O’Brien Reveals His Investec Derby Battalion
11/05/10

Trainer Aidan O’Brien opened the doors of the famous Ballydoyle Stables in County Tipperary to the press yesterday at a media visit organised by Epsom Downs Racecourse and sponsor Investec to talk about his contenders for the 2010 Investec Derby.

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O’Brien has won the Classic, which this year is run on Saturday, June 5, and boasts a prize fund of at least 1.25 million, twice previously with Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002). This year he looks to hold another formidable hand after saddling the second, third, fourth and fifth in 2009 from six runners.

St Nicholas Abbey was the European Champion juvenile of 2009 after going through his two-year-old season unbeaten in three starts, culminating in a comprehensive victory over Elusive Pimpernel in the Group One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. The Montjeu colt began this season at Newmarket on May 1, when he started evens favourite for the Tattersalls Gold Cup and then if everything is OK he could go for the Investec Coronation Cup.

“He could then have a break and we might start him back in the Irish Champion and he could go for the Arc and Breeders' Cup.

“Age Of Aquarius is a possible for the Investec Coronation Cup. We think he's a very classy horse who will come on nicely for his run at Chester last week.”

Ballydoyle's recent record in the Investec Coronation Cup is impressive reading with Yeats (2005), Scorpion (2007) and Soldier Of Fortune (2008) all having prevailed.