Who is better - Sun Goddess or Victorious? Aidan O'Brien ponders his two star juvenile fillies after Phoenix Stakes success number 18

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

Aidan O'Brien worships Sun Goddess, but is she better than Victorious? 

That very question was put to the master trainer after Sun Goddess became the first Ballydoyle-based filly to win the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes, justifying 5-4 favouritism without too much fuss. 

"Oh, now you're putting me on the spot," replied O'Brien when asked who was the more talented of his two top-notch two-year-old fillies. 

"Victorious is very special," O'Brien continued. "The two of these fillies arrived at the same time and we had to split them up at Ascot. We thought Victorious was a bit quicker than Sun Goddess so that's why she went for the Queen Mary and this filly went to the Albany. 

"Victorious dropped down to five for the Queen Mary, even though we thought she would stay seven furlongs. 

"We always thought six [furlongs] was a lovely trip for this filly, but we weren't sure whether she would get seven or not. What we learned today was she would have no problem at all with staying seven. 

"She's got serious class. It's the way she went through the race and when Ryan [Moore] asked her to start coming, she was literally there in two strides. He felt he was there too early, but when he asked her she went again so she's obviously good."

Returning to the original question, O'Brien revealed Victorious is unlikely to be seen out again this season after suffering a setback. The Queen Mary winner was eased out to as big as 9-1 for next year’s 1,000 Guineas, having started the day 13-2 with most firms. 

"Victorious might not run again this year," the trainer said. "She was a little bit off-behind [after the Queen Mary] and with fillies like that you have to be very careful, so we won't be taking any risks with her. 

"Sun Goddess will run again this season and you'll be seeing her a bit more."

Summing up the comparison between Sun Goddess and Victorious, he said: "Look, they are two serious fillies, what can I say? Sun Goddess is by Sioux Nation and could keep progressing. She has done more than Victorious has done this year, but Victorious has serious quality. 

Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien after Sun Goddess landed the Phoenix StakesCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"Victorious has travelled to Ascot and won so she has enough experience for next year so we won't be forcing her. She's serious."

O'Brien had won the Phoenix Stakes 17 times before, but never with a filly so Sun Goddess was making history and she did so in decisive fashion on the far side, always appearing in command from the two-furlong pole to score by a length and a quarter from Folsom Blues. 

O'Brien commented: "She's a beautiful filly. She has a lot of gears and a very high cruising pace. Ryan said they went fast and he just said when he started to ask her she motored clear. He said she'll have no problem getting seven furlongs. She's very exciting."

The big disappointment of the race was Celeron. The apple of Michael O'Callaghan's eye was hammered into 6-4 before the off having been as big as 3-1 earlier in the day but he was beaten a long way from home and finished seventh of the eight runners under Oisin Murphy.

The Windsor Castle winner King Of Cloughan was disappointing, too, trailing in last, as Folsom Blues and Velozee were the only ones to muster any sort of a challenge to Sun Goddess. 

In truth, the race was over once Moore pressed the button on Sun Goddess two furlongs out and it was only a matter of how far rather than whether she would win from that point on. 

The Moyglare or the Cheveley Park Stakes could be next on her agenda and she is generally priced between 8-1 and 10-1 for next year's 1,000 Guineas. 

Is she better than Victorious? That is the poser for any punter wanting to have an early ante-post wager on the first fillies' Classic of 2027. 

Read more...

'Relieved, delighted and very proud' - Group 1 glory in Germany for Sir Mark Prescott and Tiffany 

Prix Maurice de Gheest: 'It got tight but it's a wonderful victory' - Graffard hails super Samangan as Division just misses out 

'We didn't bring him here for place money' - Hugo Palmer breaks new ground with victory in $750,000 Saratoga Derby 

BUY YOUR COPY OF THE BIG KICK-OFF

Do not miss The Big Kick-Off. Your best bet for the new football season with unrivalled opinion from Racing Post Sport's team of experts plus all the odds and stats in the ultimate football guide.

Pick up your copy free with the Racing Post on Monday, August 10, pre-order here, and don't miss our full Big Kick Off YouTube show with Nick Goff, Mark Langdon, James Milton and Warren Ashhurst on Sunday evening from 6pm.