Seven Days: Unapologetically All About Epsom

These days, it seems that as soon as the runners have crossed the line in the Derby the crabbing begins about everything that's wrong with the winner, the race and the meeting itself. It's a funny old game when the people who follow the sport, and in some cases whose livelihoods depend on it, seek constantly to undermine the very thing that brings such enjoyment.

Obviously there are concerns regarding falling attendances at the Derby, and at race meetings generally in different parts of the world. An ominous weather forecast certainly played its part this year, and it is clear that Epsom needs to review its pricing structure, particularly to allow children in for free, as is the case at Royal Ascot.

Thirty years on, would a move back to the traditional Wednesday slot work to avoid clashes with other major sporting fixtures on the day? Maybe. But for many people that would then mean booking an extra day off work to attend.

The suggestion last week by the Daily Mail's racing correspondent Dominic King of having Epsom as the sole meeting in the UK on Derby day is certainly worth exploring so that the focus of the racing world, in Britain at least, is on what happens on those historic Downs. But this kind of decision would require a diktat from the BHA, overruling the factional interests of other racecourse groups, and we all know how well that is working out at the moment.

The only regret felt in this quarter on leaving Epsom on Saturday evening was that we now have to wait another year for the most enthralling contest of them all. At least we have Ascot to cheer us up next week.

So, in the spirit preferred by this column of glass half full – or, even better, glass completely full – we will continue to ponder not how to save the Derby, for the vocal and actual support of so many owners and breeders shows that it doesn't need saving, but how to make the great race even more special.

For starters, it would be good to see the restoration and return to use of Epsom's Prince's Stand, which dates back to 1879 and now stands lonely and unloved, though still beautiful. Having until quite recently been used for owners and trainers, it would be the perfect place to house a Derby museum or hall of fame.

It is also worth remembering, in these days of smartphones, that if – God forbid – you decided to go shopping instead of being at Epsom, you can instantly check the result with the help of Google or even watch the race online, a fact which has to be considered when one is comparing current attendances with those of yesteryear. Back in the time of, say, the marvellous Signorinetta, who, in 1908, became one of a select band of fillies to have won the Oaks and the Derby, if you weren't at Epsom, your next best option was to wait outside the window of Fore's art gallery in Piccadilly. There, presumably with some delay, the result would be posted on canvas by the sporting artist John Beer, whose job it was around that time to depict the finishing order for the Derby in paint. Good things come to those who wait.

Witnessing History in the Making

While we can look back with fondness on those great partnerships of Vincent O'Brien and Lester Piggott, Sir Henry Cecil and Steve Cauthen, Sir Michael Stoute and Walter Swinburn, it is important to appreciate what is happening right now in front of us. Being a fan of racing and attending its big Classic days is to play our own small part in its history, even just as bystanders.

By sheer numbers alone Aidan O'Brien, at age 55, has already secured his own chapter in the book of racing greats, and it is one very much still being written. Direct comparisons with his predecessor at Ballydoyle cannot be made because Vincent O'Brien was not working with anywhere near the same number of horses at his disposal, but Aidan's stable size is comparable to a number of other leading trainers in Britain and Ireland who end up with neither the same number of potential Classic horses, nor therefore a similar level of Classic success.

And, yes, he is fortunate in so many ways, not least in his constant supply of suitably bred animals to be honed on Ballydoyle's specially designed replica of Tattenham Corner. “Everything in Ballydoyle is about Epsom,” he said on Saturday in the post-Derby press conference–a sentence which should be a shot in the arm to what is perhaps this week an Epsom management which feels under attack. “The whole breed is assessed by the Derby and the Oaks. It's left and it's right and it's up and it's down, and it really tests them.”

With no disrespect to the superb jockeys who have gone before him at Ballydoyle, Ryan Moore's tenure as O'Brien's number one has brought about an even greater dominance for the stable. There is something so superior about Moore's riding at the moment which makes you believe that if he is in a position to challenge, as he was on Persica for his old ally Richard Hannon in the second race on Derby day, then he will simply galvanise his mount to win, just as he had done with Jan Brueghel and Minnie Hauk the day before.

