Aidan O'Brien: Top 5 Royal Ascot Moments

5. Starspangledbanner – Golden Jubilee Stakes 2010

Starspangledbanner arrived at Ballydoyle as a dual Group 1-winning four-year-old in Australia, and he was sent to the Golden Jubilee Stakes after a promising effort to finish fifth in the Duke of York Stakes on his British debut the previous month, when conceding weight to the field and going for home sooner than the four who finished ahead of him. That run ensured his lofty reputation remained intact, and he was sent off as a 13/2 joint-favourite in what looked an open renewal of the Golden Jubilee Stakes. Out fast to grab the stand rail, Starspangledbanner quickly put his rivals to the sword, showing a blistering amount of speed to take control of the race and score by one and three quarter lengths. That run established him as the major force in the sprinting division, and he would follow up in the July Cup a month later. 

4. Gleneagles – St James's Palace Stakes 2015

Gleneagles had become just the eighth horse in history to complete the English/Irish 2000 Guineas double at the Curragh the previous month, and such was his grip on the three-year-old division that only four rivals decided to take their chance against him in the St James's Palace Stakes. None of the horses who were beaten by him at either Newmarket or the Curragh opted to face him again, but the presence of the French Guineas winner Make Believe, as well as the progressive pair Consort and Latharnach, meant that there was still some depth to the line-up. However, Gleneagles was backed as though defeat was out of the question, being sent off as a 15/8-on chance, and there was barely a moment of worry as he completed a Group 1 hat-trick for the season in emphatic fashion; starting a move two furlongs out under Ryan Moore and soon in command inside the final furlong, scoring by two and a half lengths to record a seventh success in the race for his master trainer. 

3. Highland Reel – Prince of Wales's Stakes 2017

Although he was already a five-time Group 1 winner by this point, the globe-trotting Highland Reel had never got the credit he perhaps deserved, though he was granted the opportunity to show his talent in a strong renewal of the Prince of Wales's Stakes, which contained 4 last-time-out winners at Group 1 level. Highland Reel was one of those, having won the Coronation Cup at Epsom 19 days earlier under a trademark front-running ride, though Ryan Moore was a touch more reserved on his mount here; tracking the pace set by the Godolphin pace-setter Scottish, before picking up the lead very briefly a furlong out, and then showing all of his battling qualities to hold off the challenges of both Decorated Knight and Ulysses to record a sixth top level win - in what was undoubtedly his finest hour. 

2. Sir Isaac Newton – Wolferton Handicap 2017

Sir Isaac Newton's victory, although impressive, will always carry more significance for what it meant rather than what he achieved, as he created yet more history for his trainer, by sealing a record seventh victory at Royal Ascot for him that year. With everything officially rated at least 100 in the field, it was a quality renewal of the Wolferton Stakes, and the strong pace enabled Sir Isaac Newton to produce his best effort to that point under Ryan Moore; travelling well and sweeping through to pick up the lead a furlong out, before being driven out to win by half a length - and write his trainer's name into the history books once again. 

Seven up for Aidan O'Brien as Sir Isaac Newton gets sum right. Trainer said key was him relaxing today. #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/328dWc6mX5

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) June 18, 2016

1. Yeats – Ascot Gold Cup 2009

Despite having plenty of iconic moments to choose from during his illustrious career, it's likely that very few will top Yeats' record-breaking win in the 203rd renewal of the Ascot Gold Cup, when he moved past the great Sagaro to become the first four-time winner of the race, and just the second horse in history to win the same race more than 3 times (after Brown Jack's 6-timer in the Queen Alexandra). The eight-year-old was perhaps proving harder and harder to motivate as he entered the closing stages of his career, producing a tame effort on reappearance prior to this start at Navan in April, but he returned to his high-class best for his big day; ridden to get first run, and kept finding gamely to the line once he'd burst into an advantage, to record an emphatic three and a half length success.