Sixth Derby Win in Range for O'Brien

In 2001, Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) became the first of five Derby winners for Aidan O'Brien and, between them, the trainer and the Sadler's Wells colt who would become the world's leading sire have come to dominate the Epsom showpiece.

This year, as so often in recent times, the G1 Investec Derby picture will sharpen significantly when it is clear which of the Ballydoyle horses are certain runners. At present, the name quoted at the top of the market–the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas winner Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})–is much more likely to stick to competing against her own sex in the first half of the season, but a quintet of her male stablemates is under serious consideration, headed by the unbeaten G3 Chester Vase winner US Army Ranger (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

As a son of the Irish Oaks winner Moonstone (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), US Army Ranger's pedigree credentials are strikingly similar to Coolmore's 2014 Derby winner Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), whose dam Ouija Board (GB) won both the G1 Oaks and the G1 Irish Oaks. His route to Epsom, however, has followed that of the previous year's winner Ruler Of The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who was also unraced at two before bouncing straight into the cauldron of Chester's May Meeting from one maiden victory.

If onlookers were unimpressed by the proximity of Port Douglas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to US Army Ranger at Chester, this is not a fact that overly concerns their trainer, who is more preoccupied with the winner's relative inexperience.

“He seems to be fine since the race,” said O'Brien, as he watches his youngest son Donnacha lob up the gallop on a very relaxed looking US Army Ranger. “He was so green at Chester. As soon as he pulled up he was whinnying. Obviously we try to have the horses prepared for the trials, but so that we learn about them and they go forward.”

Referring to subsequent criticism of the colt's short-head defeat of Port Douglas, the trainer continued, “I don't ever mind about that. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but sometimes people read into the races very quickly. There's no doubt that I was a lot happier coming out of there. We knew going to Chester that by putting in a legitimate horse it wouldn't make it easy for him, that he could easily get beat. Port Douglas was always going to improve a lot when he went beyond a mile. He's not a big horse and he scooted around the bend at Chester.”

He added, “US Army Ranger had to learn in one race what he should have been learning for two or three races. When they haven't raced at two you're playing catch up and it's very hard on a horse. Going to the Derby will test every fibre of his body–the turning, his mind, he'll have to stay and he'll have to be quick–everything will be tested.”

With the G2 Dante S. to come at York on Thursday, in which O'Brien plans to run yet another Galileo colt, the G3 Tyros S. winner Deauville (Ire), the contenders for Epsom in just under four weeks' time are galloping into focus.

O'Brien says, “I'd send them all if I was allowed! But if we call them out now, we have the two horses from yesterday [G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial second and third Shogun (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and 'TDN Rising Star' Idaho (Ire) (Galileo {Ire})], US Army Ranger, Deauville and Port Douglas. The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will go to France, but the important thing for everyone to realise is that all those things can change.”

The Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial has been a happy hunting ground for O'Brien in the past, with both Galileo and High Chaparral (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) winning at Leopardstown before going on to Derby glory. On Sunday, the trainer had to give best to his old boss, Jim Bolger, whose Godolophin representative Moonlight Magic (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) led home the Ballydoyle trio of Shogun (a brother to last year's Investec Oaks winner Qualify {Ire}), Idaho and Beacon Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

He commented, “Shogun wasn't stopping. I didn't think Idaho was stopping either. Looking at Shogun, you'd say he'd have no problem being ridden handier and no problem going farther than a mile and a quarter. I'd say he's a work in progress. He's a Fastnet Rock and they do take a little bit of time to click in sometimes, but he's progressing.”

With regard to the appearance of Minding in the Derby betting, O'Brien maintains that the suggestion that she could take on the colts has come from outside the Ballydoyle camp.

He said, “Running in the Derby mightn't be the right thing for Minding. It's two steps when you could take one and have a look at the Oaks. There's a possibility that she could go to The Curragh [for the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas] and then to the Oaks, or just to the Oaks, but things can change and I need to stress that.”

US Army Ranger's swift promotion to Derby favouritism following his winning debut at the Curragh on Apr. 3 may have seemed premature, but it's clear that his trainer, while walking a tightrope to condition both his mind and body for the demands of Epsom, is prepared to believe that the beautifully bred colt can make the leap required to add his name to an illustrious roll of honour.

“I'm taking a lot of stuff on trust given the normal improvement,” O'Brien admitted. “He's the horse at the moment that's open to the most improvement. He'll have an easy enough time for now, but we'll start to step him up and I've just got to hope that he's not too babyish and is going to be able to take it. If we fail to prepare, we prepare to fail, and that's how it will be for Epsom.”

Whatever happens on Derby day, failure to prepare is unlikely to be charge that can ever be levelled at Aidan O'Brien.