'He's in that kind of mould' - could Limestone be Joseph O'Brien's next Melbourne project?

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There's no better trainer in Europe at targeting the Melbourne Cup than Joseph O'Brien and he could have another contender for Flemington in Queen's Vase winner Limestone.

O'Brien noted in the aftermath that "the sky is the limit" for the son of New Bay who has now won his last four races, improving steadily for each step up in distance. A half-brother to Irish Derby runner-up Lone Eagle, Limestone is proving hugely progressive in the staying ranks and has a host of options as a result.

A Classic bid in September's Betfred St Leger at Doncaster, which O'Brien landed in 2020 with Galileo Chrome, or a crack at the Irish equivalent a day later, could be his next big assignment but a Melbourne Cup tilt would be a fascinating plan. 

The trainer's Owning stable memorably landed the world-famous two-miler in 2017 with Rekindling, also a three-year-old, and he had run fourth in the St Leger before landing the lucrative contest under Corey Brown. 

That victory seemed to kickstart a trend with the following two winners also part of the Classic generation - four-year-olds under Australian rules - following eight years without a win. 

O'Brien followed up with another extraordinary Melbourne Cup win when Twilight Payment repeated the feat three years later under Jye McNei by beating Tiger Moth, trained by O'Brien's father Aidan, into second. 

Joseph O'Brien has a fabulous record with all types of horses on the Flat and over jumps but his ability to campaign staying Flat types is second to none, illustrated by those two Cup wins, two Irish Cesarewitches, a St Leger and its Irish equivalent, two Queen Alexandra successes and a recent Chester Cup.

Last year, he saddled Goodie Two Shoes to finish second at Flemington, while the high-class Al Riffa finished seventh. 

When asked whether Limestone could be his next Australian project, he said: "Potentially. We'll see how he pulls up and make a plan, but he's in that kind of mould, all right.

"I think the sky is the limit for him as a middle-distance or staying horse. He's got better and better with every race and has an outstanding pedigree. This gives us plenty of options. He doesn't win by very far but is very game."

Read more:

'She's a star' - Group 1 ambitions for Blue Bolt after winning Duke of Cambridge Stakes for Andrew Balding and Colin Keane 

Prince of Wales's Stakes: classy Ombudsman sparkles in Royal Ascot showdown against Daryz 

Exciting filly Victorious powers to Queen Mary Stakes win as Aidan O'Brien nears landmark 100th Royal Ascot success 

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