Five Aidan O’Brien-trained Derby trial winners Aidan O’Brien drew a blank in both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas but has a very strong hand to play in next month’s Epsom Derby. The master of Ballydoyle has mopped up most of the Derby trials in recent weeks and that’s surely an ominous sign for his rivals. Here we assess the performances of his five Derby trial winners and consider their chances of following up in the Epsom classic next month. bet365 Betting Offer If you already have a bet365 account, check out more of the best betting sites and casino bonuses Delacroix This son of Dubawi progressed nicely at two and was beaten by a nose in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on his final start of the season. It’s no surprise that he has taken a big step forward since going up in trip as a three-year-old and Epsom success looks possible. He has taken the same route to Epsom that the likes of High Chaparral and Galileo followed and his profile is not too dissimilar to those. Connections have probably been a bit surprised by the turn of foot he has shown this season and that adds an extra tool to his arsenal. Successful in both the Ballysax Stakes and the Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial this season, the form of the former race has worked out exceptionally well. The stage looks set for a huge run in the big one and he may well be O’Brien’s best chance. Swagman Swagman was beaten twice by Delacroix’s Doncaster conqueror Hotazhell as a two-year-old and he won a Naas maiden in between. O’Brien’s horses were needing their first starts badly in the early weeks of the season but this colt bucked the trend. The son of Wootton Bassett got the better of Andrew Balding’s Windlord, who is well regarded by connections and was a fair performer at two. Damysus was back in third and he has boosted the form by finishing second in the Dante since. You would imagine that there’s more to come from him but whether or not he’s a 1m4f or a Derby horse, remains to be seen. Lambourn Lambourn was a winner on debut at Killarney and then took the unusual route of taking in a Listed contest at Craon, in which he maintained his unbeaten record. O’Brien’s colt was a tad disappointing in the Beresford after that but longer trips were always going to suit. Second to Delacroix in the Ballysax on seasonal debut, he stepped forward again when upped to an extended 1m4f in the Chester Vase after that. He finished very strongly and could be more of a future St. Leger type. That being said, he might be capable of making the frame if he lines up at Epsom. Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro got off the mark at Longchamp on Arc weekend and improved again to finish second to stablemate Twain in the Criterium International at Saint Cloud after that. He made a good start to the season when winning the Dee Stakes at Chester this month. Getting the better of High Stock by a neck that day, that form wouldn’t be at the level required to go close in a Derby and a significant amount of improvement would be required. Perhaps Royal Ascot’s Edward VII Stakes would be a more suitable target. Puppet Master This son of Camelot was fourth behind Delacroix on seasonal debut at Leopardstown and showed a good attitude to hold off another stablemate, Stay True, when returning to winning ways in the Lingfield Derby Trial. The less experienced Stay True might be the one to take out of the race, however, and Puppet Master could be a Queen’s Vase type at Royal Ascot next month, although he would be very interesting if connections decide to take aim at the Derby. Click on any of the horses below to add them to your bet365 betslip:
