Wings of Eagles ridden by Padraig Peggy (pink Cap) wins from Cliffs of Moher ridden by Ryan Moore and Cracksman ridden by Frankie Dettori.
© Andy Watts/ Racingfotos.com
One of six runners for the powerful Ballydoyle team, the three year old colt swooped late to head stablemate Cliffs Of Moher and Ryan Moore by three quarters of a length.
The son of Pour Moi was ridden by Padraig Beggy, for whom this was a career best effort, and O’Brien was quick to pay tribute to the efforts of an under the radar jockey.
“Paddy is a world-class rider, he has a great mind and is always very aware – I’m delighted for him, I can’t tell you how delighted we are to have him working with us.”
“They were really pleased with him (Wings Of Eagles) at home and we thought he was a nice horse last year. He had a lovely run at Chester last time and we couldn’t be happier.”
O’Brien, who has won five out of the six classic titles in Britain and Ireland so far this season, also added that the runner-up would be open to more improvement than the winner – suggesting that his next run would be “something to look forward to.”
Having first won his first Epsom Derby in 2001 with superstar sire Galileo, O’Brien won the Investec Coronation Cup with globetrotter Highland Reel yesterday and appears to have supreme horsepower for the remainder of the flat racing season.
7-2 favourite Cracksman, trained by two-time Derby winner John Gosden, and a son of Frankel, finished in third place. Gosden admitted that the favourite was “mentally immature” but added that the Irish Derby would be a possibility for the colt.
Half brother Eminent did not have the easiest of passages when approaching the final furlong and finished a close fourth.
Padraig Beggy enters the winners enclosure after riding Wings of Eagles to victory.
© Andy Watts/ Racingfotos.com
The 2017 Investec Derby result (top 10):
1 – Wings Of Eagles (40/1) – Padraig Beggy
2 – Cliffs Of Moher (5/1) – Ryan Moore
3 – Cracksman (7/2F) – Frankie Dettori
4 – Eminent (5/1) – Jim Crowley
5 – Benbatl (20/1) – Oisin Murphy
6 – Capri (16/1) – Seamie Heffernan
7 – Douglas Macarthur (25/1) – Colm O’Donoghue
8 – Best Solution (12/1) – Pat Cosgrave
9 – Glencadam Glory (33/1) – James Doyle
10 – Permian (8/1) – William Buick
