Constitution River Leads Brilliant 1-2-3 for O'Brien

Constitution River (FR) overcame a nightmare draw and two stablemates who fought like lions to run out a brave and classy winner of the Prix du Jockey Club (G1) May 31 at Chantilly. Ryan Moore will deservedly receive plaudits for an attacking ride from stall 15 of 16, staying wide for the first furlong and a half and using up plenty of petrol to get across to slot in behind Montreal (IRE) and Hawk Mountain (IRE), before Constitution River exploded into life up the straight. And even though Aidan O'Brien did the same thing on this track in the Arc 10 years ago, it was hard to imagine the Ballydoyle genius saddling the first three home in the classic. Both Moore and O'Brien performed at the height of their powers, but the real star of the show was Constitution River, who recorded the third-fastest time in the race since it was cut in distance 21 years ago. In doing so, he ran 2 1/2 meters further than the runner-up and almost 4 meters further than the trailblazing Montreal. "He's done something which you don't normally do, and that's cover ground," said Moore. "Usually, on the round track here, the fence is always an advantage. He had obstacles to overcome and you wouldn't ideally do what I did. "It was the best card to play today, and it's only a horse with that talent that could overcome that." Which route O'Brien and the 'lads' might choose to go down may not solely be down to what happens with Benvenuto Cellini and company at Epsom in six days' time, with the trainer cautious about naming a full summer's worth of targets for a horse he expects to take a while to get over his Chantilly exertions. "He's a big horse, so I'd say we'll probably take our time with him," O'Brien said. "I think he won't be rushed in the middle of the summer. I wouldn't be surprised if we give him a bit of time before his next run. "It was a tough race today, and I'd say it was an evenly run race today, and those horses battled up the straight, and so I'd say they had tough races. We'll discuss it, but I imagine the ads will take their time with him and he could come back in the autumn." Even as his words were being translated into French during the post-race press conference, O'Brien took back the microphone to add: "In case he came out of the race very well, the Eclipse is a race the lads often run those good 3-year-olds in, so I wouldn't rule anything in or out." It was left to M.V. Magnier to sum up O'Brien's level of achievement, even as four more colts are being brought to a peak for the Betfred Derby (G1) June 6. Training the first three in the Prix du Jockey Club ranks near the top of O'Brien's outstanding achievements. Number one remains his unique 1-2-3 in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) in 2016, when Found (IRE) led home stablemates Highland Reel (IRE) and Order of St George (IRE). A statistical phenomenon, O'Brien himself has had the first four in other group 1s, including the 2017 Dewhurst Stakes (G1) won by US Navy Flag.