Aidan O'Brien: updates on my Betfred Derby and Oaks contenders

Aidan O’Brien, the most successful trainer in the history of the Betfred Derby with 10 wins, today talked about his contenders for the three Group One races at the Betfred Derby Festival

O’Brien has also won the Betfred Oaks 10 times and the Betfred Coronation Cup on a record nine occasions.

Speaking on a Zoom call today organised by The Jockey Club, O’Brien said: “The team is shaping up and everything has gone well since their last runs, so we are happy so far with everything really.

“The Derby and Oaks are vital to us. It is where the whole thoroughbred breed is gauged from with all the pedigrees. They are the most important races for colts and fillies of the year and for the thoroughbred three-year-old generation.”

O’Brien revealed that Ballydoyle’s three runners in the Betfred Derby are likely to be Delacroix, Lambourn and The Lion In Winter. Puppet Master is set to miss the Classic.

On jockeys, the trainer added: “Obviously it will depend on what Ryan is going to ride and we will also use Wayne (Lordan) and Colin Keane.

“I think it would be surprising if Ryan didn’t go with Delacroix, although he doesn’t have to make up his mind until 1.00pm tomorrow.”

“Everything has gone well with him. He has won his two trials here, which we always use for our potential Derby horses. He started off in the Ballysax and then went to the Leopardstown Derby Trial and we were very happy with both runs.

“We found out that he gets a mile and a quarter and there is every chance he will get a mile and a half. 

“He is a big, powerful horse and we feel he has been going the right way every week.

“I’d imagine he’ll be fairly forward on Saturday – that will be Ryan’s decision if he rides him. He is a straightforward and uncomplicated horse we think.

“You are never sure until you do it (staying a mile and a half). His half-sister by Galileo (Grateful) got 1m 6f well. He is by Dubawi and we always thought that there was a good chance he would stay.

“He has form on all types of ground although I think it was maybe slow enough for him at Doncaster last year. He is a well-balanced horse.” 

“We think he has made good progress since the Dante, which we thought he would as he was only just ready to start in the Dante. You are probably better off in a trial knowing that you are going to come forward.

“He was a bit behind fitness-wise at York and was very fresh but everything has gone well since. We learnt at York that it looked like he was going to get a mile and a quarter well if he hadn’t got a bit of interference in the straight. Ryan loohe ked after him and if he hadn’t been interfered with he might have been third and if hadn’t been keen early he might have been closer still.

“He only had the two runs as a two-year-old – he won his maiden at the Curragh and then the Acomb at York. Ruling Court who was behind him in the Acomb came out and won the Guineas. You are never sure, but we always thought there was a strong possibility he would stay.

“He is a good traveller, as he showed in the Acomb and the Dante. Ryan was happy with how he travelled in the Dante – he just got a bit chopped wen he was getting ready to challenge. Ryan just nursed him after that and he wasn’t beaten far for third in the end.

“The Derby will only be his second run of the year and you would imagine whatever he does he is going to come forward again. We couldn’t have asked for any more from him since York.”

“He had a lovely run first time behind Delacroix and then had a lovely win at Chester. He looks like a horse that will stay further and is straightforward. 

“He got the trip at Chester and is a well-balanced horse, so we are looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

“We couldn’t have been happier with him at Chester when Ryan gave him a good ride. We knew it would be plenty sharp enough for him but he coped with it.”

“We are thinking that Minnie Hauk, Giselle and Whirl will all run. They all seem to have come out of their last races well and that is what we are thinking at the moment.

“Ryan, Wayne and Colin will ride them. I don’t know which way Ryan is leaning at the moment but I imagine it would be Minnie Hauk, although that could change.”

“We liked her last year when she won on her second start. She is a lovely straightforward filly and we think she has come forward loads since Chester. We needed to get a run into her before the Oaks and Chester suited her perfectly – we knew it wouldn’t be too demanding on her and she would learn plenty.

“She came out of Chester very well and we have been very happy with her since.

“She is a lovely filly with a good nature who is a good traveller with a good stride to her. She shows plenty of speed in her half-speeds. 

“We have always been very happy with her and think she will stay.”

“She was keen through the winter and spring and wanted to do too much. Because of that, we didn’t get to do an awful lot with her as it was all about relaxing her.

“If we were going to go to the Oaks, she had to run and Lingfield was about the only place she could. She was very underdone fitness-wise at Lingfield and we were just trying to get her started so were delighted with the way she won.

“She has come forward a lot from that we think. The race brought her forward and we have been able to train her more so it will be interesting to see her on Friday. 

“She is a big, strong traveller.”

“Whirl is another straightforward filly and Ryan was very happy to make the running on her at York. She had horses on either side of her but that was no problem as she has a lovely mind.

“She got a mile and a quarter well at York and looked like a filly who would maybe get further so it will be interesting. She wasn’t stopping at York but a mile and a half is a different thing and you never know until you try it.”

“The plan is to run both Jan Brueghel and Continuous in the Coronation Cup.

“Jan Brueghel was second first time out at the Curragh over a mile and a quarter and will definitely be happier going back up to a mile and a half. It will be a nice second run for him and we are very happy with everything he has done since his last run.

“He was a Leger winner starting out over a mile and a quarter last time so was always going to lack sharpness but he has come out of the race well. 

“Continuous is a lovely straightforward horse and as another Leger winner will obviously get the trip well. He has been in good form since the last day.”