Aidan O'Brien: my Epsom contenders and why the Derby is 'the' race

Aidan O’Brien has admitted that stable jockey Ryan Moore “would find it very hard to get off” Chester Vase winner Benvenuto Cellini for next month’s Betfred Derby, unless Constitution River also lines up in the Epsom Downs Classic.

The Ballydoyle trainer is still assessing his superstar squad of three-year-olds ahead of the Betfred Derby Festival and with more Classic trials at York this week “nothing is written in stone”.

However, the £2 million Betfred Derby is the most important race of the year for O’Brien, and his owners and the team are starting to formulate a plan. 

Speaking at a media morning arranged by The Jockey Club the trainer, who is the most successful in the race’s long history with a record 11 victories to his name, said: “Epsom is the ultimate test in every way. It tests mentally, physically, left, right.

“There's no second Epsom anywhere in the world, the test it is. Chantilly is a bit more straightforward. It's a mile and a quarter. It's flatter.

“The Derby is the ultimate test because of the contour of the track, the atmosphere and the strain, both mentally and physically. They have to get the trip – they have to go down on the track and then come back on the track.

“It’s a very, very tough, 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 in the Derby. You have to have pace, ability, you have to stay and you have to be like concrete mentally. All the things are tested.

“At Epsom, the ground is always perfect. Nobody is more experienced in ground and tracks than Andrew (Cooper, Clerk of the Course).

“What was the best Derby winner we ever had? I would say it was Galileo. And he proved to be probably one of the greatest stallions ever. That's what Epsom does. It's very tough, but you will get the blood that you really want going forward.”

On his 2026 Betfred Derby contenders, O’Brien continued: “At the moment, we are looking at the horse that won the Chester Vase, Benvenuto Cellini, for Epsom. We are also looking at the horse that ran yesterday, Pierre Bonnard, for Epsom.

“Constitution River could possibly go to France - it’s not written in stone. The two horses that went to France for their trials (Montrealand Hawk Mountain), the plan with both of them was definitely to go to France. Those two went to Chantilly around the track and everything.

“Constitution River went to Chester knowing that he could be an Epsom or a French horse. And we were happy that it was a mile and a quarter, just in case he was going to go to France. The only thing is, if he goes to France, he's only left-handed so far - he didn't go right-handed yet.

“We felt, and the way it was looking, he looked very different going through all his work. He looked very good last year. He had a good long break. And what happened is we were kind of hoping and expecting that it could happen. He seems to have come out of the race well.

“We think the horse that ran yesterday (Pierre Bonnard, runner-up in the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial at Leopardstown) is going to step up again. He's going to get a mile and a half and could get further.

“The horse that won the Vase, Benvenuto Cellini, we think he's a mile and a half horse that wouldn't be going any further and he could come back to a mile and a quarter. Pierre Bonnard would have no problem going up to a mile and six (furlongs).

“Constitution River is one of those mile-and-a-quarter horses that could get a mile and a half, but you couldn't be sure. If you were riding him over a mile and a half, you'd be riding him a bit patiently. But he's a lot of speed and a lot of class.

“Benvenuto Cellini has speed and class as well. He has a big open stride and looks like a horse that you would be surprised if he didn't get a mile and a half, but at the same time, you would be surprised if he gets much further. 

“Pierre Bonnard was a massive, big horse and we purposely let him get as big as we could over the winter and as strong as we could because we didn't want him to turn into a shell early. So, we felt we had to run him (in the Ballysax Stakes). The race went a bit wrong and he was needing to run. Because he was where he was, we couldn't go, say, and attack into him and have him really ready for yesterday because then we wouldn't carry on to the Derby. So, we had to do it gently.

“We stripped him back a bit more for Leopardstown yesterday. The pace was probably too slow for him, but he still ran very well. I would think and we think that he would step up big time next time going a mile and a half.

“I think Ryan would find it very hard to get off Benvenuto Cellini but I would imagine if Constitution River went (for The Derby), he would probably get off of Benvenuto Cellini. But it wouldn't be written in stone.”

Betfred current makes Benvenuto Cellini its 11-4 market leader for the Betfred Derby, followed by Constitution River on 4-1. Pierre Bonnard is currently 14-1. 

While O’Brien admitted he could send any number of his talented three-year-old colts to Epsom Downs next month, he had to also bear in mind other Group One races too.

He explained: “You have to remember, the lads, they run a big business, and all the races have to be supported. And they're close to each other, so you can't do both. So there has to be a dividing up of the races, really, to be honest. And the French Derby is a seriously important race to win, and they would want to win it, like we would as well.

“We have a big team of horses, and we do have to divide them. And they are different races. At Chantilly, you nearly want a miler that stays a mile and a quarter but often, that kind of a horse at Epsom, they would find it too hard. It would be too demanding, like, Delacroix was probably a mile and a quarter horse. The Lion In Winter - he was a miler, but we still went to Epsom.”

O’Brien has also won the Betfred Oaks 11 times in his career and has a fantastic chance to make that 12 on June 5th, with his challenge headed by Betfred’s current 5-2 favourite, Amelia Earhart.

He said: “At the moment, we're thinking that Diamond Necklace could go back for the Prix de Diane and we're thinking Amelia Earhart is going to Epsom.

“Amelia Earhart has a kink in her, and we saw her a few times do it last year, like she'd go there and she'd go left or right. So that's why she had the headgear on her at Chester. We tried everything through the winter with her and done everything, and this is what we landed on. This was the way and this is what she behaves the best in.

