AIDAN O’BRIEN IN DRIVING SEAT
Fame And Glory heads Derby market
AIDAN O'BRIEN can expect a knock on the door any day soon from the Monopolies Commission.
With the Dante Stakes over, the main Derby trials are done and dusted - and O'Brien has dominated.
He saddled a one-two in the Chester Vase when 25-1 shot Golden Sword held off favourite Masterofthehorse and took last Saturday's Lingfield trial with Age Of Aquarius.
And in Thursday's Dante, O'Brien had first and second when 12-1 chance Black Bear Island rattled home from Freemantle.
But the SP of a couple of those victors suggests they are only employed to pull the milk float round Ballydoyle.
Thus it is Aidan's Fame And Glory who heads the Derby market at 5-2 after a hugely impressive five-length win in Ireland last Sunday.
Small wonder you can't beat 4-5 about Aidan winning the Derby and it is 6-1 ON that the race goes to an Irish trainer.
The Celtic Tiger may have been neutered in recent months but he still looks to have claws sharp enough for Epsom.
Unbeaten in three races, Fame And Glory is a worthy Derby favourite.
I am a little surprised he is not even shorter than 5-2. If he is the second coming then he would be around 7-4 already.
At Leopardstown, Fame And Glory beat a well-regarded horse of John Oxx's called Mourayan all ends up.
Mourayan was a definite disappointment but it is Oxx who will have learnt from the trial as he trains Derby second favourite Sea The Stars, who won the 2000 Guineas.
The more I watch the video of Sea The Stars in the Guineas the better I like his effort. He travelled strongly and was always in control.
Serious
Oxx has long been one of my household gods. He never waffles or guesses when it comes to his horses and is a master of drawing steady improvement out of them.
We are three weeks off the Derby and as the run-up to the race gathers pace, the final pieces of serious work will be done on the gallops.
And you only get a real handle on how horses have gone on the crucial morning when the Derby-gallop gun has been put to their head.
Derby preparation is, by necessity, a tough process and the trainer's job is to have his colt super fit - without having overcooked him by doing too much at home.
Fame And Glory will be beautifully prepared by Aidan. But he will be no better trained than Sea The Stars will be by Oxx.
Read Alastair Down in the Racing Post every week
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