In the sleek offices of Coolmore Stud, one of the most influential facilities in horseracing, a quote from Federico Tesio adorns a wall.
Tesio was born in Turin in 1869 and is described by historians as a genius for the influence he had in breeding racehorses. It is 80 years since he died but his observation about the greatest Flat race of all has lost none of its impact, particularly in this of all weeks.
‘The Thoroughbred exists because its selection has depended, not on experts, technicians or zoologists, but on a piece of wood,’ Tesio declared. ‘The winning post of the Epsom Derby.’
This is the race that matters more than anything and that white stick with its red circle at the top, which comes at the end of a helter-skelter mile and a half, is the signpost for immortality. Plenty will tell you the Derby is not what it once was but nothing could be further from the truth.
At Coolmore, in County Tipperary, the ambition to breed an Epsom Derby hero, or have it trained in nearby Ballydoyle by Aidan O’Brien, is an annual target. Tesio’s words are there to provide inspiration but also act as a reminder for what everything revolves around.
Plenty will tell you the Derby is not what it once was but nothing could be further from the truth
Auguste Rodin, jockeyed by Ryan Moore and trained by Aidan O’Brien, won last year
The partners in the business — John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith — have had plenty of success on the Downs, particularly in the last 25 years, but it’s never something to which they have become fatigued. The desperation to see brilliance never leaves them.
City Of Troy was supposed to be the one that carried all before him this summer but the closer you get to the race, the more that colt’s sheen has dulled, and a more credible Ballydoyle option would be the powerful Los Angeles, whose father, Camelot, whizzed around this course to victory in 2012.
But there is so much more to it for Coolmore or their great breeding rivals Darley, who produce horses for Godolphin. Sheik Mohammed will be represented by Ancient Wisdom this weekend and jockey William Buick explained to Mail Sport on Tuesday that it would be unwise to underestimate his chances.
Those comments apply, though, to the field as a whole. Everyone who is fortunate enough to still have a contender at this stage — be it a jockey or trainer, owner or groom — will spend the next few days hoping, praying and dreaming this will be their year.
To that, you can add in the tens of thousands of spectators who will flock to Epsom. When you have a day at the races, particularly one of the showpiece fixtures, you go through the gates with the ambition of backing the big winner of the day, to have some small piece of the joy.
Outside the Champions League final, there is no bigger sporting event this weekend in Britain than at Epsom. In the same way as the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup are the hooks to pull in those who love jump racing, no contest on the Flat can rival the Derby’s legend-making potential.
If you have even the slightest passing interest in racing, you will know about the majesty (and then tragedy) of Shergar in 1981 or the agony of Dancing Brave in 1986, the colt who just failed to win after being set, as commentator Graham Goode so memorably said: ‘Oh so much to do!’
On we could go. Lammtarra defied logic in 1995, winning the race on his first start as a three-year-old, when zooming through the field like a motorbike in a traffic jam; Galileo, in 2001, and Sea The Stars, in 2009, were as close to equine perfection as you will ever see at Epsom.
No contest on the Flat can rival the Derby’s legend-making potential ahead of its 245th run
More recently, Desert Crown (2022) and Auguste Rodin, 12 months ago, displayed the qualities that Tesio would have so admired: the balance, the speed, the tenacity and the courage to cope with all those tests — the sights and sounds that assail their senses and the track that defies convention.
This will be the 245th running of the Derby and it has stayed part of our culture for a reason. This the ultimate test, the one that separates the best from the rest. You will see something spectacular, dramatic and unforgettable — all to be first past that most coveted piece of wood.
Had things gone to plan, the Millennial Racing syndicate would have struggled to be represented at Haydock on Saturday to see their pride and joy Nellie Leylax run in the Silver Bowl Handicap.
As a group of staunch Liverpool fans, they had hoped to be still in Dublin after the Europa League final. Some things, though, are meant to be and back at Haydock, the cheers would have been heard in Ireland as the Tom Dascombe-trained gelding bounded clear. Nellie Leylax, named after some of the syndicate’s late grandmother Nellie Leyland, cost £20,000 and has now won £120,000.
Nellie Leylax, named after some of the Millennial Racing syndicate’s late grandmother Nellie Leyland, cost £20,000 and has now won £120,000
Royal Ascot will be next and here, again, was a reminder there are no barriers to hopes and dreams in racing. The joy it brings is unconfined and as syndicate member Stephen Burkert told Horse Power: ‘The back story to this is magic.
‘We got involved for a laugh. What’s happening to us is unreal.’
There are 10 Group One races in Europe before we reach Epsom’s Derby Festival: three in England, four in France and another three in Ireland.
Aidan O’Brien’s strike rate in them over the last 20 years has been extraordinary. Some trainers can go a lifetime without landing one of the top-level events but O’Brien wants to get off the mark as quickly as possible, like a batsman in a hurry to score runs.
Only once since 2004 had O’Brien failed to collect a Group One ahead of Epsom and that was in 2022. As soon as the master of Ballydoyle arrived here, though, the situation was immediately rectified as Tuesday held on in a driving finish to win the Oaks.
Will history repeat this weekend? Again, O’Brien will arrive at Epsom with a record of 0 from 10 in Group Ones. It could easily be 0 from 11 after the Coronation Cup, the first feature event on Friday, but he will have Ylang Ylang and Rubies Are Red running in the Oaks.
Don’t say you weren’t told!
