AUSTRALIA RULES THE DERBY
Australia lived up to the hype on Epsom Downs, on Saturday 7th June 2014, as the 11/8 favourite landed the Investec Derby by a length and a quarter from 15/2 second favourite Kingston Hill.
The chestnut colt, by 2001 Derby winner Galileo and out of 2004 Oaks winner Ouija Board, was always travelling sweetly under Joseph O'Brien and he showed an impressive turn of foot to collar the runner-up a furlong and a half from home.
The victory gave trainer Aidan O'Brien a record third successive Derby winner, and his fifth in total.
After Australia had landed the race under O'Brien's son Joseph, the winning trainer said: "It's special to train three successive Derby winners, but we are very lucky to have such well-bred horses to handle – that's the reality of it. With the bloodlines we have we are lucky. When the lads brought this horse from the sales we thought he was very good and he had the pedigree to go with it.
"He's a very special horse with class and speed. There's a lot of stamina in his pedigree, but everyone saw the speed today. This horse has kept standing up to the mark and we've never been disappointed – it's great to be here."
The 235th Investec Derby winner Australia has a link to the 12th Earl of Derby, whose name was given to the famous race in 1780: his descendant, the 19th Lord Derby, bred Australia.
Reflecting on the historic victory by the colt, who he sold as a yearling for 525,000gns to Coolmore Stud investors, Lord Derby said: "It's a fantastic thing for the Stanley family [...] To have bred an Oaks winner [Ouija Board] and now a Derby winner and to be here with all the family is absolutely amazing."
"A long time ago we thought he was very special" – Aiden O'Brien