City Of Troy delivers for Aidan O’Brien at Epsom and silences doubters

Aidan O’Brien’s Luxembourg earned a fourth Group 1 victory on Friday through the hands of Ryan Moore in the Coronation Cup.

And 24 hours later City Of Troy silenced the doubters by storming to a redemptive Derby triumph for the pair. Last season’s champion juvenile delivered an awesome performance to claim a record-extending tenth Derby win for O’Brien.

In the same fashion as stablemate Auguste Rodin twelve months ago, City Of Troy bounced back from a heavy defeat at the 2,000 Guineas, proving O’Brien is capable of producing magic time and again.

Many may have doubted the three-year-old Justify colt, but O’Brien was unwavering in his belief and hailed City Of Troy as the best Derby winner he has trained – some compliment considering the company he keeps among that list.

Seán Flanagan rode the Noel Meade-trained Open To Question to win the two-mile conditions hurdle at Ballinrobe on Tuesday. Carrying the familiar colours of Patricia Hunt, the 17/2 chance led on the run-in to win by a length.

Paul Nolan continued his recent good form when sending out Feet Of A Dancer to win the opening two-mile one-furlong rated hurdle at Wexford on Wednesday.

Ridden by Seán O’Keeffe, the Philip Byrne-owned 11/4f kept on well to win by three-quarters of a length.

Colm Murphy sent out well-backed 6/5f Lovely Hurling to win the concluding two-mile four-furlong bumper under John Gleeson. The JP McManus-owned gelding stayed on well to win by five lengths.

Paul Nolan was back in the winners’ enclosure at Limerick on Thursday after Farfromnowhere won the two-mile three-furlong maiden hurdle.

Sent off 9/4jf, the Seán O’Keeffe-ridden mare won by five and a half lengths for owners David Flynn and John Brennan.

James O’Sullivan rode Grace Faraday to win the two-mile six-furlong handicap hurdle on that card. The 11/2 chance, trained by Anthony McCann, scored by one and a half lengths for the Drumlin Dreams syndicate.

Jordan Gainford rode 14/1 chance Mater Matuta to win the one-mile seven-furlong handicap chase at Tramore on Friday. Trained by Eamon Delany, the David Jordan-owned mare led before the second last, going on to win by four and a quarter lengths.

Cian Cullinan rode Greenway Machine to win the two-mile six-furlong handicap chase at Tramore on Saturday.

Trained by Helen Markham, the 14/1 chance stayed on well to win by three-quarters of a length for owner Peter Killeen.