In the Derby, Delacroix's lacklustre performance meant that there was not to be a clean sweep of the Group 1s for Moore, but that did open the door for Wayne Lordan to enjoy a deserved victory following a confident and well-judged ride on Lambourn, who was not for stopping. It is fascinating to watch the replay over and over again: Lambourn sent on and bowling along apparently unbothered on the lead, as several others behind him fought for their heads and dropped away tamely, their races run in the first furlong or two.

Pride Of Arras's race may even have been over before he left the parade ring, where he several times reared and struck out at his groom while being saddled. This was only his third time at a racecourse but it was unpromising behaviour which underlined just how big a role temperament plays on Derby day, not to mention stamina.

Year after year, we hear what the Derby means to the weighing-room fraternity. Memorably, when Moore won the Oaks for the first time on Snow Fairy in 2010, he said on being congratulated, “Yeah, but it's not the Derby.”

By the next day he was a Derby-winning jockey, thanks to Workforce. On Saturday, Wayne Lordan had his own taste of that special arena, and he too outlined how much winning that particular race is a badge of honour any jockey yearns to wear, saying, “When you are growing up the Epsom Derby is always the one.”

The Kevins Knew

Broadcaster Kevin Blake has been rightly congratulated for pinpointing the first three home in the Derby on ITV Racing, and TDN doffs its hat to another Kevin–the bloodstock agent Kevin Ross–who, watching the runners in the parade ring alongside his father-in-law Arthur Moore, noted that Lambourn (Australia) and Lazy Griff (Protectionist) were among less than a handful of horses who would truly stay. Here's hoping that he had the forecast. We didn't.

Remarkably, the first two home in this year's race, Lambourn and Lazy Griff, both emanate from the same family of the British-bred mare L'Amour Toujours, a daughter of Lester Piggott's first Derby winner Never Say Die.

The mare was exported to the USA as a foal in 1958 and, in the case of Lambourn, the line remained in America through five generations until his dam Gossamer Wings (Scat Daddy) was brought to Ireland to be trained by O'Brien after being bought as a yearling at Keeneland. Lazy Griff's female line has an extra generation between him and L'Amour Toujours and it took a little detour through Denmark when his granddam Miss Skycat (Tale Of The Cat) ended up there as a breeding prospect. Lazy Griff's dam Linarda (Rock Of Gibraltar) carries a DEN suffix but she raced in Switzerland, France, Italy and Germany and now resides in the latter at Gestut Westerberg.

Gossamer Wings's sole win came over five furlongs, but seven years ago she was beaten a short-head by Signora Cabello when second in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes. Lambourn is her second foal and she has two more colts to follow, both by Frankel to whom she is once again in foal.

It is of course easy to say in hindsight, but, returning to the theme of temperament and stamina, the rock-solid Australia does appear to have been the perfect mate for her. And it is indeed fitting that the sire who was bred by Lord Derby, who went on to win the race to which his breeder's ancestor gave his name, following the Epsom success of Australia's parents Galileo and Ouija Board, now has a Derby winner of his own. Australia stood at his lowest fee of €10,000 this season just now drawing to a close.

“He is exceptionally underrated,” said MV Magnier at Epsom on Saturday. “He's covered a lot of mares this year, and well done to all the breeders who have bred to him this year. They are in a good spot now.”

It is entirely possible that Lord Derby's brother Peter Stanley, seen out early on the track on Saturday morning walking the famous course with Gai Waterhouse, may have suggested to the first lady of Australian racing to place an omen bet on Lambourn. Either way, Waterhouse appeared to be enjoying her march around the Downs as she continues her world tour of major racing events.

On Top Again

It has long been true that a horse making a lot of money in a sale ring doesn't necessarily equate to success on the track, but this season has so far been a good one for sale-toppers.

First, Ruling Court (Justify), who led the Arqana Breeze-up Sale at €2.3 million, won the 2,000 Guineas, and that was followed on Friday by the victory of Minnie Hauk (Frankel) in the Oaks. She went through the Goffs Orby Sale of 2023 in the Camas Park Stud draft and ended up with top billing at €1.85 million.

The last time Aidan O'Brien swept all three Group 1 races at Epsom was in 2012, when Tattersalls October topper Was (at 1.2 million gns) won the Oaks, Camelot (the joint-second-most expensive colt at the same yearling sale) won the Derby and St Nicholas Abbey landed the Coronation Cup.