Cliffs wins to enhance O’Brien’s Derby grip

AIDAN O’BRIEN’S domination of the Investec Derby build-up continued yesterday when Cliffs Of Moher landed the Dee Stakes at Chester. The trainer’s odds-on favourite made hard work of mastering front runner Max Zorin but was a lengthand-a-half clear of runner-up Bay Of Poets at the line. Cliffs Of Moher is now as short as 4-1 for the Derby. He is second favourite behind O’Brien’s 2,000 Guineas winner Churchill. O’Brien, who delivered 1-2-3s in last Sunday’s Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown and Thursday’s Chester Vase, unleashes Sir John Lavery, another Derby entry with a big reputation, in this afternoon’s Lingfield Derby Trial. If an Epsom threat to O’Brien is to emerge, it is likely to be in Thursday’s Dante Stakes at York. The entries include John Gosden’s Cracksman, Kevin Ryan-trained Syphax and David Elsworth’s Swiss Storm.