Los Angeles overturns Epsom form to give O'Brien 16th Irish Derby

Los Angeles came out on top in the battle of the Epsom second and third placed horses to give trainer Aidan O'Brien a record breaking 16th Irish Derby when winning the Dubai Duty Free sponsored classic at the Curragh.

A place behind Ambiente Friendly in the Epsom race, Los Angeles was sent off at 13/8 to overturn that form with the James Fanshawe trained raider on a track which looked more likely to play to his strengths.

In a tactical affair, fellow Ballydoyle inmates Euphoric Grosvenor Square and The Euphrates took the octet along, as Ryan Moore settled Los Angeles in fourth.

Making a swift move to lead early in the straight, Moore was tracked through by Robert Havlin on 6/4 market leader Ambiente Friendly. The latter horse led briefly over two furlongs out but was soon headed as Los Angeles rallied bravely on the inside rail.

The pair looked set to fight it out inside the final furlong but Moore found a willing partner who just had that bit extra stamina to go on to win by three-quarters-of-a-length.

Ambiente Friendly had no more to give close home, eventually dropping to third as the Oisin Murphy ridden Sunway got up to snatch second.

Winning jockey Ryan Moore said: "He is a big strong horse who handled the ground. He has done very little wrong in his life."

Enjoying his second Irish Derby success, Moore said of trainer O'Brien: "I can't speak highly enough of Aidan and his team. I am just fortunate enough to be riding for them."

Aidan O'Brien said: “We were delighted with him in Epsom and we thought he would come forward.

“Obviously he did go forward in Epsom and learned plenty, we were hoping that would be the case so he could come back here.

“Ryan gave him a great ride. It was a solid even pace and it's an unbelievable track. It's great to have this race at this time of the year so all those horses can come together and you get to find out what's there.

“He's a big hardy horse. He looks like he was a baby but he is a Group 1 winner at two as well.

“He is progressing, definitely, and we're really looking forward to him. Obviously he's by Camelot so he has that class, so he can quicken.

“Ryan said he had a lot more class than he expected and he quickened very well when he got there.

“We came here thinking that he was going to turn into a Leger horse but Ryan said he has way more class than that.”

When it was put to him that it was good to see the Epsom form stand up, John Magnier said: “That's important, especially now that the French have changed their race and it's not really the Derby any more. It's good to have the Epsom form held up here, really important I'd say.”

On the importance of the Irish Derby staying at a mile-and-a-half he added:- “That's the tradition and the history. It's like the Belmont in America, they won't shorten the distance.

“The thing is that you need to go from the top to the bottom, you don't need all five furlong races.”

On the winner, Magnier added: “Maybe Willie Mullins will be looking for him now! He is a good stamp of a horse.

“He won his Group 1 race as a two-year-old, he's an improving horse as Aidan has said. Maybe he'll get even better.”

On City Of Troy:- “The race paid a compliment to him obviously. We'll let the horse do the talking now. Aidan said what he said about him last year and we looked a bit stupid after the Guineas so I don't think we'll say anymore and let him deal with it from now on.”

Paddy Power went 7/1(from 10/1) Los Angeles for the King George. The same firm make him 3/1(from 4/1) for the St Leger and unchanged at 25/1 for the Arc.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson.