Aidan O’Brien’s 3YO redeems himself

KILDARE, Ireland – Redemption day came at the Curragh for Benvenuto Cellini, who put the frustration of the Epsom Derby firmly behind him when leading home an Aidan O’Brien 1-2-3 in the €1.25 million (S$1.84 million) Group 1 Irish Derby (2,400m) at The Curragh on June 28.

The son of Frankel – ridden by Ryan Moore for owners Peter Brant, the Coolmore partners and Westerberg – defeated Group 1 Epsom Derby (2,400m) winner Christmas Day by 1¾ lengths, with Pierre Bonnard a neck further back in third.

The result gave O’Brien his ninth Irish Derby 1-2-3, and carried a strong echo of his landmark Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (2,100m) clean sweep at Chantilly on May 31, when Constitution River led home Hawk Mountain and Montreal.

It was another emphatic statement of the Ballydoyle master trainer’s depth in the European three-year-old middle-distance division.

O’Brien had already won the Irish Derby a record 17 times, but this latest success extended that total and continued a recent sequence in the race that has become almost dynastic.

For Moore, too, the victory strengthened an extraordinary personal record, following his consecutive wins on Auguste Rodin, Los Angeles and Lambourn in the previous three renewals.

Benvenuto Cellini’s early career had always pointed towards him being a colt of considerable quality.

Second on debut over 1,400m at the Curragh on June 28, 2025, he won a Killarney maiden over a mile before taking the Group 2 Champions Juvenile Stakes (1,600m) at Leopardstown by five lengths on Sept 13 that year.

His only juvenile defeat came when third a month later in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy (1,600m) at Doncaster on heavy ground, a run which already suggested that extreme ease underfoot was unlikely to see him to best effect.

This time, his stablemate Action (Declan McDonogh) ensured the race was run at a solid tempo, allowing Moore to ride Benvenuto Cellini with patience through the early stages.

Initially settled towards the rear, the eventual winner began to improve after the first 600m once the field found its rhythm, with the Ballydoyle runners soon racing in close formation along the rails.

Moore remained composed before angling wider to secure a clear run. Benvenuto Cellini ($9) swept into the straight with purpose, drew alongside the leader approaching the 400m and quickly stamped his authority.

Christmas Day (Ronan Whelan) attempted to come through in pursuit, but Benvenuto Cellini had already seized the decisive position before powering on strongly to score with authority.

Looking back at Benvenuto Cellini’s misfortune three weeks ago in the Epsom Derby, where stewards deemed he was denied a fair start and declared him a non-runner after overhead TV shots showed his right hind leg momentarily caught on the starting stalls, O’Brien was just glad it was all behind them.

“All the things seemed to have conspired against him at Epsom, and it’s very difficult for Ryan to make up two furlongs. I’m delighted for Ryan, as it was a difficult decision,” he said to RTE.

“He went out with an open mind as to what could happen, whether he would end up last or end up going down the rail – his mind is very quick.

“He’s a beautiful mover with a lot of class. Ryan felt with this horse that he’d rather go back to a mile and a quarter than go any further.

“We knew that Christmas Day would stay further, but he wasn’t going to be easy to catch because he was ridden positively.

“We have often come here thinking that we would overturn the Epsom form, and it never happens. The form stood up.

“We felt that Pierre Bonnard had excuses at Epsom, so we’re delighted with him too.”

Added part-owner John Magnier: “This must be the best three-year-old that there is at the moment.”

Two races earlier, the Dermot Weld-trained progressive Purview ($7) landed his maiden Group 3 race in the Dubai Duty Free International Stakes (2,000m), confirming his upward trajectory with a composed success.

The Juddmonte-owned four-year-old colt, ridden by retained jockey Colin Keane, was soon positioned prominently, racing in a share of second after the O’Brien-trained Coolmore representative Isaac Newton (Moore) lost ground at the start.

Purview travelled smoothly into the race and moved into contention in the run to the straight.

Shaken up as the field began to quicken, the son of Kingman cruised to the front at the two-furlong pole and briefly looked set to win with something in hand.

He quickened smartly before idling once in command, allowing Trustyourinstinct (Joseph Sheridan) to reduce the margin in the closing stages, but the result was never in serious doubt. Purview scored by ¾ length, with Hotazhell (Shane Foley) back in third.

The victory continued a progressive profile built in seven starts. Successful on debut at Dundalk in November 2024, Purview was pitched into Group company at three years old and finished second to Delacroix in the Group 3 Derby Trial Stakes (2,000m) at Leopardstown before again filling the runner-up spot in the Group 3 Meld Stakes (1,800m), when beaten only a short head by Snellen.

After a below-par fifth in the Listed Prix Nureyev (2,000m) at Deauville, he resumed his progress when taking the Listed Navigation Stakes (2,000m) at Cork.

His four-year-old campaign began with a more emphatic display in the Listed Orby Stakes at the Curragh, where the step-up to 2,400m appeared to bring about further improvement, and this latest success confirmed that upward curve. RACING AND SPORTS