“That's why she ran in that. And it didn't make any sense, because one is to slow her down (hood) and the other is to drive her forward (blinkers). But sometimes things don't make sense.

“If they work, you just do them. So whatever way she thinks, that calms her down the best. And that's when she gets into the right place.

“The filly that won in Lingfield, Cameo, could go to Epsom.

“We always had in our head that Precise could get the Oaks trip. And we always had it in our head she could go to the Irish Guineas and come back two weeks after to the Oaks. And this year there's two weeks again. When there's one week you can't do it, but you can do it with two weeks, because Minding and all those done it. So, it's possible.

“If Precise does run well in the Irish Guineas and goes for the Oaks, it would be difficult, another difficult one for Ryan. He'd have to ride Precise very patiently, where he knows the other filly, Amelia Earhart, will get it. And I think that's all the kind of intrigue about the whole thing.

“Amelia Earhart did behave very well in Chester. And Chester is probably as close to Epsom that you will get. And it's on a lesser scale, lesser pressure. But all the things are there. You know what I mean? The people, the track, the crowd. They have to deal with a lot of stuff.”

O’Brien will find out more this week when some of his other Classic contenders line up at York.

He went on: “Christmas Day is going to the Dante.Action worked this morning and he could also go to the Dante.

“In my wisdom, I decided to put a tongue tie on Action in Sandown and he didn't face it. It would be good if he does go to York, because then it would be an evenly run race.

“Moments Of Joy is going to go to the Musidora. We always thought she was a filly who was going to step up big time going a mile and a quarter. She would love a flat track, the distance and nice ground.

“The York horses are obviously all still in the Epsom picture, depending on what happens.

“Christmas Day was always a very legitimate horse. We were going to France to the Group One with him last year that Pierre Bonnard won and he got a temperature and he had to stop.

“And he was off then. And then all he did then was, since then, he's ran in the Ballysax and he won that.

“And he beat the horse that was second yesterday (Pierre Bonnard), so, it's going to be interesting. And I'd say he's probably stepped up from the Ballysax.”

Despite repeated success at the highest level, O’Brien insists the team at Ballydoyle takes nothing for granted.

He said: “We're never surprised by anything. Believe me, in any way, the weirdest, strangest, maddest, craziest things happen.

“But we do our best for it to happen. We think as clearly as we think we can, but then you go back and you say, ‘why the hell did I do that or why did I think that?’ We don't take one race for granted. All those Group Ones are so difficult to win, I can tell you.

“Everyone will be totally focused all the way and we'll do our best to win them, but that's not a given ever. The horses came along gently from the time they started running at two. These weeks are always their aims.

“There's a lot of lefts, rights and everything in between, and there's other horses as well. But I would never be surprised. Obviously, it would be disappointing if you don't win. You do your best for it to happen, but you accept the result and move on.”

O’Brien also explained why the Chester Classic trials are so informative, adding: “There's only one reason we go to Chester. The ground is usually very good there. It's usually very safe.

“Horses come over very well. They have to get quick feet. They have to start early. They have to go forward. They have to hold a position. And they have to come up the straight. And they're running back into the crowd again. There's usually a massive atmosphere there. It's kind of a Coliseum effect.

“And you have to go there to witness it. To see it, but the horses feel it. They have to come out under.

“They're coming from the stable yard. They have to come out. And the train is going by. And the people are roaring. It's mad. On both sides as well.

“It's a busy infield. You're in a crowded parade ring and there's people. Everyone is enjoying themselves. The bars are all around the parade ring.

“All the things you want, really. It's a festival. And it's an unbelievable atmosphere. And like we say, the horses feel it. It's a preparation for them. It's obviously not a full-blown experience. But it's close. It's on the way up to it, if you know what I mean.”

O’Brien is also excited for next month’s Coolmore Coronation Cup, which is worth £1 million this year and being run on Derby Day (Saturday 6th June). 

He said: “We hope that Calandagan will run in the Coolmore Coronation Cup and hopefully it'll be a good race. Hopefully Lambournwill be OK for it, and he'll come out of his last race well and hopefully Jan Brueghel will be OK for it too and he'll come out of his last race well also.

“And then Calandagan comes over, so that will make it a proper race. And it'll be exciting then for everyone to see what's going to happen, won't it?

“We want all the big horses to turn up on all those big days and then everyone can have an opinion.

“Chester was perfect for both Lambourn and Jan Brueghel. We were very happy with Jan Brueghel (in the Ormonde), I thought it was a lovely run.

“I thought Ryan did well on Lambourn (in the Huxley Stakes) because he never got to sit for one stride. When you see it, it's unusual that a horse could do that and still win. Like, he rooted him out, and he was going all the way and kept digging.

“He probably didn’t stay in the Leger. In all fairness, he had a very tough season going into the Leger, so he was entitled to hold up the white flag at that stage.

“But I tell you, he'd be a fair horse to go off in front there now. He'd be a brave man to let him go, wouldn't he? I wouldn't like to be giving him too much rope around Epsom. So, it will be an interesting race.

“I think Ryan would ride Jan Brueghel. The horse got sick after he won last year’s race. He started choking on a piece of hay one day, nearly died, and he got pneumonia. So that's why you didn't see him. He has done very well to get back to where he is.”