O'Brien wins 11th Derby at Epsom with frontrunning Lambourn
Aidan O'Brien won his 11th edition of the Group 1 Derby at Epsom on Saturday, but not with the horse who the public thought would do it.
Lambourn, the 9-1 fifth choice in the field of seven, was the longest shot of three entrants from the O'Brien barn. Delacroix, who beat Lambourn by 2 1/4 lengths on the square in the Ballysax (G3) at Leopardstown on March 30, was the even-money choice. Even stablemate The Lion in Winter, coming off a well-beaten sixth in the Dante (G2) in his only sophomore start, was more fancied at 8-1.
Yet no one could touch Lambourn. Jockey Wayne Lordan got him to the early lead and he was never seriously challenged.
Lazy Griff (54-1), second behing Lambourn in their final prep May 7 in the Chester Vase (G3), made the most credible run in the lane. However, Lambourn kept on finding under Lordan, crossing the wire 3 3/4 lengths clear of Lazy Griff in the end. He stopped the timer in 2:38.50 for 1 1/2 miles on turf rated good, good to soft in places.
Tennessee Griff (42-1), chasing inside, held on by a neck for third over New Ground (66-1). Even-money favorite Delacroix was never involved, well off the pace early and across the wire ninth of the 18 horses to start.
Lambourn is a 3-year-old colt by Australia out of the Group 2-placed Scat Daddy mare Gossamer Wings. He is the third generation in a row from his male line to win the Derby for Aidan O'Brien: sire Australia won in 2014 and grandsire Galileo was O'Brien's first Derby winner in 2001.
In an interview with ITV Racing after the Derby, O'Brien called Lambourn "uncomplicated, genuine, and committed. Always has been. His runs have been very good this year, second to Delacroix and then he went and won very impressively at Chester. Chester, again, you have to be on your game. You have to stay, and that's the way he was." O'Brien did not commit to a next spot for Lambourn, but said he was the type of horse who would fit in the Irish Derby (G1) and thought he would get further than 1 1/2 miles as well.
Jockey Wayne Lordan won the Derby for the first time with Lambourn. "We said during the week he's a straightforward horse. He stays very well...I didn't think maybe it was going to be as easy as it was, but I was happy to take it." The win was Lordan's first in the Derby. "When you're growing up, the English Derby is always the one," Lordan told Racing TV. "When you get a ride in it, you're happy. When you get a horse that you think has a chance, you're pleased. But when they come home a winner, it's special."
There was one scratch from the Derby, 2000 Guineas (G1) winner Ruling Court. He was taken out due to unsuitable ground. According to a report Saturday from David Carr of Racing Post, trainer Charlie Appleby is looking at the St. James's Palace (G1) on June 17 at Royal Ascot as a possible return spot for Ruling Court and the Eclipse (G1) in July at Sandown after that.