Irish Guineas weekend provided a welcome boost to British trainers, courtesy of the Irish 1,000 Guineas success of Fallen Angel and Richard Hannon’s one-two in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. However, it was back to reality for the denizens of Newmarket, Lambourn, and Middleham over Derby Weekend as the Irish raiders plundered all three Group 1 Prizes at the Epsom Derby Festival.
Leg 1: Moore Masterclass in Coronation Cup
Just the one Irish contender lined up in the meeting’s big event for the older horses, as a field of six tackled the Derby course and distance in the Coronation Cup. One was all they needed.
Allowing Ryan Moore to kick straight into the lead and make the fractions is rarely a good idea – allowing him to do so on a horse as classy as four-time Group 1 winner Luxembourg is only ever likely to produce one result. Sure enough, Luxembourg was never headed, setting a steady pace before kicking for home off the final turn. Soon four lengths clear, he held on for a length success from the eight-year-old Hamish. Coronation Cup number nine for Aidan O’Brien.
43 Years in the Making – Weld Wins The Oaks for a Second Time
The Irish also found themselves outnumbered in the opening day feature of The Oaks, with the home team responsible for eight of the final 12-runner field. The fact that the Aidan O’Brien duo of Ylang Ylang and Rubies Are Red could finish only sixth and ninth surely gave the hosts a chance.
Unfortunately for Charlie Appleby, Ralph Beckett, Andrew Balding and co, 75-year-old Irishman Dermot Weld held the ace in the pack. Looking a filly bursting with potential in winning two of her first three starts, Ezeliya arrived with a couple of long-standing stats to defy: Weld hadn’t won an Oaks since his first Classic success with Blue Wind back in 1981, whilst Ezaliya’s sire Dubawi had never produced the winner of an Epsom Classic.
Each of those stats was consigned to the history books in emphatic style as Ezeliya cruised into contention before mastering Godolphin’s Dance Sequence for an impressive three-length success.
Champion Juvenile Justifies the Hype
Impressive as the exploits of Luxembourg and Ezeliya were, the best was saved for last, as Aidan O’Brien landed a 10th Derby winner in exhilarating style. Sweeping all before him during his juvenile campaign and lauded as potentially the most talented horse to ever hail from the Ballydoyle operation, City Of Troy headed into 2024 riding a wave of hype.
However, the son of US Triple Crown winner Justify looked anything but a superstar when labouring to a ninth-of-11 finish on his seasonal return in the 2,000 Guineas. Nevertheless, the colt started as the clear favourite at Epsom, with punters no doubt recalling the events of 2023, which saw Auguste Rodin blossom from Newmarket also-ran to the king of the middle distance division. Could O’Brien do it again?
Of course he could! Ridden quietly by Ryan Moore, City Of Troy was smuggled into the race off the home bend before devouring the turf with his huge stride to forge clear of Ambiente Friendly by almost three lengths. The world is once again City Of Troy’s oyster, with a late-season tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic looking like a realistic possibility.
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