Epsom Derby: Lambourn leads them all a merry dance in the Derby

Lambourn provided Aidan O’Brien with his 11th victory in the Betfred Derby when making almost all the running in the Epsom showpiece.

Viewed in the build up to the premier Classic as a third string for the yard behind the Ryan Moore-ridden 2-1 favourite Delacroix and The Lion In Winter, he led the field down Tattenham Corner and pulled further clear inside the final furlong under Wayne Lordan.

Just as he had in the Chester Vase, Charlie Johnston’s Lazy Griff (50-1) chased him home, this time three and three-quarter lengths behind the 13-2 winner, with Joseph O’Brien’s Tennessee Stud third.

Aidan O’Brien

O’Brien said: “Wayne gave him him an incredible ride. I’m delighted for Wayne, 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 so it’s incredible and I’m delighted for Wayne.

“It’s incredible 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 and 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.

“I’d say he’s probably an Irish Derby horse, but he will get further as well, he’s very uncomplicated.

“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.

“Wayne obviously got the fractions 100 per cent and Joseph’s horse ran a stormer in third, so it’s unbelievable.”

Not Stopping

O’Brien added: “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.

“He showed at Chester he doesn’t stop and Wayne said he let Ryan have the Oaks yesterday (finished second with Whirl), but he wasn’t going to give this one up!

“Everyone knew he was going to go and they were happy for him to go, but it just got a little bit rough back there, that’s the way it is.

“He’d been working well since Chester and Dean (Gallagher) has been riding him in his work along with Wayne and they were very happy with him. Ryan can’t ride them all, but I think it was always going to be one of the other two, Delacroix or The Lion In Winter.”

READ MORE: Epsom Derby – Lambourn fulfils every expectation of Derby hero Wayne Lordan