3 minute read

Not content with saddling the first three home in the Derrinstown Derby Trial on Sunday, Aidan O'Brien repeated the feat on the Roodee as Venice Beach led home the Ballydoyle battalion in the MBNA Chester Vase.

With six perfectly acceptable Derby horses having run in a matter of days, it is perhaps telling, though, that O'Brien seems rather more excited about the prospects of Cliffs Of Moher and Sir John Lavery ahead of their respective reappearances.

Take nothing away from Venice Beach (5-2 favourite), however, as Ryan Moore's mount picked up in good style to see off Wings Of Eagles, who looks a nice type for the St Leger, with The Anvil in third.

"I'm delighted with him (Venice Beach)," said O'Brien, who was claiming the Vase for the eighth time.

"We knew that he stays a mile and a half. He's a little bit lazy and a little bit babyish, that's why we felt it would be important to bring him here.

"He's a good bit to learn, but Ryan was very happy with him.

"You learn a lot at this place - a lot of stuff happens very quickly. You have to make room, it can be tight and you have to stay as well.

"The lads will talk about that (the Derby) and decide what they want to do in the next week or 10 days."

Of runner-up Wings Of Eagles, O'Brien said: "I'm delighted with him as well.

"We liked him last year and he had a lovely run in France - he was back a bit (ninth in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud) but it was a lovely run.

"If he was going to be ready for the Derby, he needed to run and he travelled well and settled well.

"You'd have to be delighted with those three and we'll know a lot more after the one at Chester tomorrow (Cliffs Of Moher, Dee Stakes) and Saturday (Sir John Lavery, Lingfield Derby Trial).

"Those two are only just ready to start back but they looked very exciting types last season.

"They'd had a few little hold-ups in the spring, which is why they've been aimed at the later trials. They work like very classy horses at home so we'll see how they do.

"You'd have to hope Venice Beach and Wings Of Eagles will step up on what they've done there, while The Anvil brought the best form into the race and is solid.

"You need them to learn before a race like the Derby and they do that here.

"Hopefully Cliffs Of Moher and Sir John Lavery will improve for their run, but they'll need to."

For Moore, who also won the Huxley Stakes on O'Brien's Deauville, it was yet another Group-race win.

"I thought it was a very good performance from a lightly-raced colt," he said.

"We are still learning an awful lot about him.

"He picked up and he won his race. He's still learning about it and it's still early days for him.

"He's a beautiful pedigree and he has a good brain. I don't know what the plans are but he's certainly a colt with plenty of potential."

Saeed bin Suroor, trainer of fourth-placed Tamleek, said: " We didn't really learn much as when he wanted to quicken he couldn't. He's a big horse and I'm sure he'll keep progressing.

"A more galloping track will suit. He's in the Derby and the Irish Derby. We'll see how he is and make a decision over which one he runs in."