market support.

Sent off the 15-8 favourite, Even Song was not too far behind a steady gallop set by Ted Durcan on Shall We.

Oaks runner-up Architecture ran keen from a wide draw under Frankie Dettori and gave herself little chance of going one better.

Roger Varian’s maiden Ajman Princess had the perfect trip through on the rail and showed a determined attitude, keeping on gamely but she had no answer to Even Song’s turn of foot.

Everything opened up in front of Ryan Moore and she soon put the race to bed when asked a question.

Even Song powered a length and a half clear of Ajman Princess, with The Black Princess holding off the fast-finishing Queen’s Trust for third.

O’Brien, who still has some way to go to overhaul the late Henry Cecil’s record of 75 winners, said: He said: “It’s unbelievable. She’s a lovely filly.

“Ryan rode her in Newmarket in the Pretty Polly and thought she was the second best filly so we decided to leave her and come here instead of going to Epsom and running against Minding, so we’re delighted she’s won.

“It worked great and he gave her a lovely ride. He got a lovely run when he wanted.

“When it works, it’s great and we were looking forward to seeing her run. Ryan thought after Newmarket she would get a mile and a half well and handle ease in the ground well and it all worked lovely for her.

“I was a little bit worried she might be a little bit green. She hasn’t raced much and that was only her second run this year. I said that to Ryan, but he didn’t have worries going out.

“We were thinking we might go back to the Irish Oaks if all went well here so that’s what we might do.”

He added: “She’s a very well-bred filly. She’s a half-sister to last year’s Leger winner (Simple Verse).

“She’s an exciting filly and a big mare so you’d imagine she’d improve and could be better next year.”

Moore said: “She had a good turn of foot. We did go slow, but she relaxed well and was in tight quarters before we got a gap.

“She’s a very good filly. Architecture had a rough trip backing up from the Oaks.

“This filly, we thought it was a good spot for her and Aidan has trained her with this mind.

“Let’s hope he gets to 100 – that would be more special.”

Owners John and Sue Magnier were not at the track, but their daughter Katie Wachman paid tribute to O'Brien's achievement.

She said: “It’s incredibly difficult, but he’s an incredible trainer. It’s fantastic.”

Varian is now eager to win at least a maiden with Ajman Princess.

He said: “She has run well and I’ve always really liked this filly. I’ve been a bit disappointed I’ve not broken her maiden tag yet. When she was second here on her second start, she split two Listed winners.

“We might come back and make her a maiden winner or stay at this level – probably the priority is to make her a maiden winner first.”