Lambourn storms to Derby triumph with 11th victory for Aidan O’Brien

“Everything in Ballydoyle is about Epsom,” Aidan O’Brien mentioned on Saturday after the Derby, and in all probability slightly superfluously, as Lambourn’s 13-2 luck within the colts’ Classic had simply sealed a blank sweep of the 3 Group One occasions on the assembly. Lambourn used to be no longer the primary string within the teacher’s three-strong workforce – Delacroix, the 2-1 favorite with Ryan Moore within the saddle used to be simplest 9th – however like each and every different horse on the backyard, he have been ready like an Epsom horse from his first days on the backyard.

Like Minnie Hauk, Friday’s Oaks winner, he had additionally been despatched to Chester’s May assembly, the place the undulations and turns are very similar to the ones at Epsom, to finish his preparation for Saturday’s race, and having been despatched directly into the lead via Wayne Lordan, his jockey, he won every other period or two on his box with a slick, confident passage down the hill and round Tattenham Corner.

Lazy Griff, who used to be one and a part lengths at the back of Lambourn within the Chester Vase, had additionally been with reference to the tempo from the off and in short threatened to make inroads into Lambourn’s lead from 3 out, however Lambourn discovered extra when Lordan requested for a last effort and he used to be just about 4 lengths in entrance of Lazy Griff (50-1) and Christophe Soumillon on the line. Tennessee Stud, every other outsider at 28-1, used to be 1/3 for teacher Joseph O’Brien, the profitable jockey aboard Australia, Lambourn’s sire, in 2014.

Lambourn, in reality, is a third-generation Derby winner for O’Brien, as Australia used to be sired via Galileo, the primary of his file general of 11 Derby winners in 2001.

“He’s a lazy horse, and Chester is always great place for putting an edge on a horse,” O’Brien mentioned. “It makes them quick and wakes them up, there’s a great atmosphere there and there on the turn. So we always think Chester really sharpens them up, it gives them quick feet and we always send good horses there.

“Lambourn was second to Delacroix [in the Ballysax Stakes] first time out, and we took him to Chester and Ryan loved him at Chester, but he couldn’t ride them all. I’d say he’s probably an Irish Derby horse [for his next race], but he will get further as well.

“Ryan said he got taken out of his ground over halfway [on Delacroix] 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.”

For Lordan, who picked up the trip on Lambourn when Moore opted for Delacroix, this used to be a primary Derby victory and as with reference to an armchair trip because it will get round Epsom.

“He’s a lovely, genuine horse,” Lordan mentioned. “When I jumped I just wanted to get him into a stride because he’s a horse that stays well, and races lazily also.

“He was enjoying it in front and his ears were pricked and I was able to go forward good and early. I did feel [going into the race] that he was a bit underrated, because he’s not a flashy horse, he just goes on the bridle and does his own thing. The other horses are good travellers and quicken, mine is just genuine and goes with the flow, but when you look for him, there’s loads in there.”

Lambourn is already priced up at a color of odds-on for the Irish Derby later this month, whilst Charlie Johnston, the instructor of Lazy Griff, would possibly pick out between the Irish Derby or the Grand Prix de Paris for the runner-up earlier than a run within the St Leger at Doncaster in September.

A large squad of homeowners from the large Middleham Park Racing syndicate that owns Lazy Griff can be assured anyplace he runs.

“We told as many people as would listen that we couldn’t understand why he was such a huge price,” Johnston mentioned. “Lambourn was 13-2 yet this morning we were 100-1. It’s safe to say the Chester form held up well.

“I’m surprised how well he handled the track because that was always my biggest concern, because he’s quite a heavy-topped horse and we felt if the ground wasn’t as soft as it was, he wouldn’t be here.”