Latest news with #SeriousContender
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Ryan Moore becomes first jockey to win the Irish Derby three years in a row as Lambourn secures victory
Ryan Moore became the first jockey to win the Irish Derby for three consecutive years as Lambourn showed his Epsom success was no fluke. Lambourn, trained by Aidan O'Brien, caused a surprise when he led all the way at Epsom on June 7 but the 8-13 favourite proved himself to be the outstanding middle-distance colt of his generation when beating stablemate Serious Contender by three-quarters of a length at the Curragh. Lazy Griff, Charlie Johnston's runner who has traded blows with Lambourn at Chester and Epsom this season, finished third. Moore, who earlier on the card had given Newmarket trainer Ed Dunlop a welcome winner with Skukuza, hopes Lambourn will develop into a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe contender. Moore said: 'It was no surprise he won at Epsom — he is talented. But we haven't seen the best of him. He was stuck out wide and he was never going to win by much. But it always felt that he was going to win.' It remains to be seen whether Lambourn will run in the Betfred St Leger in September but that race is firmly on the agenda of Lazy Griff. 'An extra two-and-a-bit furlongs at Doncaster will be right up his street,' said Johnston. 'If Lambourn is there, bring on round four.'
North Wales Chronicle
15 hours ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Lambourn toughs it out to land Derby double
Sent off the 8-13 favourite to repeat his Epsom triumph, Ryan Moore tried to replicate Wayne Lordan's inspired front-running ride on the Surrey Downs, but met stern resistance from Ralph Beckett's second-string Sir Dinadan who refused to let Lambourn get his own way in front. Moore stoked up the Epsom hero rounding the home turn and although Sir Dinadan's challenge began to wilt, it was Ballydoyle stablemate and King George V Stakes runner-up Serious Contender in the hands of Gavin Ryan who loomed large looking a huge threat. The Ballydoyle pair began to duel inside the final furlong, but Lambourn proved a willing ally for Moore as his stamina and Classic quality came to the fore to win by three-quarters of a length and earn a place in the history books alongside his sire Australia and grand-sire Galileo who also did the Anglo-Irish Derby double. LAMBOURN! 🌟 He's all heart to win the Irish Derby under another fine Ryan Moore ride, fighting off stablemate Serious Contender! 🏆 @RacingTV | @curraghrace — British Champions Day (@Champions_Day) June 29, 2025 Serious Contender finished second at 28-1, with Charlie Johnston's Epsom runner-up Lazy Griff staying on for third at 14-1. 'He's a very straightforward horse that gets the trip well,' said O'Brien. 'Ryan was going to be happy if someone came with him as that keeps him focused. He's a little bit laid-back, a little bit lazy and you could see up the straight he was waiting all the time but that's him. Ryan gave him a lovely ride. 'Ryan thought he would keep pulling out and he was pricking his ears all the way. 'He could be a King George horse, he could be an Arc horse. He gets the trip well and is very sound and very genuine. 'We minded the second horse for a handicap in Ascot that we thought he couldn't get beat and then a horse came and beat us that was entered in the King George so it just goes to show what can happen.'
Leader Live
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Serious Contender proves well named with Irish Derby effort
Second in a handicap at Royal Ascot, Serious Contender was sent off a relatively unconsidered 28-1 chance but gave his 8-13 stable companion plenty to think about. Having had to work hard to see off the Ralph Beckett second string Sir Dinadan, Lambourn and Ryan Moore might have felt they had done enough but Serious Contender made them pull out all the stops, eventually going down by just three-quarters of a length. 'He's a lovely horse, a big laid-back type and he was coming off it (bridle) a long way out, the more you ask the more he gives you,' said Ryan. 'He's a big, tough, genuine type and it was a lovely run.' Charlie Johnston's Lazy Griff has now finished behind Lambourn at Chester, Epsom and the Curragh but another clash could be on the cards in September at Doncaster. 'It wasn't an easy watch, after half a mile I thought 'we're not winning, that's for sure' as he just couldn't hold his pitch,' Johnston told Racing TV. 'He was getting bullied out of where he wanted to be by the Ballydoyle contingent and horses who were just travelling better than him so we ended up further back than we wanted. 'Even turning into the straight I thought we were treading water but then that last furlong when he met the rising ground he's flown home. 'We were always concerned about the ground coming in to this meeting and clearly softer ground would have suited him better and another two furlongs is going to suit him so if the winner is going to the Leger we're all ready for round four! 'It's about time this horse started to get the credit he deserves, he's been placed in two Derbys now, he's been overlooked at every step so far but he keeps showing he belongs at this level and that is where he'll be going forward.' Joseph O'Brien's Tennessee Stud, just like he had at Epsom, finished behind Lambourn and Lazy Griff back in fourth. His jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said: 'It was a great run, he just got a little bit outpaced at the bottom of the straight but he came home well inside the last furlong and hit the line strong.'
