The Group I Epsom Derby (1m4f) was the big highlight overnight in the UK and the scratching of Godolphin owned favourite Ruling Court due to track condition meant it was an open affair with the second string horse from Ballydoyle in Lambourn coming up trumps and also bringing joy for the Aussie offshoot of his family.
Back on May 7, Aidan O’Brien took some promising three year-olds to Chester for a couple of traditional classic lead ups with Minnie Hauk (Frankel) winning the Listed Cheshire Oaks, while Lambourn (Australia) took out the Group III Chester Vase.
Minnie Hauk won the Group I Epsom Oaks on Friday and Lambourn followed suit taking out the Derby with Wayne Lordan giving him a ride to suit the conditions.
He was sent along to take up the lead and held it all the way drawing more than three lengths clear of Lazy Griff, a son of Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist (Ger) raced by a big syndicate of ecstatic owners, with Wootton Bassett producing the third horse Tennessee Stud.
The win was a triumph for Wayne Lordan, who at age 43 is coming to the back end of a long career and has overcome serious injury following a nasty fall in the 2023 Irish Derby.
"He's a lovely genuine horse, but when I jumped out I was anxious to get him out and into his stride because I know he stays well," said Lordan.
"He was enjoying it in front and in a good rhythm.
"I just wanted to see the three-furlong pole so I could get going on him because I knew whatever was going to go by me would have to deserve to get by me and stay. When I got a flick into him passing the two he went forward and I knew that if I gave him another one he’d go forward again. He was still galloping strong in that last furlong."
For Aidan O’Brien it was business as usual with Lambourn adding his name to an illustrious list of past Epsom Derby winners to emerge from Ballydoyle that includes his sire Australia and grand-sire Galileo, so he is a third generation Epsom Derby winner for Coolmore.
"Wayne gave him an incredible ride," said O'Brien.
"He's been a great fella, he's done so much hard work through all the years.
"Everybody knew what he was going to do. Lambourn is very straightforward, Wayne knew he'd stay. He was obviously expecting something to come and challenge him but he's a very genuine horse. I'm delighted for Wayne, I couldn't be happier."
A Listed winner in France at two, Lambourn now has the overall record of four wins and a second from six starts.
A Coolmore homebred, Lambourn is the first winner from Group II placed Scat Daddy mare Gossamer Wings, a sibling to US Group III winner Baby J, stakes-winners Laureate Conductor and Lavender Chrissie as well as Childhood (USA), who has found her way to Australia and is the dam of Group II ATC Sapphire Stakes winner Infancy, who is bred and raced by Australian Blooodstock.
Childhood had a yearling colt by Graff sell at Inglis Classic this year for $90,000 to Tasman Bloodstock and after slipping to Bivouac she is now in foal to Tassort.
Lambourn is the sixth Group I winner for Australia, who won the Epsom Derby in 2014 and stands at Coolmore in Ireland at a fee of €10,000.
The pedigree of Lambourn and his genetic make up is not dissimilar to last year’s Epsom Derby winner City of Troy, who is by Scat Daddy’s champion son Justify from a daughter of Galileo, so both horses are a combination of the Irish (Galileo) and US (Scat Daddy) arms of the Coolmore stallion business.
