Lambourn toughs it out to complete Derby double

Serious Contender finished second at 28-1, with Charlie Johnston's Epsom runner-up Lazy Griff staying on for third at 14-1

DIGGING IN: Lambourn, left, wins the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby in the hands of Ryan Moore. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA 

Lambourn emulated his sire, Australia, by completing the Epsom Derby-Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby double, and in doing so became the twentieth horse to have his name emblazoned on both rolls of honour.

For his trainer, Aidan O'Brien, who is the most successful in both races, it was a remarkable 17th win in this race, and for jockey Ryan Moore, it was a third — all in the last three years.

For Lambourn, though, this victory was a far cry from the runaway success he enjoyed on the Downs. In stark contrast to the nuances of the Epsom venue, the more orthodox Curragh track offers a more level playing field, which opens up the play to more contenders.

Fortunately for Lambourn, however, the greatest demand is so often on stamina — and he enjoys that in abundance.

Whereas he was able to dictate at Epsom, there was an early battle for supremacy in this one, and even though Moore was quite keen to be forward aboard the heavily backed odds-on favourite, he had to work a little just to match strides early on with Sir Dinandan.

They held the first two places for most of the journey, and it took quite some time for him to win that particular battle. When successful in that squabble, he then faced the very real threat of stablemate Serious Contender, a battle for which he may have been softened up.

Not so. In a pulsating rush to the winning line, Moore pushed hard, and his mount responded to every call to eke out victory by three parts of a length, with Epsom runner-up Lazy Griff a never-dangerous third.

“He’s just a very relaxed horse — he was having a bit of a laugh with me,” said Moore. “He was only doing a minimum of what he could get away with.

“This place, when the wind’s blowing, it’s always difficult for horses that are a little bit behind the bridle.

“It wasn’t a headless pace. He was there comfortably, but then he just goes to sleep, so I just had to keep him going forward. 

He always felt like he was in control — it might not have looked it, but he always was.

“Aidan had him on fire today, to be fair. He was ready for it. He stays well, he’s straightforward — typical of the sire, typical of the way Aidan trains them. He’ll keep getting him to progress, to be consistent, and he’ll keep running big races.” 

Reflecting on the race itself, which he was winning for the third consecutive year, he added: “It took a long time for me to win it, and Aidan wins it a lot, I know. I’ve grown up watching Irish Derbys and all the great horses that have won it. 

"It’s a really important race, and it’d be great if it could get back to where it should be.” 

Aidan O’Brien, who began his love affair with the Derby all the way back in 1997, when winning the race with Desert King, concurred with Moore’s assessment.

“He’s a lovely horse,” said the trainer. “He’s so relaxed, and a horse coming with him was only going to help him, and you can see he was pricking his ears all the way up the straight.

“He's just so laid back, I can't tell you. 

Ryan gave him a lovely, uncomplicated, straightforward ride. He knew him to a tee from winning on him at Chester and everything Wayne told him, so he couldn't have been happier.

“He's 100% homebred as well and I’m so delighted for the lads. He's so genuine, and he's relaxed. He's like his dad: if you put him in first gear, he stays in first gear; if you put him in third gear, he stays in third gear. He's not influenced by anything around him, but always wants to please and never overdo himself.” 

The 1980s and '90s, when the day was one of the great occasions on the social calendar, are a distant memory, but O’Brien refuted the criticism which oft surrounds the Curragh at the present day.

“It's absolute nonsense. If everyone would just, instead of being negative, be positive, and tell everybody the great day it is, and come racing, because when people come, that's when the atmosphere will really build.

“Don't be putting people off. Tell them how good it is. And you have to come here to realise how good it is. The more people come, the better we'll be. And that is in general with racing.” 

Reflecting back on the race, and Moore’s part in the success, he concluded: “His mental attitude, his work etiquette, his genuineness, his commitment — he has everything. And by God, does he work at it. He doesn't take anything for granted. He doesn't think he's better than anyone else, and he believes he has to work harder all the time. Incredible man.”