The Epsom Derby is actually THE DERBY. The race that all trainers, owners and jockeys want to win.
The reason for this is simple, The Derby is the single most important test of a thoroughbred racehorse. It requires speed, stamina, balance and the ability to act under pressure. You get very few poor Derby winners. From a breeding point of view, the race stamps a horse as being a great athlete and enhances their stallion prospects immeasurably.
So no wonder the greatest power in Flat racing – Coolmore- go all out in their quest to win the prize. Yes every year Aiden O’Brien will come up with some hyperbole about how his horse is the greatest we’ve seen and how he can’t believe what it does at home. But the truth is, they want to win the Derby, they want their horses to be the best and they want to keep them as prize stallions.
This year is no different. What may be different though is the fact that the horse they expect to win – Australia– could actually be the greatest horse they’ve had.
Let’s look at him from the outside. He was bred out of two of the best horses in modern times – Galileo and Ouija Board. For those who don’t know about these two, they both confirmed their greatness at Epsom over the classic trip in the Derby and the Oaks. Both were outstanding middle distance horses.
Galileo was bred from the outstanding stallion Sadler’s Wells out of an Arc De Triomphe winner Urban Sea, that breeding entitled him to be good. He raced over trips he was bred for and he won his first 6 races including the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby, in other words he lived up to that breeding expectation.
Ouija Board was not bred in the purple, however she was a realy tough and great racehorse. She won at the very highest level all over the world. After winning the Epsom Oaks (the female equivalent of the Derby) she won in Hong Kong and America and raced in the best company for 3 seasons amassing over £3 million in prize money.
It is quite easy to see from these facts why a son of these two would attract interest from everyone. Australia was born to be a star.
He has already shown that he can handle big occasions, when finishing 3rd in the 2000 Guineas. That run also confirmed that he has plenty of speed and courage. The only aspect he now has to show is that he can step up and stay the 1m 4f trip of The Derby. His breeding suggests he will. His relaxed racing style suggests he will. His trainer suggests he will.
I don’t believe there is a horse in the race capable of matching him and believe his star is about to rise to a whole new level This is his date with destiny and on the Epsom Downs 7th June 2014 at about 4.06pm we shall all be hailing the newest star of the racing galaxy – Australia.
If that isn’t enough, Betfair are offering new customers a fantastic incentive – Get 5/1 on Australia to win the Derby!
