Aidan O'Brien is back in the Classics groove - three things we learned this week

The Irish Guineas meeting at the Curragh plus two top-class sprints at Haydock rounded off the week, which included a Derby hero's return in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes - but what did we learn from the last seven days?

O'Brien's Classics campaign is finally up and running

Discounting Aidan O'Brien in Classics is a perilous approach, even if the master Ballydoyle trainer went into Irish Guineas weekend with some questions to answer about his top three-year-olds.

O'Brien had a Newmarket to forget earlier in the month, especially in a disastrous 2,000 Guineas where Auguste Rodin – touted as a Triple Crown hope – and Little Big Bear finished third-last and last respectively. Meditate was also put in her place when beaten more than 11 lengths into sixth in the 1,000 Guineas.

But punters kept faith in O'Brien for the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Saturday and his chief hope, Paddington, was well backed into 3-1 for the Classic. And, boy, did it pay off.

Paddington, who won the Madrid Handicap off a mark of 97 just two starts ago, continued his rapid ascent through the ranks with a stunning success under Ryan Moore. To make matters even better, Ballydoyle also saddled runner-up Cairo.

A miserable start to May has blossomed into a fine Classics spring for O'Brien and it feels a good sign for him heading to Epsom.

"The game is moving all the time," O'Brien said after Paddington's win. Now the game goes on to leading fancies Savethelastdance in the Oaks and Auguste Rodin in the Derby.

Little Big Bear could be sprint king but fillies are formidable

The sprinting division seemed as open as ever in the early parts of the Flat season but it took a significant twist with Little Big Bear's stunning win in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.

Last year's champion juvenile may have been written off by some after his flop in the 2,000 Guineas, when floundering in the soft ground, but he stormed to victory by a length and a quarter on his return to sprinting.

Little Big Bear: last year's star juvenile thrived in the Sandy LaneCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt is now 6-4 favourite for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and appears to have that race at his mercy, with the July Cup and Haydock Sprint Cup possible later targets. Even the Nunthorpe Stakes over five furlongs may be an option, given O'Brien had been tempted to go for it with him last year.

The fillies are also laying claim to the leading sprinter crown and Dramatised elevated her profile with victory in the Temple Stakes half an hour after Little Big Bear's success on the same Haydock card.

With Highfield Princess, Azure Blue and brilliant Australian sprinter Coolangatta also in the picture, it could pay to follow the fillies and mares in the months to come.

Still waiting for Desert Crown answers

Plenty had expected last year's Derby winner Desert Crown to make a winning comeback, despite his long layoff, in Sandown's Brigadier Gerard Stakes on Thursday, but we were left with more questions than answers after his surprise defeat to Hukum.

It was not a bad return, given he had to switch to the outside, but he was reeled in by a rival who was on his own comeback mission and you could be forgiven for wanting more from a 2-5 favourite. 

Luxembourg emerged as another potential leader of the older pack in the middle-distance division with victory in the Tattersalls Gold Cup on Sunday and it will be intriguing to see how Desert Crown fares next time. Does he still have that raw ability and class we saw at Epsom? The jury is out.

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