By Peter Moore at Epsom Saturday 1st June 2024
City Of Troy proved all the doubters wrong by winning the Betfred Derby with a sensational performance to win the 245th Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs on Saturday afternoon.
The 3-1 favourite put the disappointment of his previous run at Newmarket in the 2000 Guineas well and truly behind him to give Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien a record 10th winner in the classic and jockey Ryan Moore his fourth success in the race.
City Of Troy settled into the rear of the field behind his stablemates Euphoric and Los Angeles.
As the runners went round Tattenham Corner, City Of try began to make significant progress by going to the front entering the final quarter mile. The result was never in doubt after that after he ran on strongly to get the better of the James Fanshawe trained Ambiente Friendly by two and three quarter lengths with Los Angeles back in third.
O Brien said after the win “I’m so grateful to everybody. From the very start, John and Sue, Michael and Doreen, and Derrick and Gay, they all make it happen. The people who are directly involved with this horse, Andrew, Edmond, Dean, Rachael, everyone – so many people – Kieran, John, Jack, Eamon, Shane, Vanessa, everyone. There are so many people all the way along that have put their heart and soul into him all winter. The exciting thing for us is Justify. He looked very special all the way, and the class that they have – they have speed as well as stamina, so for us it’s so exciting.
He added: “Ryan gave him an incredible ride. I’m so grateful to everyone, all the team around put in so much day in, day out.
“We knew that the Guineas went totally wrong. I made mistakes training him and that’s the bottom line. We discussed it before, there were stones that I didn’t look under that I should have. He was too fresh, he was unprepared, he blew up in the stalls when he went in, that’s just the reality of it. The lads, everybody, we all know the facts and we speak about them all the time, and we learnt from it.”
Derby Day got under way with success for Persica in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Piggott Handicap Stakes run over 1m 2f.
The Richard Hannon 9-2 chance, who was partnered by Sean Levey , travelled well throughout the race and made virtually all to win by two and quarter lengths from Portsmouth.
Breege ended a long losing streak that has lasted two years when the filly was successful in the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
Taking the lead entering the final furlong, she stayed on gamely to win by a neck from the fast finishing Chic Colombine.
Royal Scotsman landed the Group Three Diomed Stakes with Jamie Spencer aboard for Paul and Oliver Cole.
The four-year-old went straight into a clear lead and never looked back to come home two and a quarter lengths over Royal Dubai.
Oliver Cole, who trains the winner jointly with his father Paul, said: “He had a very good chance in the Dewhurst and was unlucky. He was very unlucky in the Guineas. Then last year, a couple of disappointing runs – he had bone bruising – then his last run, the Lockinge,, he cocked his jaw when he came out, and we’ve done a lot of stalls work.
“We’ve used a Monty Roberts blanket on him, and I spoke to Jamie three times this week, telling him just to hold the neckstrap – I told him very respectfully because he’s a jockey and I’m not – give him all the rein he can possibly give him and just go forward. He’s done that very well, and I think if you latch on to his bit in the stalls, he just cocks his head. He’s done it very well and the plan was always to go forward today so he can relax in front. We won three Group races from the front last year, and it just settles them down, especially these Gleneagles, who are quite highly strung. If you get in a tussle early on, it costs you at the end and he proved that at the end of his two-year-old career and as a three-year-old. He’s done it very well and we couldn’t be happier.”
Northern trainer Gemma Tutty enjoyed a first ever success at Epsom with her very first runner at the course when Blue Storm took the Betfred Dash over five furlongs.
The colt was ridden by Rossa Ryan who said after the race “I knew they’d go flat out, which I thought would suit him, and I just needed to get him to do it the right way, as he can get himself a bit disorganised. I knew he had a turn of foot, as he showed it in the winter when I rode him at Southwell.
“He did exactly what it said on the tin. Oisin (on runner-up Sturlasson) went in and gave me chance to switch out and get one clean swoop. He did enough, and he still felt as if there was plenty there, so I know that going to Royal Ascot there should be plenty more to come.
It proved a good Saturday for Ryan who partnered the seven-year-old joint top weight Misty Grey to victory in the finale on the card, but only by the narrowest of margins, a short head over Mr Wagyu.