Aidan O’Brien’s Betfred Derby team remains imposing but Pierre Bonnard failed to join the stable’s recent trial winners when defeated at Leopardstown.
And then there were three.
Aidan O’Brien’s Pierre Bonnard failed to re-enter the Betfred Derby picture on a blue-sky day at Leopardstown on Sunday after losing out in a scrap for the line against Joseph O’Brien’s James J Braddock in the Group 3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes.
The son of Camelot, who looked a different species at two but failed to overshadow his rivals in the sun-kissed parade ring here, had the perfect set-up as stablemate Endorsement towed him into the race leaving him with a clear run for home in the straight.
For all that it was hard work to overhaul Endorsement, he managed that but failed to see off the late charge of James J Braddock, a son of Zarak who had finished two places ahead of him in the Ballysax.
Pierre Bonnard came on from that seventh-placed finish, but in finishing a short-head second in a photo-finish for the win he hardly looks Derby-winning material, with sponsors Betfred doubling his Epsom odds to 12/1, some bookies going as big as 20s.
The result saw stablemate and Chester Vase winner Benvenuto Cellini harden as 11/4 favourite for the Derby, with Dee Stakes winner Constitution River, another Ballydoyle representative, trimmed into 9/2 generally.
Another O’Brien Derby hopeful, Christmas Day, the Ballysax winner himself and bound for the Dante Stakes at York on Thursday, completes the O’Brien domination of the top three in the antepost betting for the Epsom classic.
But with Pierre Bonnard now considered a Derby outsider, the chasing pack are seeing their odds contract; William Haggas’ Lingfield Derby Trial winner Maltese Cross cut a few points into 12/1, with James J Braddock shortened to 25/1 from 100s with Paddy Power.
James J Braddock, named after the American boxer nicknamed the Cinderella Man who was known for his counterpunching style, delivered the knockout blow in the dying strides of the contest after staying on best under Dylan Browne McMonagle.
It was always going to be an O’Brien who won this famous trial, a race won by Derby winners Galileo and High Chaparral at the beginning of the century, with Aidan’s sons Joseph and Donnacha the only trainers to muster any opposition against the Ballydoyle maestro.
But while the odds favoured Aidan, in Paris to watch Diamond Necklace win the French 1000 Guineas, it was Joseph who came out of the race with his horse's Epsom credentials enhanced, although he’s not certain to line-up in the classic yet.
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“We were worried about the ground but you’d have to say he handled it well," said O’Brien, in flat cap and sunglasses, hands in pockets.
“Before today we were thinking King Edward at Ascot, but now we have to consider other options.
“We’ll discuss it with Aziz Kheir (the owner), he’s the first horse we’ve had for him and he’s had horses in Australia, hopefully this horse will be one for the top international races through the course of his career.
“We’ve always thought he’d love going a mile and a half.
“It looks a relatively open race (the Derby). I thought some of those Chester horses looked pretty good in fairness, but it does look open and this guy is one of the contenders now he’s won a trial.
“If we did want to go there, he’s earned his spot. We’ll see how the next week goes and see how he pulls up. He’s a good traveller, I think he could potentially (handle Epsom well).”
But while Joseph O’Brien’s Derby hopes have received a boost, this was more about Pierre Bonnard, favourite for Epsom going into the winter, failing to enhance his.
This was his chance to join Benvenuto Cellini and Constitution River as an impressive trial winner, with Ballydoyle in the midst of a trials season purple patch, but he hung under pressure and looked awkward under Wayne Lordan, allowing James J Braddock to deny him on the line.
O’Brien has worked miracles with Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy in recent years at Epsom, that duo bouncing back from 2000 Guineas disappointment to win the Derby.
But this year O’Brien has more darts. You certainly couldn’t envisage Ryan Moore watching the Leopardstown video on his way home from France and jumping off Benvenuto Cellini.
That alone isn’t enough reason to rule Pierre Bonnard out of calculations, but another miracle is required now. On this evidence, O’Brien (Aidan) has much stronger contenders.
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