Leader Live
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
Lambourn toughs it out to land Derby double
Sent off the 8-13 favourite to repeat his Epsom triumph, Ryan Moore tried to replicate Wayne Lordan's inspired front-running ride on the Surrey Downs, but met stern resistance from Ralph Beckett's second-string Sir Dinadan who refused to let Lambourn get his own way in front. Moore stoked up the Epsom hero rounding the home turn and although Sir Dinadan's challenge began to wilt, it was Ballydoyle stablemate and King George V Stakes runner-up Serious Contender in the hands of Gavin Ryan who loomed large looking a huge threat. The Ballydoyle pair began to duel inside the final furlong, but Lambourn proved a willing ally for Moore as his stamina and Classic quality came to the fore to win by three-quarters of a length and earn a place in the history books alongside his sire Australia and grand-sire Galileo who also did the Anglo-Irish Derby double. LAMBOURN! 🌟 He's all heart to win the Irish Derby under another fine Ryan Moore ride, fighting off stablemate Serious Contender! 🏆 @RacingTV | @curraghrace — British Champions Day (@Champions_Day) June 29, 2025 Serious Contender finished second at 28-1, with Charlie Johnston's Epsom runner-up Lazy Griff staying on for third at 14-1. 'He's a very straightforward horse that gets the trip well,' said O'Brien. 'Ryan was going to be happy if someone came with him as that keeps him focused. He's a little bit laid-back, a little bit lazy and you could see up the straight he was waiting all the time but that's him. Ryan gave him a lovely ride. 'Ryan thought he would keep pulling out and he was pricking his ears all the way. 'He could be a King George horse, he could be an Arc horse. He gets the trip well and is very sound and very genuine. 'We minded the second horse for a handicap in Ascot that we thought he couldn't get beat and then a horse came and beat us that was entered in the King George so it just goes to show what can happen.'
North Wales Chronicle
15 hours ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Serious Contender proves well named with Irish Derby effort
Second in a handicap at Royal Ascot, Serious Contender was sent off a relatively unconsidered 28-1 chance but gave his 8-13 stable companion plenty to think about. Having had to work hard to see off the Ralph Beckett second string Sir Dinadan, Lambourn and Ryan Moore might have felt they had done enough but Serious Contender made them pull out all the stops, eventually going down by just three-quarters of a length. 'He's a lovely horse, a big laid-back type and he was coming off it (bridle) a long way out, the more you ask the more he gives you,' said Ryan. 'He's a big, tough, genuine type and it was a lovely run.' Charlie Johnston's Lazy Griff has now finished behind Lambourn at Chester, Epsom and the Curragh but another clash could be on the cards in September at Doncaster. 'It wasn't an easy watch, after half a mile I thought 'we're not winning, that's for sure' as he just couldn't hold his pitch,' Johnston told Racing TV. 'He was getting bullied out of where he wanted to be by the Ballydoyle contingent and horses who were just travelling better than him so we ended up further back than we wanted. 'Even turning into the straight I thought we were treading water but then that last furlong when he met the rising ground he's flown home. 'We were always concerned about the ground coming in to this meeting and clearly softer ground would have suited him better and another two furlongs is going to suit him so if the winner is going to the Leger we're all ready for round four! 'It's about time this horse started to get the credit he deserves, he's been placed in two Derbys now, he's been overlooked at every step so far but he keeps showing he belongs at this level and that is where he'll be going forward.' Joseph O'Brien's Tennessee Stud, just like he had at Epsom, finished behind Lambourn and Lazy Griff back in fourth. His jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said: 'It was a great run, he just got a little bit outpaced at the bottom of the straight but he came home well inside the last furlong and hit the line strong.'
