Australian import Storm Boy impressing O'Brien

Subsequently third in the Golden Slipper, he won a Grade 3 in August but failed to add to that in three subsequent starts.

He has since been brought north of the equator with the aim of establishing himself as a top sprinter in these parts, with Royal Ascot as a priority and the possibility of the July Cup subsequently.

“We’re very happy with him,” reported O’Brien. “He’s fast. Before he came here, I didn’t know if he was one for six, seven or eight furlongs as a type, but there’s no doubt that he’s a sprinter.

“He wants to go fast and is a big, powerful horse. I’d imagine he’ll have one run before Ascot, maybe in the Greenlands at the Curragh. He’s very quick and you’d be very happy with everything he’s doing at the moment.” 

Much more familiar on these shores is Los Angeles, who was a revelation at three but his trainer is expecting he could be even better this year. Another powerfully built sort, there is certainly scope for improvement, and O’Brien is more than hopeful we are yet to see the best of the Camelot colt who won three times last season, including the Irish Derby and the Great Voltigeur.

O’Brien said: “We’re very happy with him. The plan is to go to the Tattersalls Gold Cup and maybe have a run in one of the mile-and-a-quarter trials at the Curragh on the way. He has done very well physically.

"We feel going back to the Arc will suit him well. It didn’t work out for him last year as he ended up making the running. Obviously, he'd prefer to be getting a lead, but he could be a very legitimate horse this year."

The remarkable Kyprios looked as well as ever as he took his morning exercise, and O’Brien reported the seven-year-old on course for another season which will be centred around a bid for a third win in the Ascot Gold Cup.

“He’s back and is in great shape. The plan is to go to Ascot, and the two runs before it, and everything else can fall into line after that. Everything is very good with him at the moment. He’s very comfortable in that department.

“He’s a great horse. He goes forward and parks himself into second gear and goes to sleep, and he’s always been like that — his personality has never changed.” 

The Gold Cup is a race O’Brien has won a record nine times, with Yeats accounting for four of them.

At the other end of the racing scale, the two-year-olds are yet to be fully put through their paces, but a few have already caught the eye of their handler.

“We haven’t named these horses yet, but ones who could be worth keeping an eye out for are a St Mark’s Basilica colt out of Step Sequence, a No Nay Never colt out of Muirin, and a Wootton Bassett colt out of Yet,” revealed O’Brien.

“I’ll also mention a Wootton Bassett out of Hence, a Starspangledbanner colt out of Mosa Mine, a St Mark’s Basilica colt out of Willow. There’s also a St Mark’s Basilica colt out of Archangel Gabriel, who is a fast horse too.

“I don’t know which of them is best, but the Wootton Bassett colt out of Yet just looks a bit different at the moment. It is early days, though!”