Pierre Bonnard flops but O’Brien still strikes in Ballysax at Leopardstown

Aidan O’Brien said Pierre Bonnard “will leave the run well behind him” after the Derby favourite could finish only seventh in the Ballysax at Leopardstown.

Christmas Day and Wayne Lordan (pink) won a 13th P.W. McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes for Aidan O'Brien. Pic: Healy Racing Photo

Epsom Derby favourite Pierre Bonnard flopped. But Aidan O’Brien still won a thirteenth P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax at Leopardstown as Christmas Day led home a 1-2 for Ballydoyle.

Pierre Bonnard, the even-money favourite, could finish only seventh and “will leave the run well behind him”, according to O’Brien. He watched Wayne Lordan bring Christmas Day with a determined challenge to master front-running Endorsement by a half-length, with A Boy Named Susie a similar distance away in third.