EPSOM DOWNS, UK–Asked to hold up nine fingers to represent his number of wins in the Derby, Aidan O'Brien laughed as he deliberately counted out each one. Two more–and let's face it, he's only 53 and shows no signs of stopping–and he will need to borrow a hand from someone else to keep tally.
Only last weekend, O'Brien's record of Group or Grade 1 wins reached 400. Now it stands at 401, and the most recent addition is arguably the most important of all for the wider racing world. The 243 runnings of the Derby that have gone before have not been without controversy. From the ringer Running Rein in 1844 to the tragic death in 1913 of the suffragette Emily Davison, who threw herself under the King's horse, the Derby's history has its share of skulduggery and scandal.Â
In 2020, of course, it was run a month late with barely anyone at Epsom to watch the procession of Serpentine (Ire) as Covid wrought havoc on sporting events. This year, with the racecourse and its enclosures reinforced by a ring of steel barricades and uninformed officers, it took place once more, in 2m 33.88s completed largely without incident, but under immense duress in its build-up.
Serpentine had served an important reminder, just as the 40/1 shot Wings Of Eagles (Fr) had done three years earlier, that it is never wise to rule out a challenger from Ballydoyle when it comes to the race that is still arguably prized more highly than any other by the Coolmore team. In Auguste Rodin (Ire) we had an entirely more obvious winner, though even he came here with a question mark dangling over his head after the bitter disappointment of the 2,000 Guineas. The sages always say that the Guineas is the best Derby trial, but presumably that is usually in reference to a horse who has been a running-on fourth rather than one who was beaten 22 lengths into twelfth place.
Auguste Rodin has also had something of a poignant weight of expectation on his shoulders from the early days. One of only 24 foals in the final crop of Japan's hugely influential Deep Impact (Jpn), he had been the subject of high praise from the far-from-hyperbolic Ryan Moore, according to O'Brien.
“The hype of expectations was there straightaway,” he said. “He was measured, measured, measured all the way, and he was ticking the top of the measurements all the way. And then he came to Ballydoyle and I remember Ryan sitting on him in the February as a two-year-old, and saying, 'This is very special'. And then the bar is even higher.”
O'Brien continued, “I think this is the most important horse [for Coolmore] ever, because he's out of Rhododendron, who is one of the best, if not the best, Galileo mares, and he's by probably the best Japanese stallion ever, and we know what is after happening with the Japanese breeding, and we know about our own breeding, and he's after connecting the two of them together. This horse has everything: he has temperament, he has movement, he has a personality.
“I think he's the most important horse we've ever had because he's bringing the two continents together. We've always said he is the most special horse we've had in Ballydoyle.”
Fans of Galileo might have something to say about that last statement, but, as O'Brien pointed out, his first Derby winner features as Auguste Rodin's damsire in a cross which we have already seen to good effect in his fellow Ballydoyle Classic winners Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and Snowfall (Jpn). A similar blend will be on display on Sunday in the Prix du Jockey Club when Moore partners Continuous (Jpn), who is by another son of Sunday Silence in Heart's Cry (Jpn) and is out of Fluff (Ire), a full-sister to Saxon Warrior's dam Maybe (Ire).
The Coolmore mating planners have clearly not been shy in patronising the best that Shadai's stallion roster has to offer. Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the Derby, Coolmore's MV Magnier said, “Aidan was very confident of winning. He thought that he would just bounce off the ground, and yet again he got it right.
“I just want to say a big thank you to the Yoshida family for everything they have done. They have looked after us and our mares very well and we are very grateful to them.”
Magnier also made reference to the extensive–and expensive–security operation which was in play at Epsom over the two days to safeguard the participants from the actions of protestors.
“The job that the Jockey Club and Nevin Truesdale has done is a great credit to them,” he said. “They've done a very good job and they've worked very hard and I'm just glad nothing has happened.”
That was a sentiment widely echoed by those at Epsom on Saturday. It is a desperate state of affairs that one of Britain's most historic sporting events, enjoyed by tens of thousands in person and millions more on television, could be held to ransom by a small group of activists with dubious claims to having the best interests of animals at heart. The Covid year aside, this was the most muted Derby in living memory, as a collective holding-of-breath took place on the Downs as the runners headed to post.
