O'Brien closes in on Group One record

Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien saddled his 21st Group One winner of the season when 8-1 chance Halfway to Heaven won the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket yesterday.

The victory made up for the disappointment earlier in the day when hot favourite Yeats finished a well beaten fifth in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp in Paris.

O'Brien is chasing his personal record of 23 Group One winners in a season set in 2001 and the world record figure of 25 posted by American Bobby Frankel in 2003.

The Irishman can close in further in today's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp where he has fancied runners in Duke of Marmalade and Soldier of Fortune, who take on hot French favourite Zarkava.