Aidan O’Brien is poised to extend his unparalleled dominance in the Betfred Derby this Saturday, as he seeks a record-extending 12th victory in the premier Classic at Epsom. The legendary trainer has reiterated his long-held conviction that the race represents the “ultimate test” for any thoroughbred, a challenge he approaches with a formidable quartet of contenders, including the highly-fancied Benvenuto Cellini.
O’Brien’s remarkable grip on the blue riband event is evident, with nine of his previous 11 wins coming in the last 14 years, a testament to his enduring success since Galileo secured his first Derby victory 25 years ago.
Reflecting on the unique demands of the Surrey track, O’Brien stated: “Epsom is the ultimate test in every way. It tests them mentally, physically, left and right. There is no second to Epsom anywhere in the world, the test it is because of the contour of the track, the atmosphere and the strain.”
He cited Galileo as the epitome of a Derby winner, a horse who “proved to be one of the greatest stallions ever after it – that is what that place does.”
He added: “It’s a unique place and that is why the Derby is what it is. It engages the whole thoroughbred breed and tests them in every way. There is no other race or track anywhere in the world that can do it like that. There is nowhere to hide. You have to have pace, ability, you have to stay and you have to be like concrete mentally. All the things are tested.”
Leading O’Brien’s charge is Benvenuto Cellini, an emphatic winner of the Chester Vase, a traditional Derby trial, and the current market leader. Despite his recent success, O’Brien remains grounded, having just celebrated a one-two-three finish in the French Derby last weekend, showcasing his stable’s depth.
Of his favourite, he remarked: “We’re very happy with him, he’s a beautiful moving horse, everything has gone well since the last day and he’s drawn nicely (stall 12). He’s a big, high cruiser and we always thought Epsom wouldn’t be a problem to him. We always felt he was a mile-and-a-half horse that would be very comfortable with dropping back to a mile and a quarter. We always thought that he was classy, so we’re looking forward to seeing him.”
Another key contender is Pierre Bonnard, who entered the winter as Derby favourite after a Group One triumph in France as a juvenile. While he has experienced a couple of defeats this spring, O’Brien has consistently urged patience, suggesting a different horse would emerge on the big day.
Explaining his preparation, the trainer said: “We always wanted to give him two runs (before the Derby) and we were always conscious we didn’t want to have him too ready too early because he was a very big horse last year and we wanted to try and let him get as strong as he could before he really had to knuckle down.
“He made lovely progress from the first day to the second day, we’re happy with where he is and happy that he’s had the two runs. Everything is good with him. I suppose a lot is going to depend on what way the ground is going to be and how slow it is going to get.”
Completing O’Brien’s powerful quartet are Action and Christmas Day, who finished second and third respectively in the Dante Stakes at York last month.
O’Brien spoke positively about both: “Action is a lovely horse and a big cruiser. He’s was very babyish at Sandown and improved lovely to the Dante and we think he’s come forward again since. He’s a half-brother to the horse that won the Derby last year (Lambourn) and everything he’s doing we’ve been very happy with. Christmas Day is lovely too since York and we think the mile and a half will help him as well.”
