EAGLES DENIED DERBY DOUBLE
RACING can be cruel at times – as it was for Aidan O’Brien at the weekend.
His trebles at the Curragh on Saturday and yesterday were tempered by the news that his Epsom hero Wings Of Eagles will not race again, Minding may have to be retired and his classy filly Somehow has had to be put down.
Saturday’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby result – Capri beating Cracksman and Wings Of Eagles – made no sense at all at the time. I watched it at Lingfield and was puzzled why Wings Of Eagles could not accelerate away from the other two the way he had at Epsom.
When O’Brien announced early yesterday that ‘Wings’ had incurred a serious injury during Saturday’s race, it explained why the turn of foot was not present. That he finished ® the race at all was down to the Derby hero’s bravery and will to win.
“You’re always worried when they pull out and he pulled out very sore this morning,” said his trainer. “When the lads X-rayed him, his sesamoid had completely come apart. It’s incredible he ran the race he did with that.
Unusual
“We’re very sorry to lose him because he was a very unusual horse in that he stayed very well but quickened very well.
“I was just speaking to JP (Magnier) on the way home last night and we were saying he was a perfect horse to have a mid-season break and then give him a prep for the Arc. It’s just one of those things. It’s a pity.”
O’Brien has raised doubts about Minding returning to the track. The seven-time Group One winner has not raced since her victory in the Mooresbridge Stakes at Naas in May.
“We had her pencilled in to start back on Monday but when John (Halley) X-rayed her, he wasn’t happy with her,” said O’Brien.
“We’ll leave her another month, but if we go another month we could run out of time – I’m not sure.
“John always checks them before they start back and everything was in place to start off, but when he checked her he wasn’t happy.”
Somehow, winner of the Group Two Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in May, has been put down after suffering an inoperable fracture of a hind tibia on the Ballydoyle gallops.
On what proved her final start, the daughter of Fastnet Rock and Alexandrova finished second to Decorated Knight in the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh.