Australia heads O’Brien Derby 1-2-3

Moving the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby a week later from its usual end-of-June date appears to be just one option likely to be pitched by Ireland’s racing authorities to their European counterparts in attempts to rejuvenate the flagging prestige of this country’s premier classic.

Saturday’s Derby saw Aidan O’Brien’s Australia beat two of his stable companions, Kingfisher and Orchestra, and just two other starters at prohibitive odds of 1-8 after his principal rival, Kingston Hill, did not run due to the quick ground conditions.

Australia became the 17th horse to complete the Epsom- Curragh Derby double in what all but effectively turned into an €1.25 million workout for Ballydoyle that saw O’Brien train his 11th Irish Derby winner in the last 17 years.

It was a 12th victory in the same timeframe for John Magnier’s all-conquering Coolmore ownership.

Australia’s 1-8 starting price didn’t quite break Orby’s 1907 record of 1-10 but it was shorter than Camelot’s 1-5 two years ago – that was the last of a remarkable run of seven consecutive O’Brien-trained winners.

After Saturday the champion trainer has swept the Irish Derby placings five times.

It is an unparalleled dominance of a traditional major European contest and something many believe threatens its international prestige in terms of being an international shop window for Irish racing.

Need for review

Horse Racing Ireland’s chief executive Brian Kavanagh acknowledged yesterday the need for a review of the race. He noted two points in particular which are likely to be addressed with HRI’s counterparts in Britain and France, also with the European Pattern Committee.

“Something has to be done and I believe there are two things we can look at,” Kavanagh said.

“One is the date of the race, the other is the changes made to the French Derby and the reduction in distance of that race, which has had an effect on the Irish Derby and which, in my view, hasn’t made much difference to the French Derby.”

The Prix Du Jockey Club was reduced from a mile and a half in 2005. Kavanagh added yesterday: “We have lost that ‘play- off’ element of the Epsom and French winners coming to the Curragh.

“That is no longer the case. And the French have a mile-and-a-half option three weeks after the Curragh in the Grand Prix de Paris.”

The growing influence of that Longchamp race in mid-July was emphasised over the weekend with confirmation that this year’s French Derby winner, The Grey Gatsby, trained and owned by Irishmen, will appear next in the Grand Prix de Paris.

Potentially moving the date of the Irish Derby would have an automatic impact on the European pattern generally, and Sandown’s Eclipse in particular, which will be run this Saturday, as well as the Grand Prix de Paris. However Kavanagh said change was required.

“All this is nothing to do with Aidan O’Brien. All he is doing is putting out his best team, but we need to sit down in the cold light of day with our counterparts in Britain and France in particular, and ask some questions.

“Is the Irish Derby date too close to Royal Ascot, for instance? That meeting is growing even more in influence and it was too close for the impressive winner of the King Edward VII Stakes to come to the Curragh. I recognise that moving the Irish Derby a week later for instance could conflict with the Eclipse but these are issues that must be looked at.

“Any changes require approval from the European Pattern Committee, but it has to be recognised that the Derby is a country’s flagship race and consideration must be given to that,” Kavanagh added.

Next race

A step back to a mile and a quarter in September’s Champion Stakes at Leopardstown looks on the cards next for Australia.

“I’d say he is made for that race,” Aidan O’Brien said

Meanwhile, Roger Varian was fined €12,500, or 1 per cent of the value of the race, for Kingston Hill’s late withdrawal on Saturday but the subsequent lack of competition in the big race didn’t have an impact on a crowd of 23,942 that piled into a sun-splashed Curragh.