No catching Cormorant in Derby Trial

Epsom Derby hero of 2017, and last year’s Irish Derby winning jockey, Padraig Beggy, rode another nicely priced Ballydoyle winner, Cormorant as Aidan O’Brien’s horses filled the first three positions in the Group Three Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes. The powerhouse County Tipperary team were bringing up a treble in as many races at Leopardstown.

Beggy soon had the victorious first-time blinkered son of Kingman at the head of affairs.

Try as stable companion and favourite Russian Emperor might, under Seamie Heffernan, he couldn’t quite bridge the gap to Cormorant (16/1 into 12/1) inside the final furlong.

Half a length was the winning distance with a length and a half back to Iberia (under winning rider of event two, Wayne Lordan). Ennistymon (Seamie Heffernan) and Tiger Moth (Lordan) did the needful for O’Brien in races one and two on the card.

“He's a colt that had plenty of racing last year and I think that stood to him today,” said Beggy.

“He jumped out, knew his job, went a good gallop and from halfway he kept galloping like Aidan said he would and kept going well.

“He's an honest horse, it was first time blinkers and they seemed to work. He kept finding plenty.

“I was good and aggressive with him and from halfway got him going. The last furlong I was letting him just do enough to win.

“He's a horse that can hopefully keep on improving. I'd say as the year goes on he might even handle a little bit of cut in the ground.”

At the request of the Stewards, B.M. Coen, rider of Sunchart (GB), trained by Andrew Slattery, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount felt the ground when asked to quicken.

(GC & EM)