Cape Blanco justified the decision of jockey Johnny Murtagh to give Aidan O’Brien his sixth successive victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.
Murtagh had been faced with the agonising decision of choosing between Dante Stakes winner Cape Blanco and stable companions Jan Vermeer and Midas Touch, who had finished fourth and fifth respectively in the Epsom Derby earlier this month.
And the decision was vindicated when the chestnut held off both Midas Touch and Jan Vermeer on a red-letter day for the Ballydoyle operation.
Race favourite Monterosso, Mark Johnston’s colt which was supplemented to the race last week, could manage only fourth spot with another O’Brien inmate, At First Sight, in fifth.
O’Brien said, “The last run in France was the only blot on his copybook and we couldn’t understand it. Maybe it was the travel, it was a hot day, but something upset him.
“My son Joseph rides him out at home and we knew he was in good form. He showed the class and courage we know he has and he’s back to where he was. It was a tough decision for Johnny to ride this horse. The other two ran stormers but he gave him a brilliant ride.”
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