The Lion In Winter wins well under Ryan Moore

The Lion In Winter - improved for York

Aidan O'Brien Derby and Oaks runners: His guide to the team

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Wed June 04, 2025 · 7M ago

Aidan O’Brien is confident The Lion In Winter has improved for his seasonal reappearance as he finalises preparations for the Betfred Derby on Saturday.

The son of Sea The Stars was racing for the first time since winning the Acomb at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival the previous August in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante last month and having been keen for the first three furlongs, faded into sixth behind Pride Of Arras.

It was a performance that saw him lose Epsom favouritism to stablemate Delacroix and although briefly regaining it, he’s now fourth best and as big as 7/1.

However, the trainer said on Tuesday: “We think he has made good progress since the Dante, which we thought he would as he was only just ready to start in the Dante. You are probably better off in a trial knowing that you are going to come forward.

“He was a bit behind fitness-wise at York and was very fresh, but everything has gone well since. We learnt at York that it looked like he was going to get a mile-and-a-quarter well if he hadn’t got a bit of interference in the straight. Ryan looked after him and if he hadn’t been interfered with he might have been third and if hadn’t been keen early he might have been closer still.

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“He only had the two runs as a two-year-old – he won his maiden at the Curragh and then the Acomb at York. Ruling Court who was behind him in the Acomb came out and won the Guineas. You are never sure, but we always thought there was a strong possibility he would stay.

“He is a good traveller, as he showed in the Acomb and the Dante. Ryan was happy with how he travelled in the Dante – he just got a bit chopped when he was getting ready to challenge. Ryan just nursed him after that and he wasn’t beaten far for third in the end. The Derby will only be his second run of the year and you would imagine whatever he does he is going to come forward again. We couldn’t have asked for any more from him since York.”

O’Brien still expects stable jockey Ryan Moore to plump for Delacroix although the final decision will be made just before the 1pm deadline on Wednesday.

That leaves Wayne Lordan and Colin Keane to pick up the rides on the other two colts.

Of Delacroix, the current Derby favourite, O’Brien said: “Everything has gone well with him. He has won his two trials here, which we always use for our potential Derby horses. He started off in the Ballysax and then went to the Leopardstown Derby Trial and we were very happy with both runs. We found out that he gets a mile-and-a-quarter and there is every chance he will get a mile-and-a-half.

“He is a big, powerful horse and we feel he has been going the right way every week. I’d imagine he’ll be fairly forward on Saturday – that will be Ryan’s decision if he rides him. He is a straightforward and uncomplicated horse we think."

There are no question marks over stamina with Lambourn either following his Chester Vase win.

“He looks like a horse that will stay further and is straightforward. He got the trip at Chester and is a well-balanced horse, so we are looking forward to seeing how he gets on. We couldn’t have been happier with him at Chester when Ryan gave him a good ride. We knew it would be plenty sharp enough for him but he coped with it," the trainer added on a Zoom call organised by The Jockey Club.

Lambourn grinds out victory in the Chester Vase

Minnie Hauk, Giselle and Whirl are all on target for Friday’s Betfred Oaks where the same three jockeys will be employed.

Again, there’s no firm decision over who Moore will ride although the trainer would “imagine it will be Minnie Hauk”.

Of the Cheshire Oaks winner, he said: “We liked her last year when she won on her second start. She is a lovely straightforward filly, and we think she has come forward loads since Chester. We needed to get a run into her before the Oaks and Chester suited her perfectly – we knew it wouldn’t be too demanding on her and she would learn plenty.

“She came out of Chester very well and we have been very happy with her since. She is a lovely filly with a good nature who is a good traveller with a good stride to her. She shows plenty of speed in her half-speeds. We have always been very happy with her and think she will stay.”

Minnie Hauk is on top at Chester

Giselle booked her place with victory in the Lingfield Trial, beating two rivals in the manner the betting suggested she should.

“She was keen through the winter and spring and wanted to do too much. Because of that, we didn’t get to do an awful lot with her as it was all about relaxing her,” O’Brien said.

“If we were going to go to the Oaks, she had to run and Lingfield was about the only place she could. She was very underdone fitness-wise at Lingfield and we were just trying to get her started so were delighted with the way she won. She has come forward a lot from that we think. The race brought her forward and we have been able to train her more so it will be interesting to see her on Friday.”

Stamina is the question mark hanging over Whirl, the last to book her ticket with an authoritative success in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York.

“She is another straightforward filly and Ryan was very happy to make the running on her at York. She had horses on either side of her but that was no problem as she has a lovely mind," O'Brien continued.

“She got a mile-and-a-quarter well at York and looked like a filly who would maybe get further so it will be interesting. She wasn’t stopping at York but a mile-and-a-half is a different thing and you never know until you try it."