One trainer and two horses dominate the racing scene in Britain and Ireland. Constitution Hill and Constitution River (no relation). The superstars could hardly be more different.

Constitution Hill, beaten only when he falls, won his first two races for former champion jumps trainer Nicky Henderson, five years ago, at Sandown Park, by wide margins – over two miles, over hurdles. Constitution River won on his first visit to Sandown, last Saturday, the £1million Coral bookmaker-sponsored Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs, for perennial Flat champion trainer Aidan O`Brien.

From the stands at Sandown the skyline is dominated by the London metropolis. “When a man is tired of London he`s tired of life” said Samuel Johnson in 1777. The city had been rebuilt a century earlier after the ‘Great Fire` destroyed most of it: on Saturday a large proportion of its population descended on Sandown to applaud Constitution River, ‘on fire` when torching his Eclipse field.

All eyes on a sweltering day were on the three-year-old French Derby winner in in the first seasonal Group One clash of the generations. Some commentators (though not the public) get a bit weary, others blaze - seeing Aidan O`Brien cleaning up racing`s big prizes with an inevitability which threatens to turn the game into a Coolmore benefit. This was their fourth Eclipse in a row; fifth in the last six years. At ten furlongs as opposed to the Derby`s twelve it has become very much a stallion-making race; as has the French Derby over the same distance. Of course O`Brien won that race; and the Derby at Epsom too. And the Irish.

O`Brien doesn`t just enjoy a run of sustained excellence but over the last decade at least has harvested the world`s top races. The Coolmore breeding operation provides most of the seeds though Constitution River, though a son of their own Wootton Bassett cost £4000,000. O`Brien fertilizes them with his genius. The phrase “Eclipse first the rest nowhere” entered the English language to describe overwhelming superiority – as of the unbeaten Eclipse in the eighteenth century. The name O`Brien carries similar weight today.

The mastermind trainer and the so-called ‘lads`- the Coolmore entourage - are relentless and the betting public is obliged to take short odds – Constitution River went off 8/11. Beaten just once, on his debut, he`s the son of Wootton Bassett (sire of all three of Coolmore`s three Eclipse runners) out of the Group One-winning Le Havre mare Wonderful Tonight. Coolmore have invested so much to succeed their omnipotent Galileo. On that losing debut Constitution River divided Charley Appleby`s Godolphin runners in a Newmarket maiden – in the days when Godolphin, themselves six-times winner of the Eclipse, were a constant threat to Coolmore.

There was none in the Eclipse from Sheikh Mohammed`s ‘boys in blue` (their prime older horse Ombudsman is trained ‘outside` the Godolphin ‘gates` by the Gosdens) this year and the nearest anything got to Constitution River was A Boy Named Susie trained by – Aidan`s son Donnacha. With eldest son Joseph established as his father`s likeliest ‘inheritor` (not yet though) the dynasty is like no other, even that of the Days and Cannons of the nineteenth century English Turf – another omnipotent family which eventually begat the greatest racing name of all, Lester Piggott.

Mill Reef, Dancing Brave and Sea the Stars were the Eclipse winners against which others in the race`s 140-year history are judged. When in the year 2005 Epsom Derby winner Motivator (more of whom to come), also odds on favourite, took on his contemporaries and elders he was beaten by Aidan O`Brien`s Oratorio, whom he had trounced in the Derby, Godolphin were third. The then thirty-nine-year-old O`Brien, in the nine years since he`d been appointed trainer to the Coolmore operation at Ballydoyle, already had two Eclipses in the bag. That total has risen to a record ten victories of this iconic event.

Constitution River was as uplifting as Motivator`s defeat was downbeat. He had looked, at Epsom, as the horse to challenge the Coolmore juggernaut. I was (and am) associated with the successful Highclere Thoroughbred Racing operation who manage the affairs of the owners of Motivator, the Royal Ascot Racing Club many of whose members are intertwined with Highclere.

Harry Herbert, supremo of both ‘teams`, was mortified, as we all were, to learn that on the same historic Eclipse day last Saturday, the ‘thoroughly British` Motivator had died. Trained at Newmarket, he began his stud career at Royal Sandringham before ending his days at Haras d`Etreham stud in Normandy, France. Nobody was better placed than Harry Herbert to deliver Motivator`s epitaph and it is exemplary for fallen equine heroes.

“I have just heard the very sad news that Motivator, the Royal Ascot Racing Club`s great 2005 Derby winner died of a heart attack last night. He was a wonderful racehorse, bought by John Warren for 75,000gns at Tattersalls yearling sale. A son of Montjeu and trained by Michael Bell he won on his two-year-old debut at Newmarket`s July course by seven lengths announcing that he was something truly out of the ordinary! After a scintillating piece of work before the Guineas when ridden by Johnny Murtagh, Johnny told us that he thought that it would be a mistake to run him in the Guineas: “Send him to the Dante and then the Derby. He`ll win the Derby and the Arc.”

In the Derby he travelled supremely well and rounding Tattenham Corner only Frankie Dettori on Dubawi was going as well but Motivator quickened to win by five lengths eased down. What a day that was!! He was beaten half a length into second by Oratorio in the Eclipse. With a furlong to run in the Arc Motivator hit the front only to run out of steam and was beaten four lengths. He was then syndicated for £6,000,000. In France he sired the great French Champion, dual Arc de Triomphe winner filly Treve, amongst many other top performers.

“I will never forget that amazing day in 2005 when he won the Derby and watching so many Club members filling the unsaddling enclosure of the greatest race of all: truly extraordinary! Motivator`s stunning statue stands close by the pre-parade ring at Ascot forever reminding us that in the Sport of Kings dreams can indeed come true.”

Racing`s annual ‘bible` Timeform Racehorses had been equally euphoric. In its coverage of all 2005`s runners the book noted that Motivator “stirred memories of Shergar, with form shown by the inestimable Galileo…His preparation was given unprecedented Press coverage” – in the days before only utterances from Coolmore have the reverence of the Ten Commandments.

Timeform filled page after page with Motivator`s exploits ending on the comment that while he had not quite matched the exploits of Arc winner Montjeu. “unlike Montjeu he did win the Derby!”

The sentiments expressed so empathetically by Harry Herbert complement the euphoria surrounding a new champion, Constitution River. Aidan O`Brien sings off the same hymn sheet. Both men are dedicated to racing`s future, prompting one to wonder whether, even in their differing roles, they could be the sport`s salvation – if only others were as committed.

The flood gates are open to Constitution River. In full flow O`Brien had one more superlative to offer up: “Ryan (Moore) said he doesn`t think he`s ridden a better horse.”

High praise indeed. It is not the first time O`Brien has put his neck on the line extolling his charges. He knows it. “I don`t mind what people say, or do, or think, or write about me. I never think about that.
"People think I say things to boost up horses, I don`t. Ever. (He does, all the time, boost his staff).

“I promise you. I only say what I think at the time. Maybe I`m a bit of a dreamer, but that`s just me."
Some dream: the reality is there for all to see.