Lambourn takes his 2nd classic this month, wins Irish Derby
Already a classic winner, odds-on favorite Lambourn emerged from a duel with long-shot stablemate Serious Contender on Sunday and drew off to a three-quarter-length victory in the Group 1, US$1,758,225 Irish Derby, giving trainer Aidan O’Brien an exacta in the 1 1/2-mile turf race at the Curragh.
A Coolmore homebred colt by Australia, Lambourn also won the Epsom Derby (G1) on June 7. Now has a three-race winning streak that began May 7 with a maiden-breaking score last month in the Chester Vase (G3).
O’Brien, who has won the Irish Derby a record 17 times, said two Group 1 races could be on Lambourn’s upcoming schedule.
“He could be a King George or an Arc type of horse,” O’Brien told reporters, according to Racing Post. “He gets the trip well, is very sound, very genuine. The way he races, I’d imagine he’d race that way regardless of the trip. You’d imagine he would get further, but he obviously has lots of class.”
Ridden by Ryan Moore, Lambourn (2-5 in the U.S.) pressed midway leader Sir Dinadan (45-1) until putting his nose in front with a quarter-mile left. Staying along the rail, Lambourn was joined by late-charging Serious Contender (32-1) before he pulled away in the last 110 yards.
Serious Contender, who was forward throughout the race, finished second. Lazy Griff (12-1) closed from the rear half of the field of 10 3-year-olds and finished third, another 2 1/4 lengths up the track. Tennessee Stud (7-1) missed hitting the board by a neck and settled for fourth. Sir Dinadan was another neck behind in fifth.
Green Impact (14-1), Thrice (60-1), Shackleton (65-1), Puppet Master (12-1) and Pride Of Arras (9-1) finished sixth through 10th in that order.
The winning time was 2:29.18 without a run-up on a course rated good.
O’Brien has won the last three runnings of the Irish Derby with Auguste Rodin in 2023, Los Angeles in 2024 and now Lambourn. Moore rode those three triumphs to account for all his wins in the race. It also was the 17th Irish Derby win for Coolmore.