Racecards
16:00 Epsom Downs
Investec Derby (Group 1) (Class 1)
- 16 Runners
- Distance: 1m 4f 10y
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £1,380,000 added
- Winner: £782,598
- 2nd: £296,700
- 3rd: £148,488
- 4th: £73,968
Arod (IRE)
23- Form 3-12
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer P W Chapple-Hyam
- Jockey J P Spencer
took keen hold in mid-division, steady headway over 2f out, went modest 4th inside final 2f, never going pace of leading trio
Australia
35- Form 211-3
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer A P O'Brien
- Jockey Joseph O'Brien
held up in mid-division, smooth headway on outside over 2f out, 2nd entering final 2f, shaken up to lead over 1f out, ridden and edged left inside final furlong, stayed on strongly
- Form 1-3D
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer J M Oxx
- Jockey D P McDonogh
held up in mid-division, ridden and outpaced over 2f out, ridden disputing modest 5th over 1f out, no impression and weakened final furlong
- Form 5-111
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer D K Weld
- Jockey P J Smullen
held up towards rear, ridden and headway on outside over 2f out, ridden disputing modest 5th over 1f out, weakened final furlong
- Form 11-3
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 112
- Trainer A P O'Brien
- Jockey R L Moore
always towards rear, behind and virtually pulled up final 3f, tailed off
- Form 51-2
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer A M Balding
- Jockey David Probert
towards rear, never involved
- Form 4135-51
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer A P O'Brien
- Jockey C O'Donoghue
tracked leader, ridden and every chance over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, losing place when hampered just inside final furlong
- Form 111-8
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 118
- Trainer R Varian
- Jockey Andrea Atzeni
tracked leaders in 3rd, led over 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, not pace of winner inside final furlong, stayed on well for clear 2nd
- Form 21-1
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer A P O'Brien
- Jockey J A Heffernan
took keen hold, held up towards rear, struggling when hung left over 2f out, never on terms
- Form 321-1
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 101
- Trainer W J Haggas
- Jockey S De Sousa
led, ridden and headed over 2f out, chased leaders, weakened quickly over 1f out
Pinzolo
21- Form 110-31
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer C Appleby
- Jockey James Doyle
towards rear, pushed along and struggling 3f out, never a factor
Red Galileo
28- Form 2221-46
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer E A L Dunlop
- Jockey Oisin Murphy
held up in rear, headway on wide outside over 1f out, plugged on inside final furlong, went modest 5th towards finish
Romsdal
30- Form 312
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer J & T Gosden
- Jockey Richard Hughes
tracked leaders in 5th on outside, headway on outside 3f out, went modest 3rd entering final 2f, plugged on final furlong but never going pace of leading duo
- Form 421-13
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer C Appleby
- Jockey K J Manning
tracked leaders, pushed along when hampered and lost place quickly inside final 6f, soon behind
- Form 21-13
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer S bin Suroor
- Jockey Kieren Fallon
tracked leaders on inside, pushed along and outpaced 3f out, ridden and edged left over 2f out, tried to rally and hung left over 1f out, weakened and lost 2 places towards finish
Western Hymn
43- Form 1-11
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer J & T Gosden
- Jockey W Buick
bumped leaving stalls, soon towards rear, pushed laong 5f out, headway under pressure and edged left over 2f out, plugged on into modest 6th towards finish
Verdict
Aidan O'Brien bids to win this for the third year in a row. Australia stands out from the four Ballydoyle challengers on his close-up third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and his position at the head of the betting reflects his chance. Kingston Hill never recovered from a tardy start in the Guineas, but the Racing Post Trophy winner has been all the rage leading up to today's Classic and will almost certainly improve for this longer trip. Godolphin's challenge is led by TRUE STORY, who didn't get the clearest of runs when third in the Dante at York behind The Grey Gatsby. The latter has since boosted the form by landing the French Derby and Kieren Fallon's mount looks likely to handle any softening of the ground better than Dante runner-up Arod. Peter Chapple-Hyam's colt was arguably finishing best of all at York but the forecast rain may spoil his chance. Fascinating Rock was awarded the Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown by the stewards, though the subsequently-disqualified Ebanoran passed the post first with Ryan Moore's mount Geoffrey Chaucer nearly three lengths behind. The latter's stablemate, Orchestra, beat Romsdal a nose in the Chester Vase and another O'Brien inmate Kingfisher won the Dee Stakes at the same meeting. William Buick prefers Western Hymn to Romsdal with the former having won the Sandown Classic Trial by beating Impulsive Moment and Red Galileo. Godolphin's other runners Sudden Wonder and Pinzolo look to have plenty to find, as does Our Channel.
