FIRST AID!

O’brien’s Luxembourg now 2-1 Derby favourite

LUXEMBOURG made his backers sweat before edging to a winning comeback at the Curragh — to confirm his booking for the Irish Champion Stakes.

Aidan O’brien’s son of Camelot produced a storming finish to take third place in the 2,000 Guineas at the end of April – a run that saw him cut to 2-1 favourite for the Cazoo Derby.

But a muscle injury forced Luxembourg out of Epsom and off the track for 105 days before his return at 2-9 for the Group 3 Fitzdares Royal Whip Stakes

Those who took buildingsociety odds endured a tense final furlong as the Willie Mccreerysaddled Insinuendo threw down a challenge to Ryan Moore’s mount, who found reserves to win by a neck. Paddy Power eased Luxembourg to 5-1 ( from 4-1) for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 10, but O’brien (inset) revealed: “Three weeks ago, I didn’t think we’d get here. He had a big setback and then he had another setback three weeks ago – he got a skin allergy – and we were really up against it.

“He wasn’t ready for a grueller, so he didn’t want a grueller, but he needed to run hard the last two or three furlongs so that, when he went into a championship race, he was ready for the battle.

“We thought that he would improve 20 to 30 percent after today. His body was up 20 to 30 kilos on when he started in the Guineas. “He’s a cruiser and he quickens, but today he never got into top gear – or anywhere near – through the first half of the race but he had to find it in the last two furlongs very quickly.

“It was great Willie’s mare did challenge him and pinned him – that will stand him in great stead for his next race. “The plan was to come to this race – if he didn’t come here, he wouldn’t go to Leopardstown – so the dream and the plan was to come here, go to Leopardstown and go to the Arc. I’m just so relieved – over the moon.”

Jumby earned a return to the top level – ground permitting – after rediscovering the winning touch in the Group 2 Betvictor Hungerford Stakes at Newbury. The four-yearold’s previous foray into Group 1 company yielded a 12th of 15 in last year’s Commonwealth Cup, a race run on heavy going at Royal Ascot.

“I’ll enter him in the Prix de la Forêt [at Longchamp on October 2] but he loves firm ground, so we’ll see what the ground’s like,” said Jumby’s trainer Eve Johnson Houghton of the William Buick-partnered winner.

“He’s in the [Group 2] City Of York [Stakes, at York next Saturday] – I know that’s bouncing back quickly but, if you’ve got your conditions, we’re not ruling it out.”

Zechariah earned a 16-1 quote for the Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster on September 10 with an emphatic allthe-way score under Tom Marquand in the Group 3 Betvictor Geoffrey Freer Stakes.

“He’ll have to step up on what he’s done,” said Freddie Meade, who trains Nathaniel’s son in tandem with his father, Martyn.

“But he’s done nothing wrong. We’ll dissect all the figures and have a look at what we do with him next.”