Australia wins easily under Joseph O'Brien© Photo Healy Racing
Australia completed the Epsom and Irish Derby double at the Curragh today when justifying 1/8 favouritism in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, leading home trainer Aidan O'Brien's fifth career 1-2-3 cleansweep in the race and his 11th overall win in the race.
The race lost plenty its form value when ante-post second favourite and Epsom Derby runner-up Kingston Hill was taken out due to the drying, fast ground while Geoffrey Chaucer, stablemate of the winner, was also a non-runner, reported coughing.
In truth top class Australia had little more than an exercise gallop in the Group 1 contest, readily seeing off just four rivals and leading home stablemates Kingfisher by two and a half lengths, and Orchestra in third.
The win was O'Brien senior's 11th win in the race while winning jockey Joseph O'Brien was registering his second success, having steered his father's Camelot to win the 2012 renewal.
Following Australia's win, his adoring winning trainer stated “he is very unusual in that he has so much speed and class. He'd be very comfortable back at a mile but for him to get a mile and a half the way he does is incredible. He just relaxes, pace is a big thing and he is some traveller.
“A mile is no problem to him and that's what makes him very special.
“Very early on as a two year old, he did four 11 second furlongs working half speed and that's very hard to do but he was able to do it at a very early stage so obviously the class was in there.
“I'd love to go for the Irish Champion Stakes as he's made for it, and you'd love to go back to a mile and a quarter with him. The lads will decide that but maybe he'll have a little rest now.”
Regarding his placed horses, O'Brien added “I thought they both stayed well – the second horse (Kingfisher) wasn't stopping and the third (Orchestra) stayed well too but is still a bit weak and might be a better four year old.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