Formwatch
Arod (IRE) 8-1 (9-0) Held up in last place, headway over 2f out, ridden and no impression over 1f out, rallying when switched left entering final furlong, stayed on to go 2nd near finish, 2nd of 6, 3/4l behind The Grey Gatsby (9-0) at York 1m 2f 3yo Grp 2 (1) gs in May.
Australia 5-2 (9-0) Raced stand side from over 5f out, tracked leaders, ridden to lead this group just inside final furlong, ran on, 3rd of 14, 3/4l behind Night Of Thunder (9-0) at Newmarket 1m 3yo Grp 1 (1) gf in May.
Ebanoran (IRE) 8-1 (9-3) Held up in rear,improved on outer into 2nd 2f out, led over 1f out, strongly pressed and drifted slightly right, held on, demoted to 2nd, in a race won by Fascinating Rock (9-3) at Leopardstown 1m 2f 3yo Grp 3 (1) in May, 6 ran.
Fascinating Rock (IRE) Evensfav (9-3) In rear, stayed on under 2f out, 2nd 1f out, pressed winner closing stages, just failed, awarded race, won at Leopardstown 1m 2f 3yo Grp 3 (1) in May beating Ebanoran (9-3) by hd, 6 ran.
Geoffrey Chaucer (USA) 7-4 (9-6) Mid-division in 4th, 3rd 4f out, 5th over 2f out, progress into 3rd 2f out, short of room under 150 yards out and eased, 3rd of 6, 2 3/4l behind Fascinating Rock (9-3) at Leopardstown 1m 2f 3yo Grp 3 (1) in May.
Impulsive Moment (IRE) 25-1 (9-1) Chased leaders, driven to challenge over 2f out, every chance over 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong, 2nd of 6, 1 3/4l behind Western Hymn (9-1) at Sandown 1m 2f 3yo Grp 3 (1) sft in Apr.
Kingfisher (IRE) 11-4fav (9-0) Tracked leading pair on inside, slightly outpaced as pace lifted 4f out, rallied into 3rd again over 2f out, went 2nd over 1f out, soon edged left, closed under pressure inside final furlong, stayed on best to lead final 50 yards, won at Chester 1m 2f 3yo lst stk (1) sft in May beating Bow Creek (9-3) by 1l, 7 ran.
Kingston Hill 10-1 (9-0) Raced stand side from over 5f out, in rear, ridden over 2f out, kept on final furlong, 8th of 14, 5l behind Night Of Thunder (9-0) at Newmarket 1m 3yo Grp 1 (1) gf in May.
Orchestra (IRE) 3-1fav (9-0) Tracked leading trio on inside, travelling well to lead on inner as gap opened over 2f out, ridden and hung right inside final furlong, just held on, all out, won at Chester 1m 4f 3yo Grp 3 (1) sft in May beating Romsdal (9-0) by ns, 8 ran.
Our Channel (USA) 14-1 (8-13) Made all, ridden over 1f out, hung right final furlong, held on gamely, won at Epsom Downs 1m 2f con stks (2) gs in Apr beating Marzocco (8-13) by hd, 9 ran.
Pinzolo 5-4fav (9-3) Hung right throughout, led until over 2f out, led again over 1f out, stayed on well, won at Newmarket 1m 2f 3yo lst stk (1) gf in May beating Master Carpenter (9-3) by 2l, 5 ran.
Red Galileo 20-1 (9-0) Held up, ridden over 2f out, never a factor, 6th of 9, 7l behind Snow Sky (9-0) at Lingfield 1m 3f 3yo lst stk (1) gd in May.
Romsdal 9-2 (9-0) Tracked leaders in 5th, pushed along over 3f out, slightly outpaced over 2f out, rallied towards inside to chase winner well over 1f out, edged left briefly over 1f out, stayed on strongly in closing stages, just failed, 2nd of 8, ns behind Orchestra (9-0) at Chester 1m 4f 3yo Grp 3 (1) sft in May.
Sudden Wonder (IRE) 6-1 (9-0) Towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on final furlong, nearest finish, 3rd of 9, 2 1/2l behind Snow Sky (9-0) at Lingfield 1m 3f 3yo lst stk (1) gd in May.
True Story 8-13fav (9-0) In touch, headway 3f out, ridden and every chance over 1f out, looked held when hampered and carried right entering final furlong, kept on one pace, 3rd of 6, 1 1/2l behind The Grey Gatsby (9-0) at York 1m 2f 3yo Grp 2 (1) gs in May.
Western Hymn 1-2fav (9-1) Dwelt, held up in touch, headway over 2f out, driven to lead over 1f out, wandered under pressure inside final furlong, stayed on well, won at Sandown 1m 2f 3yo Grp 3 (1) sft in Apr beating Impulsive Moment (9-1) by 1 3/4l, 6 ran.