Patience the key for Saxon in Derby

Hot favourite handed tough draw as he pursues Triple Crown dream for O’brien

Aidan O’brien expects Ryan Moore to adopt patient tactics on red-hot Investec Derby favourite Saxon Warrior after he was handed stall one in the Epsom Classic.

No horse since Sir Henry Cecil’s Oath in 1999 has defied the inside stall, and the statistics in handicaps over the Derby distance of a mile and a half do not make pretty reading for favourite-backers.

That said, the unbeaten Saxon Warrior oozed brilliance in winning the 2,000 Guineas to spark dreams of winning the Triple Crown by claiming the Derby and the St Leger.

“He’s in good form and everything has gone well since the Guineas. We’ve been happy with him since then,” said the Ballydoyle handler.

“I haven’t spoken to Ryan about the draw, but I’d imagine he would have been taking his time on him anyway.

“He didn’t have any problem with the dip at Newmarket and he wears his head low, so we’ll see what happens at Epsom.”

He added: “We were always looking forward to stepping him up in distance, but in the 2,000 Guineas he travelled like a miler and quickened like a miler. However, we have always thought he was going to be a middle-distance horse – he is very good.”

Should he be successful, O’brien will equal the record of seven Derby wins and he feels Saxon Warrior has all the qualities needed to add his name to the roll of honour. O’brien said: “We were very happy with the 2,000 Guineas as that was his first run of the season and he was going to progress from it.

“There is a nice gap between Newmarket and the Derby so usually if they can handle the dip at Newmarket like he did, then hopefully they should be able to handle the contours of Epsom.”

Yesterday, Forever Together shed her maiden tag with a stunning victory in the Investec Oaks.

Trained by Aidan O’brien and ridden by his son, Donnacha, Forever Together was a 7-1 chance having failed to win any of her three previous starts, most recently chasing home stablemate Magic Wand in the Cheshire Oaks.

O’brien fielded five of the nine runners and it was Bye Bye Baby who took up the early running. She began to falter early in the home straight and was swiftly passed by Forever Together and the 5-2 favourite Wild Illusion. However, it was soon clear Forever Together had far more to give and she came home four and a half lengths clear. Bye Bye Baby boxed on bravely for third, with Magic Wand fourth.

Donnacha O’brien said: “She was very impressive. I got a beautiful trip through, I followed Ryan (Moore, on Magic Wand) and he gave me a bit of company until I got to the rail.

“She’s very genuine and galloped right out to the line. She’s a proper staying filly.”