Lambourn is 20th horse to complete Derby-double Lambourn (8/13f) was the 20th to complete the English-Irish Derby double today, as Aidan O’Brien’s colt followed in the hoof-prints of both his sire and grandsire in winning today’s Dubai Duty Free-sponsored €1.25m race. Revamped in 2019, the Curragh and its feature-day attendance has dwindled from a high of 47,000 in 2005 to 11,418 last year, although today's plateauing 11,200 figure offers somewhat more hope for the future. Successful when making all in the English equivalent on June 7, O’Brien’s stable jockey Moore substituted for Wayne Lordan on Lambourn today, with the pair initially disputing the lead in the race, alongside outsider Sir Dinadan. Pushed along and under pressure from four furlongs out, Lambourn shook off Sir Dinadan’s challenge two furlongs out and while subsequently pressed by runner-up Serious Contender , rallied for a three-parts of a length win over his stablemate. Lazy Griff ran on well to take a never dangerous third, while Tennessee Stud filled fourth. It was champion trainer O’Brien’s 17th race-triumph and - after pulling up, Moore came out to bat for the famous race saying “Aidan wins this race a lot but it took me a long time to win it. I grew up watching Irish Derby’s and the great horses who have won it, so it is a really important race. It would be great if it could get back to where it should be.” Moore, 41 and a three-time UK champion jockey, added “Lambourn is just a very relaxed horse and was only doing the minimum with what he could get away with. This place, when the wind is blowing, is a stiff track and is always difficult for horses who race behind the bridle. “Aidan had him on fire today and he was ready for it. “He stays well, is straightforward and is typical of his sire (Australia) and how Aidan trains them. He’ll keep getting them to progress, to be consistent and he’ll keep running big races all year. “He hasn’t done a huge amount there and I just had to keep him awake: sometimes it is hard if you are upsides the leader to get hm to focus, as if he was in front he might have focussed a bit better. He was lazy out there today, but has loads of ability and was always in control.” Coolmore Stud’s Lambourn was following his sire Australia (in 2014) and grandsire Galileo (2001) in completing the English-Irish Derby doubles, with O’Brien, trainer of all three horses, reporting “Lambourn is a very straightforward horse that gets the trip well. “Ryan was going to be happy if someone came with him as that keeps him focused. He’s a little bit laidback, a little bit lazy and you could see up the straight he was waiting all the time but that’s him. Ryan gave him a lovely ride, thought he would keep pulling out and he was pricking his ears all the way. “He could be a King George horse, he could be an Arc horse. He gets the trip well and is very sound and very genuine. “We minded the second horse for a handicap in Ascot that we thought he couldn’t get beat and then a horse came and beat us that was entered in the King George so it just goes to show what can happen.” Quotes from Alan Magee
