Great ride by Adam Kirby who kept that horse finding and finding. He rode a great race on French Navy yesterday for Godolphin and today wins the Dash. This is a Jockey still on the ascendancy. My fancy smoothtalkingrascal no chance after that start.
Quite pleased with my 25/1 shot there. Ran very well to finish 6th. Runner up Steps so unlucky, having been slowly away.
Afternoon boys and girls. Very interesting renewal of the Derby, even more so for me this year as it's the first time for years that I haven't had a bet on it. Fantastic to see such a strong Irish challenge this year - Ballydoyle mob-handed as usual but Weld and Oxx also represented. I have no idea who will win, won't even put one up here, just really looking forward to watching the race. Best of luck to all of you who have had a wager.
The champagne corks will be popping in Chuckle Towers - Special Agent trained by Mr Henderson wins for HM Queen on Derby day. Marvellous with a capital M !!
The only horse to give him a race was Kingston Hill! But he won well, just like Galileo did in 2001. Hope he runs in the King George at Ascot.
Great performance by Austrailia there O'Brien was right that was a good Derby and he won snug enough there. Where to next for Austrailia?
Going like the winner some way out but KH fought on very well. One wonders what might have happened had it come up soft.
No excuses, best horse won on the day- congratulations to them. What a wonderfully relaxed animal- that really helps him. I suspect he might turn out better at 10f with that cruising speed and initial turn of foot- he will likely go Champion Stakes than a soft ground Arc IMO before whisked off to stud.
Won by a street... that must make Kingston Hill the second Greatest horse ever, going down by such a massive margin (one and a quarter lengths) to the best that O’Brien has ever trained. Australia travelled well and few of the other fancied horses really put in any sort of a challenge; but it may turn out like Camelot that this is not a vintage year – bring on the older horses, the only reliable yardsticks.
Impressive in how he did it, not necessarily the winning margin. Travelled beautifully down the hill and round Tattenham corner, eased into the lead and, if anything, probably idled in front but always holding the 2nd. This is a top, top middle distance colt who won very, very snugly today.
I agree about the way he travelled which was very eye catching and this performance cannot be knocked in itself. I will say however I was probably more impressed with the Filly yesterday, travelled every bit as well, kicked and was still extending and putting distance between all else at the line. Derby time was only 1 second faster than Tagroodha who was not pressed to win easily by 3 1/2 lengths.
Don't forget QM that he is only claiming that it's the best horse HE has trained. If you list the best horses ever I suspect one would have to look some way down the list to find one trained by AOB.
That is fair, Ron. If we build in enough caveats about it being the best middle distance horse he has ever had to exclude a few of the ones that we have all recognised as top class over the last twenty years, then he is effectively saying that Australia is better (on the racetrack) than Galileo and High Chapparal. Last year Treve was the highest top-rated filly in nearly twenty years on a mark of 130. I want to see the two meet so we can gauge his real merit.
Congrats Bob Had a good bet on Australia as You & Aiden where so bullish, Kingston scuppered my bet @ 9/2 on Australia winning by over 2 Lengths!Ha!
I was very taken with Talent last year Bluesky, thought she looked a world beater but didn't turn out so. Takes an exceptional filly to mix it with the colts (Salsabil and Zarkandar spring to mind, obviously Treve as well)
