City Of Troy silences the doubters with emphatic Epsom Derby victory

FAVOURITE City Of Troy silenced the doubters with an emphatic Epsom Derby victory amid loose horse drama.

Voyage unseated early and ran in and out of the runners round Tattenham Corner and down the hill.

Ryan Moore looked a bit boxed in on the 3-1 Aidan O'Brien-trained superstar two-year-old.

But there was an instant response when he hit go and the son of Justify absolutely flew home.

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It was justification for his legendary trainer, who was on a massive rebound mission after City Of Troy flopped completely in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.

O'Brien called City Of Troy the greatest two-year-old he had ever trained and he finally lived up to the hype as a three-year-old.

Moore said: "We got a few things wrong at Newmarket in the Guineas. We identified those and got it right today.

"He had the loose horse in front of him but he quickened well and you have to be delighted with what he did."

It was a 1-3 for Ireland with O'Brien's 6-1 Los Angeles finishing in third.

Sandwiched in the middle was big Brit hope Ambiente Friendly who ran so well to finish second at 9-2.

O'Brien said: "So many people all the way along put their heart and soul into this horse.

"For us it's so exciting and Ryan gave him an incredible ride.

"I made mistakes training him for the Guineas and we discussed it before - the Guineas was definitely my fault, he was too fresh and unprepared.

"That's just the reality of it. But we learned from it.

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"Since then everything has been beautiful. He really grew up. The incredible thing is the cruise and ability he has, it's so exciting.

"He's no doubt the best Derby winner I have trained. He quickens and he stays.

"He's just an incredible horse."

City Of Troy was smashed into 5-1 for the Arc in Paris in October but the dirt surface in the US for the Breeders' Cup could also be a target.

And of course the millions and millions and millions City Of Troy will almost undoubtedly go onto make at stud as a son of American Triple Crown winner Justify.

Amazingly, O'Brien went onto add that Justify progeny 'have a bit more class' than those of Galileo, widest-regarded as the greatest stallion of all time who was worth £1billion at the time of his death.

Bookies were left licking their wounds after the result with City Of Troy by far their biggest loser - and William Hill's biggest Derby loser in ten years.

Paddy Power's Paul Binfield said: "That was a very bad result for the layers as City Of Troy was the worst result in our book and it was particularly bad in the betting shops so those customers are in absolute clover.

"That’s the second year running Aidan has conjured a Lazarus-style comeback in the biggest betting Flat race of the year and we’re highly likely to ignore any poor performance from a well-fancied Ballydoyle horse in next year’s 2000 Guineas."

While Lee Phelps of Hills said: "Ahead of the Derby we weren’t sure which City Of Troy we’d see, but we were treated to a sensational Epsom performance, one which punters will be fondly remembering for a long time to come.

"He’s our worst result in the Derby for 10 years and is almost certainly one of our heaviest losses in 2024 so far.

"Looking forward, we’re extremely excited about what the rest of his season holds.

"Aidan O’Brien has revealed that the plan remains to head to Saratoga’s Travers in August, ahead of a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.

"The 12-1 available immediately after the Derby is now long gone, as he’s been backed into 6-1 for Del Mar.

"If those Stateside plans don’t materialise and team Ballydoyle turn their attention to Paris in October, we make him a 7-1 shot for the Arc."

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