A week can be a long time in racing. In this space last week, I noted the strength of British flat horses this season based on their success during Guineas weekend, only for the Irish to go to Epsom and win all three of the Group 1s, with a couple shaping well in handicaps too.

It had been a quiet spring for Irish flat horses in Britain. Of the 63 Group and listed races run on turf there so far in 2024, only three had been won by Irish-trained horses, a couple of Derby trials at Chester and Term Of Endearment at York, but that number was quickly doubled in a whirlwind two days.

Luxembourg got things rolling in the Coronation Cup, finally making it to Epsom two years after his intended date with destiny, ruled out of the 2022 Derby after an injury picked up in that year’s 2000 Guineas. It was a win that owed plenty to the ride: Ryan Moore controlling the pace from the front, getting to the mile pole a massive 3.68 seconds slower than the leader in the Oaks later on the card.

Front-running suits Luxembourg – his form figures when setting out to make all read: 1221, the defeats coming in the Prince Of Wales’s and the Irish Champion Stakes – though unless he has improved over the winter, he will continue to be vulnerable against the very best.

Back-handed

Moore commented afterwards that the winner has achieved the rare feat of winning a Group 1 at two, three, four and five but that can be taken as a back-handed compliment as he would not still be training at this point if proving himself a true star.

As alluded to above, the early pace in the Oaks was much stronger than the Coronation Cup and Ezeliya thrived on it. Having seemed to struggle at times with the 10-furlong gallop in the Salsabil last time, she travelled beautifully here and looked the winner from a long way out.

From the family of Ascot Gold Cup winners Enzeli and Estimate, stamina looks her strong suit and coming down in trip is unlikely to be an option with ground a consideration too. Her three wins have come on a slower surface and Dermot Weld was hinting at a break before an autumn campaign afterwards.

The track looked to be an issue for some of the other Irish runners. Ylang Ylang struggled with Tattenham Corner and is building a boom/bust profile, though had other excuses here as she was found to be lame subsequently and seems likely to have some time off now.

Caught out

Caught U Looking moved well to the lead up the inside early in the straight but seemed not to enjoy the downhill finish before keeping on a little late, though she may be worth marking up for doing best of those that raced near the pace.

The Derby lacked some big players: Economics, Arabian Crown and Hidden Law absent for one reason or another, but even so provided a thrilling performance from City Of Troy, who swept from last to finish powerfully and won going away, pushing the reset button on his career in the process.

Ryan Moore had the advantage of knowing there would be a strong pace as both his stablemates went forward, riding accordingly, and got the luck too as most of the field came off the rail in the straight to give him a clear run in what was a remarkably clean race for a Derby.

Even so, it was hard to envisage any other winner for all Ambiente Friendly travelled powerfully and perhaps could have done with coming from further back, while Los Angeles has also shaped well having done plenty of running early in the race.

Resurrected

There was much discussion about the greatness of the training performance afterwards and space doesn’t fill development on that topic but, it should be pointed out that such resurrections in form are very rare in Group 1 races.

Since 2008, there have been 755 Group 1 races run in Britain and Ireland and only 18 of them have been won by horses that finished ninth or worse in another British or Irish Group 1 on their previous start, City Of Troy having been ninth at Newmarket.

Of those 18 winners, Aidan O’Brien trained 10 of them; no other trainer has managed more than one. Whatever your thoughts about the 2000 Guineas flop, no one else is doing this sort of thing.

THE feature race in Ireland this past week was a new one, the Gowran Classic, and before getting to the race itself, it might be worth considering the success criteria for a contest like this.

Billed as a race to stimulate the middle-distance programme for three-year-olds with less expensive pedigrees, for some the answer is as simple as ABC: the winner needs to be Anyone But Coolmore, be it their trainers or bloodlines.

That straightforward criterion was met this year with Jessica Harrington winning with a filly by Study Of Man, albeit for a well-established owner-breeder, and the Galileo-named filly that finished second was by Galileo Gold, not the multiple Champion Sire.

Depth

There was some depth to this field too, nine of the 14 runners having won previously, and time will tell what the form amounts to, though its impact on the Irish Derby is likely to be minimal.

Like a number of races on Gowran’s Monday card, a forward position close to the far rail looked a distinct advantage and the winner Fleur De Chine got an ideal trip around the inner, though still won easily, giving the 95-rated runner-up four pounds.

The winner was having her first run beyond seven furlongs and seemed to improve a lot for it which was in line with her breeding, and she carried her strong-traveling style well up in distance, racing in the same manner while getting home well. Her trainer is of the view that slow ground suits best and they had all angles covered in the race with Kinesiology, Shane Foley’s initial mount, a non-runner due to going.

Lacking speed

Runner-up Galileo Dame ran a satisfactory race, Declan McDonogh doing well to get her into a good position from a wide draw, the filly ultimately lacking the speed of the winner. She can do better up in trip and has an Irish Oaks entry but was very well-in at the weights here.

Neither the third nor fourth, Soldier’s Empire nor Ocean Of Dreams, had a kind trip, caught wide for much of the race, and the latter did shape well having also dwelt at the stalls.

He was an impressive maiden winner at Leopardstown last October, the form not working out, and was restarting his season having been lame on his only start this year in the Ballysax. There is still some greenness with him, too.

Worth mentioning

The seventh home, Counterculture, is also worth mentioning. One of the least experienced in the field, she only made her debut on May 28th, and that lack of sharpness showed as she was slowly away.

She travelled strongly, however, and made steady headway having been switched off the advantaged far rail in the straight, looking as if further would suit. A maiden win should be achievable, at least.