As a precautionary measure, the horses had been saddled in the racecourse stables and were in the parade ring for a shorter amount of time than usual. Understandable in the circumstances, but a shame for those gathered at the parade ring who love to spend time observing the physiques and, often more crucially, the demeanour of the runners prior to the biggest test of their young lives.
Following arrests during early-morning raids on houses, Derby day appeared to be proceeding without incident and, despite much grumbling as to the early start time to avoid a clash with the FA Cup final, this was in the end perhaps a mercy, so as not to prolong the trepidation.
A loud cheer went up as the 14 runners sprang from the gates on time, but within seconds a male protestor had somehow breached the lines of security along the rails on both sides of the track to burst onto the course. Moments later a woman tried to jump the fence from the grandstand side but, like her predecessor, was swiftly brought down and handcuffed.Â
In the winner's circle as the presentations were concluded, Brian Finch, chair of the racecourse and an Epsom local, congratulated those connected to Auguste Rodin and admitted to a huge sense of relief that the race had been run without significant incident.Â
“The pressure has come from knowing that you have a potential issue but not quite knowing where that issue will manifest, so you stay planning for multiple events, which in turns puts pressure on the team,” he said.Â
“But I applaud everybody for pulling together. It's been effective. Everyone wanted to make sure that the 244th Derby actually happened and went off as close as possible to 1.30pm and we achieved that.
“Our teams will stay vigilant until the day is over. We owe it to the sport to protect the Derby, and to all the people who came before us. They took us through 243 years, through wars and everything else that went in between.”
The promotional banners inside and outside the course boasted of the Derby being 'historic, unmatchable, eternal'. The first two are undeniable. The third, we hope, is a claim we will not have to abandon any time soon.Â
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Thirty-one protesters were arrested at Epsom on Saturday for attempting to disrupt the Derby, including 12 in the grounds, 11 during early-morning raids on residential addresses, and another eight in a vehicle close to Epsom.Â
A male protestor from the pressure group Animal Rising was rapidly apprehended after breaking onto the Epsom track near the two-furlong marker shortly after the Derby runners had jumped from the stalls, while a woman was handcuffed on the ground after attempting to jump the fence from the grandstand side while the race was still in progress.Â
A spokesman for Surrey Police said, “We can confirm that 31 people have been arrested in connection with planned criminal activity at the Epsom Derby Festival this afternoon.
“Eleven people were arrested at addresses in Mitcham and Byfleet in the early hours, following warrants based on intelligence received ahead of the Epsom Derby Festival. A further eight people were arrested after their vehicle was stopped on Canons Lane in Burgh Heath at around 10.20am this morning. All were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance and remain in police custody.
“A total of 12 people have been arrested within the Epsom Downs racecourse since the event began this morning, also in connection with planned criminal activity. One man was arrested after he ran onto the racetrack after a race had started. He was quickly removed by event security and police officers, meaning the race was not disrupted.”
Chief Superintendent Clive Davies added, “Our officers and event security responded quickly and decisively after a man ran on to the racetrack after a race had begun.
“We will not tolerate criminal behaviour which puts lives in danger, including those of the animals, jockeys, security staff and our officers.”
Eight days prior to the Derby, the Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs Racecourse among its portfolio of 15 tracks in Britain, was granted a High Court injunction to outlaw intentionally disruptive behaviour during the two-day race meeting, which was conducted amid significantly heightened security and an enhanced police presence. In the lead-up to the Derby, the protest group Animal Rising had publicly threatened to halt or delay the race. The protesters had been offered a place near the entrance to the racecourse to conduct a peaceful protest.
“Our security teams and the police acted swiftly and decisively to remove an Animal Rising protester who entered the racetrack after the Derby had started and while the race was being run,” said Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of The Jockey Club.
“This reckless and illegal behaviour which threatened the safety of our equine and human athletes is a breach of the High Court injunction which The Jockey Club obtained last week and prohibits trespass. The court order provides a clear route to prosecution, fines and even the threat of prison for Contempt of Court and we will now take steps to enforce that.”
He continued, “Animal Rising have repeatedly stated that they would not attempt to disrupt any races while in progress and we utterly condemn their deplorable and mindless actions today.
“The Derby was first run in 1780 and has continued despite two world wars, the COVID pandemic, and a number of other extreme challenges. That the 244th running of the race was able to take place on time today is testament to the determination of everyone to stage one of British sport's most iconic and loved events.”
