Lambourn captures the Irish Derby (Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
Lambourn won the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at The Curragh, County Kildare, Ireland, on Sunday.
Winner of the 2025 Betfred Derby at Epsom in early June, the son of Australia became the 20th horse to successfully complete the Epsom-Curragh Derby double.
Trained at Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien for the Coolmore partners, the combination was also responsible for the runner-up Serious Contender.
Lambourn, who was ridden to success at Epsom by County Cork-born rider Wayne Lordan, was this afternoon the choice of the Ballydoyle main stable jockey Ryan Moore.
It was a third consecutive victory in Ireland’s premier classic for the English rider, having won aboard Los Angeles in 2024 and Auguste Rodin in 2023.
For the successful handler Aidan O’Brien, it was an incredible 17th victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, and a 15th success in the last 23 years.
It is the fifth time an Aidan O’Brien-conditioned runner has completed the Derby double, as Lambourn joins his sire Australia, his grandsire Galileo, Auguste Rodin, and Breeders’ Cup Turf winner High Chaparral.
Serious Contender (28/1), ridden by Gavin Ryan, claimed the runner-up position only three-quarters of one length behind the winner.
In a race where the first three horses to pass the winning post at Epsom lined up against each other again at The Curragh, Lazy Griff (14/1), the Betfred Derby runner-up, was third on this occasion, a further two and a quarter lengths behind the son of Wootton Bassett, Serious Contender.
Tennessee Stud, who claimed third place at a big price at Epsom, was fourth this afternoon, just a neck behind the third placer.
Speaking to RTÉ Racing, the host TV broadcaster, successful trainer Aidan O’Brien said of his latest Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner, Lambourn:
“He’s a very straightforward horse that gets the trip well. He’s a little laidback, a little bit lazy and you could see up the straight he was waiting all the time but that’s him. Ryan (Moore, winning rider) gave him a lovely ride. He thought he would keep pulling out and he was pricking his ears all the way.”
O’Brien was keeping all available options open when asked immediately after the Irish Derby where the son of Australia would next appear:
“He could be a King George horse (King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on 26 July); he could be an Arc (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in October) horse. He gets the trip well and is very sound and very genuine.”
Ryan Moore, now a three-time Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby-winning rider, said of this season’s dual Derby victor, Lambourn:
“Lambourn is just a very relaxed horse and was only doing the minimum with what he could get away with. This place, when the wind is blowing, is a stiff track and is always difficult for horses who race behind the bridle.”
Moore, who earlier in the day won the Listed Colm McLoughlin Celebration Stakes aboard Skukuza for English trainer Ed Dunlop, continued:
“He stays well, is straightforward and is typical of his sire (Coolmore Stud stallion and former dual Derby winner Australia) and how Aidan trains them. He’ll keep getting them to progress, to be consistent, and he’ll keep running big races all year.”
Lambourn was bred by Coolmore, by their sire Australia, and is the first winner from the Scat Daddy mare Gossamer Wings.
