Picture By Troxx
Many eyes were cast anxiously at the skies at Epsom on Saturday, when rain of biblical proportions was forecast prior to The Derby.
In the event and as per, the forecast was wrong and the drenching came well after the race to the great relief of most trainers and all the people in the silly hats.
The great race was won by Lambourn, given a masterful front running ride by Wayne Lordan, who sounds like he should be fronting a band (Wayne Lordan and the Furlongs?) but in fact is one of the team at Coolmore.
Just for once, Ryan Moore picked the wrong one, with short priced favourite Delacroix trailing in a well beaten 9th after being mullahed in a first furlong kerfuffle.
This was the 11th Derby winner trained by Aidan O’Brien, the winner being a son of Authorised who won the Derby when trained by Aidan O’Brien. Authorised was, of course, a son of Galileo, who won the Derby, you’ve guessed it, when trained by Aidan O’Brien.
The day before, this Flat racing equivalent of Willie Mullins had also pouched the Betfred Oaks with Minnie Hauk which held off her stable-mate by a neck, vindicating Ryan Moore‘s choice this time.
That was the second of Friday’s Group 1s to fall to the great AO’B after Jan Brueghel got the better of the odds-on Calandagan to win the Coronation Cup.
We also joined in the fun on Friday by starring Maximized in the Woodcote Stakes, Charlie Appleby‘s youngster storming home in the manner of a good ‘un.
The Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot would be the obvious next target, but his esteemed trainer thinks he has ‘a few others’ for that race and is thinking of the July Stakes at Newmarket.
Must be nice to have a hatful of potential Group 1 2-y-os at your disposal!
Other than Epsom it has been a pretty uneventful week but the build-up to the Royal meeting is now in full swing and we’ll bring you all the latest news next week.
