Derby and Eclipse-winning trainer Aidan O’Brien’s current form ‘the worst we’ve ever recorded’ claim racing experts

NEWMARKET, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 10: Aidan O’Brien poses at Newmarket Racecourse on October 10, 2025 in Newmarket, England. (Photo by Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images) Credit: Getty DERBY and Eclipse-winning trainer Aidan O’Brien’s current form is ‘the worst we’ve ever recorded’, racing experts Timeform have claimed. They say their detailed ‘run to form’ metrics are the bleakest seen for the iconic handler since their records began in 2012. Timeform claim stats show Aidan O’Brien is enduring the worst run of form since their records began in 2012 – but it could soon be about to change for the Derby and Eclipse-winning legend Credit: Getty Timeform’s graph purporting to show that, according to their metric, the current Flat season is the worst for O’Brien since their methodology was introduced in 2012 The findings come as O’Brien saddles three odds-on shots at Leopardstown tonight, including 1-6 filly Alpha in the Group 3 Saudi Cup Silver Flash Stakes. At the time of writing, Timeform pinpointed O’Brien’s run of just three wins from his past 48 runners as an obvious area of concern. But they claim that only tells part of the story. Timeform’s ‘run to form’ measurement compares a horse’s pre-race rating to the rating achieved in their next race. If the two match or are broadly similar then a horse can be described as having run to form. Timeform’s findings revealed that, this month, the number of O’Brien horses running to form had dipped below 50 per cent. They say this marks ‘the worst downturn in form for the yard since the 2020 season which was impacted by Covid.” O’Brien normally has around 75 per cent of his army of horses running to form, so, according to Timeform, this represents a significant dip. Most read in Horse Racing And it couldn’t come at a worse time, with O’Brien running four in Saturday’s blockbuster King George, and Glorious Goodwood starting on Tuesday. Irish Derby winner Benvenuto Cellini and last year’s Arc de Triomphe runner-up Minnie Hauk headline O’Brien’s Ascot squad. Former Derby hero Lambourn and Action are his other two runners who will take on former world’s best horse and 7-4 fav Calandagan. While other stable stars including the likes of Scandinavia and Diamond Necklace prepare to do battle at Goodwood. Timeform claim ‘run to form’ stats ‘can be a much better gauge of a horse, trainer, or jockey than strike rate as it factors in much more than a simple result’. Senior Analyst Kieran Clark said: “With Aidan O’Brien’s ‘run to form’ percentage for the season currently at 54, it’s the lowest by at least five percent since we started publishing the figures. “This is obviously a concern with major targets on the horizon for some of his stable stars in the next week. “And it’ll be interesting to see how those to have already run this month fare next time, particularly if the form of the yard has improved by then.” FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here. Comment now