Fame and Glory wins the Irish Derby
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from Sporting Life:
Aidan O'Brien usurped the late Vincent O'Brien as the most successful trainer in the 143-year history of the Irish Derby as Fame And Glory stamped his class upon the Curragh Classic.
The namesakes were tied at the top of the winning-most table until the Epsom runner-up forged clear under Johnny Murtagh to provide the Ballydoyle incumbent his fourth consecutive victory in the race, and his seventh overall.
With John Oxx's Epsom hero Sea The Stars an absentee, owing to the ground conditions, Fame And Glory thundered into the lead a furlong and half out, needing minimal assistance from the saddle to oblige as the 8-11 favourite.
Vincent O'Brien was the man responsible for establishing Coolmore, and it was fitting after his death on June 1 that his breeding empire registered their 11 consecutive Irish Classic courtesy of Fame And Glory.
The son of Montjeu had his stablemate Golden Sword back in second, while Sea The Stars' trainer John Oxx saddled Mourayan to come home another length adrift in third.
O'Brien said: "I am delighted - he has been a great horse all along.
"He took a little bit of time to come into peak fitness. He did very well over the winter and often when they do that, they take a couple of runs to really arrive.
"He is very special and was a Group One winner at two. The sky is the limit for him now and he has shown what he has always had - class.
"Johnny was over the moon and he has won very snugly."
Fame And Glory landed the Ballysax and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trials during the spring, a feat last achieved by O'Brien with High Chaparral and Galileo.
Both of those wins came over a mile and a quarter, and O'Brien does not see a drop back in distance as a stumbling block - with the Irish Champion Stakes followed by the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe likely targets.
William Hill make Sea The Stars their 4-7 favourite to dish out another beating in the Irish Champion, with Fame And Glory a 5-4 chance. Ladbrokes quote the latter at 6-1 for the Arc.
O'Brien added: "You could see in his trials that he has loads of class.
"We will make a plan next week, but a mile and a quarter won't be a problem."
With the first all-Irish field going to post since 1957, O'Brien saddled six of the 11 runners and was humbled to have passed Vincent O'Brien's Derby tally.
He commented: "I never thought it would happen, and words can't say how special it is.
"Everyone knows what an important and special race this is, and normally the best three-year-old over a mile and a half decides it.
"It is one of the most important races of the whole year."
Sinndar nine years ago and Alamshar in 2003 have already provided the 39-year-old Murtagh with Irish Derby wins, and the jockey believes Fame And Glory can emulate their subsequent triumphs.
He said: "I knew that this horse was going to be a different proposition altogether from Epsom.
"He improved quite a bit from there, and I don't care what turned up - he would have been hard to beat.
"He has improved mentally, and is much sharper and on the ball.
"I think he will be consistent from now until the end of the year.
"He is a very high-class horse and cruised round there.
"I left him alone, but once we turned the hill he really came on the bridle and I didn't have to touch him - he was just hands and heels.
"You have to be something special to win a mile-and-half race at the Curragh, and I think you can see from some of the horses I have won on before what they have gone on to do.
"I think he will end up like that."
Of a rematch with Sea The Stars, Murtagh added: "He is 1-0 up, but hopefully we'll lock horns later in the year - it will be great for racing."
Coolmore supremo John Magnier, who is married to the late O'Brien's daughter, Sue, said: "He (Vincent O'Brien) has linked all of the bloodlines and they originated with him.
"As Aidan has pointed out several times, he set up Ballydoyle.
"Aidan has continued that and I am sure he would be very proud."
Aidan O'Brien usurped the late Vincent O'Brien as the most successful trainer in the 143-year history of the Irish Derby as Fame And Glory stamped his class upon the Curragh Classic.
The namesakes were tied at the top of the winning-most table until the Epsom runner-up forged clear under Johnny Murtagh to provide the Ballydoyle incumbent his fourth consecutive victory in the race, and his seventh overall.
With John Oxx's Epsom hero Sea The Stars an absentee, owing to the ground conditions, Fame And Glory thundered into the lead a furlong and half out, needing minimal assistance from the saddle to oblige as the 8-11 favourite.
Vincent O'Brien was the man responsible for establishing Coolmore, and it was fitting after his death on June 1 that his breeding empire registered their 11 consecutive Irish Classic courtesy of Fame And Glory.
The son of Montjeu had his stablemate Golden Sword back in second, while Sea The Stars' trainer John Oxx saddled Mourayan to come home another length adrift in third.
O'Brien said: "I am delighted - he has been a great horse all along.
"He took a little bit of time to come into peak fitness. He did very well over the winter and often when they do that, they take a couple of runs to really arrive.
"He is very special and was a Group One winner at two. The sky is the limit for him now and he has shown what he has always had - class.
"Johnny was over the moon and he has won very snugly."
Fame And Glory landed the Ballysax and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trials during the spring, a feat last achieved by O'Brien with High Chaparral and Galileo.
Both of those wins came over a mile and a quarter, and O'Brien does not see a drop back in distance as a stumbling block - with the Irish Champion Stakes followed by the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe likely targets.
William Hill make Sea The Stars their 4-7 favourite to dish out another beating in the Irish Champion, with Fame And Glory a 5-4 chance. Ladbrokes quote the latter at 6-1 for the Arc.
O'Brien added: "You could see in his trials that he has loads of class.
"We will make a plan next week, but a mile and a quarter won't be a problem."
With the first all-Irish field going to post since 1957, O'Brien saddled six of the 11 runners and was humbled to have passed Vincent O'Brien's Derby tally.
He commented: "I never thought it would happen, and words can't say how special it is.
"Everyone knows what an important and special race this is, and normally the best three-year-old over a mile and a half decides it.
"It is one of the most important races of the whole year."
Sinndar nine years ago and Alamshar in 2003 have already provided the 39-year-old Murtagh with Irish Derby wins, and the jockey believes Fame And Glory can emulate their subsequent triumphs.
He said: "I knew that this horse was going to be a different proposition altogether from Epsom.
"He improved quite a bit from there, and I don't care what turned up - he would have been hard to beat.
"He has improved mentally, and is much sharper and on the ball.
"I think he will be consistent from now until the end of the year.
"He is a very high-class horse and cruised round there.
"I left him alone, but once we turned the hill he really came on the bridle and I didn't have to touch him - he was just hands and heels.
"You have to be something special to win a mile-and-half race at the Curragh, and I think you can see from some of the horses I have won on before what they have gone on to do.
"I think he will end up like that."
Of a rematch with Sea The Stars, Murtagh added: "He is 1-0 up, but hopefully we'll lock horns later in the year - it will be great for racing."
Coolmore supremo John Magnier, who is married to the late O'Brien's daughter, Sue, said: "He (Vincent O'Brien) has linked all of the bloodlines and they originated with him.
"As Aidan has pointed out several times, he set up Ballydoyle.
"Aidan has continued that and I am sure he would be very proud."
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