Jockey Ryan Moore expertly guided favourite City of Troy through the field to an impressive victory in the Derby.
It was a second victory in consecutive years for trainer Aidan O’Brien, who extended his record to 10 winners in the Classic at Epsom.
The 3-1 chance was boxed in early in the race but burst clear on the inside in the finishing straight to win by two and three-quarter lengths from Ambiente Friendly (9-2) in second place.
O’Brien’s Los Angeles (6-1) was third while 25-1 shot Deira Mile came fourth.
City of Troy had earned high praise as a champion juvenile but disappointed after fading in the 2,000 Guineas last month.
Yet, like O’Brien-trained Auguste Rodin last year, he bounced back in startling fashion at Epsom.
“It was hard to know what would happen today but I was very sure we still had the best horse for the race,” Moore told ITV, after claiming his fourth win in the race.
“I can’t pretend we knew it would happen but we do know he has a big engine, he showed himself to be a brilliant two-year-old.
“In the Guineas we got a few things wrong but it is great that he could come back today.”
It was a fourth win in six years for O’Brien, 54, but the Derby’s greatest ever trainer accepted the blame for City of Troy’s poor showing in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
“Ryan gave him an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone for the work they have done,” he said.
“We knew the Guineas was totally wrong and I made mistakes training him, that’s the bottom line.
“There were stones I didn’t look under, he was too fresh, he was unprepared, he blew up, that’s the reality. But we learned from it and knew the ability he had – and since then everything has been beautiful.”
More to follow.