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Chantilly offers its riposte to Epsom's Derby jamboree on Sunday as the 183rd edition of the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club welcomes France's new star of the middle-distance division, Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}). Initially slow to develop into the barnstorming character he has become, Yeguada Centurion's homebred would be an emotive winner for Christopher Head in the week that his beloved grandmother Ghislaine passed away.
Introduced this year by Head in this track's Prix du Chene des Trois Freres handicap on the Polytrack in February, Big Rock has hardly had a customary build-up to this 10 1/2-furlong Classic since leaving Mathieu Brasme. As he subsequently bulldozed his way through the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault again on the Polytrack here in March, ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix la Force in April and the G3 Prix de Guiche which has come to serve as Chantilly's course prep for this, no rival has come within respectable distance to him at the finish.
For Head, the journey from that day in February to a potential second stable Classic has been a surprising and remarkable one.
“He takes his racing so easily and his last piece of work was much better than the ones he did before his prep races,” he said this week. “There is the question of the distance, but we know that his powers of recovery have been good racing over 1800 metres and we'll soon find out. My relationship with Aurélien Lemaître stems from the days when he rode for my father and we've always had a very good rapport, but we never thought we'd get this far. It's incredible. I'm delighted to be having this adventure alongside him.”
Pascal Bary knew all about how to win the old “French Derby” when it was run over the true Derby trip of a mile and a half, collecting five renewals including the last staged over that distance in 2004. He has one of the new re-modelled versions courtesy of 2023's first-season sire Study Of Man (Ire) and looks for a second via Jean-Louis Bouchard's unbeaten TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}). He was supplemented following his defeat of the subsequent G3 Prix Hocquart winner First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and fellow TDN Rising Star Silver Crack (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}) in ParisLongchamp's Prix de Ferrieres over slightly further than this trip in April, a race which stands up to any inspection as a valid trial despite lacking black-type status.
“When it came to entering our horses in the Prix du Jockey-Club, I never envisaged Feed The Flame
coming under orders,” Bary admitted. “He's physically an impressive colt and, in common with many horses with his physique, he has taken time to find his feet and the penny dropped very late in his case. He is familiar with Chantilly racecourse, as he trained there before his debut and he made a return trip there last Tuesday. I've tried to give him enough time between his initial first two races and the Jockey Club, even if he won without having to force his talent in them.”
Since the Jockey Club trip was shortened in 2005, four colts have completed the double after taking the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Jaber Abdullah's Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) bids to follow suit on contrasting ground. Trainer Andreas Schutz is happy that he will stay and said, “The longer trip will perhaps help him. I'm very happy with the way he's developing, both mentally and physically.” Behind that peer in the ParisLongchamp Classic was the disappointing favourite American Flag (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who is bred to stay this trip and who may have an ace up his sleeve. “In the lead-up to the French 2000 Guineas, we were too laid-back,” trainer Yann Barberot said of Malcolm Parrish's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau winner. “The longer trip can only be a plus for American Flag and he has every chance. In his last piece of work, he was in a relaxed frame of mind–he can be a bit of a rascal, but he is very focused and very diligent.”
It is never wise to rule out a runner from Jean-Claude Rouget's stable, but in truth only one of his three-strong representation this time is unexposed and that is Serge Stempniak's Listed Prix de Suresnes winner Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}). Talked of in glowing terms following that impressive success over 10 furlongs at this circuit, he is the pick of Cristian Demuro but Rouget is keeping faith with the beaten Prix de Guiche runners Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), a TDN Rising Star, and Rajapour (Ire) (Almanzor {GB}). “You have to draw a line under the last performances of Padishakh and Rajapour in the Prix de Guiche, as the ground was too testing for them,” he said.
Sunday also sees the G2 Wempe 103rd German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf, where Godolphin's Dream Of Love (Ire) (Shamardal) will be a warm order bringing 1000 Guineas form to the party. Her form with that Classic's heroine Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in Dubai and with Friday's Oaks third Caernarfon (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) in last year's Listed Montrose Fillies' S. sets the standard. Mohamed Saeed Al Shahi's G2 Prix du Calvados winner Wed (Fr) (Profitable {Ire}) needs to bounce back to that form after two off-the-board efforts, which also applies to the pick of the home team on paper, Gestut Fahrhof's G3 Zukunfts-Rennen-winning TDN Rising Star Habana (Ger) (Kingman {GB}).
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