Lord Derby’s family pride at breeding Epsom’s winner

EPSOM hero Australia has a link to the 12th Earl of Derby whose name was given to the famous race in 1780.
Joseph O'Brien acknowledges the crowd after his victory on Australia.Joseph O'Brien acknowledges the crowd after his victory on Australia.
Joseph O'Brien acknowledges the crowd after his victory on Australia.

His descendant, the 19th Lord Derby, bred Australia by mating his outstanding mare Ouija Board – who won the Oaks in 2004 – with the 2001 Derby winner Galileo, the first of Aidan O’Brien’s five winners in the blue riband race.

Reflecting on the historic victory of Australia, which he sold as a yearling for 525,000 guineas to Ballydoyle’s bankrollers at the Coolmore stud in Ireland, and the horse’s Classic pedigree, Lord Derby said:“To have bred an Oaks winner and now a Derby winner is absolutely amazing.

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“You cannot take away a first Classic win as an owner/breeder, which is what Ouija Board achieved for us – that was amazing to see my colours win at this racecourse – but if it cannot be in my colours the only way to go higher was to breed the Derby winner.

Australia ridden by Joseph O'Brien on their way to victory in the Investec Derby.Australia ridden by Joseph O'Brien on their way to victory in the Investec Derby.
Australia ridden by Joseph O'Brien on their way to victory in the Investec Derby.

“The reality is that most great racemares don’t go on to be great broodmares, although their grandchildren may do it. Miesque and Urban Sea broke that trend, and maybe Ouija Board is on her way to joining them. I cannot tell you how lucky and proud I feel to think we have done this.

“We have a yearling colt out of Ouija Board by Dubawi at home, and there will be a lot of discussion among the family before we decide whether to sell or keep him. The odds have moved closer to keeping him.

“Ouija Board did not have a foal this year, but she is now carrying a Galileo foal who will be a full brother or sister to Australia.”

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Marginalised jockey Mickael Barzalona is to return home to France to continue his riding career and association with Godolphin.

Barzalona, who won the Epsom Classic aboard Pour Moi in 2011, was snapped up to join Godolphin in 2012 and won both the Dubai World Cup aboard Monterosso and the St Leger on Encke during his first year with Sheikh Mohammed’s operation. However, the 22-year-old has been shunned in recent times by Godolphin’s trainers – they clearly had lost faith in the Frenchman’s commitment and tactical know-how on English tracks – and he was overlooked on all three of Sheikh Mohammed’s horses in Saturday’s race.

Barzalona, whose win in the 2012 St Leger on Encke scuppered Camelot’s Triple Crown quest, clearly welcomed the chance of being reuinted with Pour Moi’s trainer Andre Fabre.

The jockey, who has ridden 124 winners for Godolphin in the United Kingdom since 2011, said after meeting the Sheikh’s bloodstock adviser John Ferguson yesterday: “I will be returning to France very soon and full of enthusiasm. The recent period has been a difficult time but is something that every sportsman can expect to go through.

“I am sure I will come out of it stronger and even more focused. I am only 22 and have a long career ahead of me doing a job that I love.”

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