3 minute read
Aidan O’Brien’s stranglehold on the Epsom Derby continued when Lambourn led his rivals a merry dance in the fourth British Classic of the season.
Just 24 hours or so after finishing an agonising runner-up on Whirl in the Epsom Oaks, jockey Wayne Lordan found himself in splendid isolation as Lambourn galloped on relentlessly to give handler Aidan O'Brien a record-extending eleven victory in the three-year-old colt's Classic at Epsom.
A workmanlike winner in the Chester Vase, a race that hadn't produced a Derby winner since Ruler of the World in 2013, Lambourn seemingly arrived at Epsom as Ballydoyle's third string.
However, he was sent off a well-backed 13/2 chance and in all truth, backers of the son of Australia, who himself claimed the Epsom Derby in 2014, never really looked to have a moment of worry as Lambourn skipped around Tattenham Corner on rails before stretching clear from his old Chester rival Lazy Griff to score by a commanding three and three quarter lengths.
Tennessee Stud finished back in third, with the French raider New Ground in fourth. The 2/1 favourite Delacroix, the chosen mount of Ryan Moore following wins in two Leopardstown Derby trials, could only manage ninth place, while stablemate and Dante Stakes disappointment The Lion In Winter finished well-beaten in fourteenth.
O'Brien said: "Wayne gave him an incredible ride. I'm delighted for him, he's a great fellow, he does so much hard work.
"Everybody knew what he was going to do, he's very straightforward, Wayne knew he'd stay so he went forward.
"He's a very fit, genuine horse. He's a typical Australia, it's for everyone that we trained Australia to win the Derby and his sire as well, Galileo. I'm just a small part of it, everybody puts in so much, I can't tell you what a privilege it is.
"Australia was a great Derby winner, and his horses are so straightforward, just like him.
"Lambourn was second to Delacroix first time out and we took him to Chester, where we know you have to be on your game, and you have to stay and that's the way he was. Ryan loved him at Chester, but he couldn't ride them all.
"We knew he wasn't going to stop, and we knew every inch he gained he wasn't going to give back, so it was going to be difficult if you were on the back foot.
"Wayne said he let Ryan have the Oaks yesterday (finished second with Whirl), but he wasn't going to give this one up!
O'Brien saddled Auguste Rodin to complete the English-Irish Derby two year's ago and was quick to suggest this colt could bid to replicate the feat at the Curragh.
"I'd say he's probably an Irish Derby horse, but he will get further as well, he's very uncomplicated," said O'Brien, who was claiming the Epsom Classic for a third consecutive season.
On the performances of Delacroix and The Lion In Winter, O'Brien added: "Ryan said he got taken out of his ground over halfway, so his chance was over, Colin (Keane) said The Lion In Winter wasn't going forward so it was maybe the track or the ground, we'll see."
