DERBY JOY AS EAGLES DARES
STARTS WITH OUR TIP-TOP RACING SERVICE Unheralded Beggy wins on 40-1 shot
AIDAN O’BRIEN fired six bullets at the Investec Derby but it was his 40-1 no-hoper Wings Of Eagles who flew to victory in a dramatic finish.
And in his first ride in the famous old race, it was an amazing comeback for relative unknown Padraig Beggy, who was banned from the saddle for a drugs offence in Australia in 2014.
It was also a sixth Epsom Derby success for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien and the biggest priced winner since Snow Knight’s 50-1 victory in 1974.
As Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori looked to have the race between them on market leaders Cliffs Of Moher and Cracksman, Beggy swooped wide and late to snatch the £921,000 first prize in the final 50 yards by three quarters of a length.
Three furlongs out, as Dettori moved up on the shoulder of the pacesetting Douglas Macarthur, Wings of Eagles looked to have an impossible task and had just two horses behind him.
But Beggy was patient and managed to find the gaps to weave his way through a wall of horses.
Wings Of Eagles then showed a breathtaking turn of foot to reel in the leaders.
Amazingly, it was only Beggy’s fourth winner since the start of 2015.
The jockey said: “I followed Ryan through on Cliffs Of Moher as I thought I would let the best horse take me into the race.
“I was so far back turning into the straight but then my horse just took off in the final two furlongs.
“I knew 100 yards out that if I could get a clear run I would win.”
The rider has rebuilt his riding career since the 2014 drugs offence in Australia, which he admitted at the time. He was banned from riding for 15 months after providing a positive urine sample and giving false evidence relating to the sample.
He said: “I got into a bit of trouble in Australia and made a bad mistake. I had to pick myself up and rebuild my career. Getting the job at Aidan’s was brilliant.
“Now I’ll go down in history. I’ve won the Derby.”
O’Brien praised Beggy’s “world class” ride on the winner and was also thrilled with runner-up Cliffs Of Moher, who he said got tired in the final half furlong.
Wings Of Eagles, a son of 2011 winner Pour Moi, is owned by the Coolmore syndicate and co-owner Michael Tabor, who said: “The way I felt this morning was that it was a very open race and any horse could come forward.
“Wings Of Eagles was in the mix but no more than that. Aidan has done it again. He is incredible.”
John Gosden said Cracksman, a son of Frankel, ran “babyishly” and showed a lack of experience but added: “We’d be happy with a rematch. He’s in the Irish Derby and we would be happy to go there as it is a big galloping track.”
Another son of Frankel, Eminent, ran a blinder in fourth and trainer Martyn Meade said: “Jim Crowley got off him and immediately said to go for the Irish Derby. He just didn’t get the luck in running and was a bit squeezed out.”