The Derby trials are over and Aidan O’Brien has unearthed several contenders, but Pierre Bonnard remains the apple of his eye

Leopardstown, Sunday May 10. Pierre Bonnard is having his second start of the season in the Group 3 Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Stakes.

There was a time when this was the trial for the Betfred Derby, specifically at the start of the 21st century when Sinndar, Galileo and High Chaparral won the same Leopardstown race and the big one at Epsom, but no horse has come out of this trial and won the Derby since the last-named in 2002.

Those famous names still linger, though, and this 10-furlong contest will unearth a Derby winner again at some point. Pierre Bonnard, the Betfred Derby favourite going into the winter and 5/6 to win the Cashel Palace, would be one of the likelier lads.

But he fluffs his lines. It took him an age to master stablemate Endorsement and when he did he got mugged by Joseph O’Brien’s James J Braddock on the line. Two defeats in two at the start of his Classic season, it wasn’t meant to be like this.

He looked awkward under Wayne Lordan, almost unwilling in the pursuit of his stablemate. This was progress from the Ballysax, but he hardly screams Derby winner, even accounting for the fact that an extra quarter mile could unlock further improvement. It will have to – and in a serious way.

And then the following day you speak to trainer Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle. And he’s delighted with Pierre Bonnard. Really happy with him. It gets you thinking.

O’Brien wasn’t at Leopardstown to see Pierre Bonnard’s second run of the season in the flesh, he was in Paris where he had bigger fish to fry, but he liked what he saw on video.

“We think Pierre Bonnard is going to step up again and he’s going to get a mile and a half, “he says. “He’d have no problem going up to a mile and six.” (Noted. Now, he could well be a St Leger horse).

But, when speaking about Chester Vase winner Benvenuto Cellini, the new anointed Ballydoyle number one for the Derby (unless Constitution River skips the Prix du Jockey Club, then there’s a debate to be had), Aidan riffs into Pierre Bonnard’s training programme.

“We always thought Benvenuto Cellini was going to be Pierre Bonnard’s biggest danger [amongst the Ballydoyle Derby squad, going into the winter],” he says.

“Pierre was a massive, big horse. We purposely let him get as big and as strong as we could over the winter, because we didn’t want to turn him into a shell early.

“We felt we had to run him [in the Ballysax]. The race went a bit wrong and he needed the run. Because of that we couldn’t attack into him and have him really ready for Sunday because then we wouldn’t carry on into the Derby.

“We had to do it gently. We stripped him back a bit more for Leopardstown. The pace was probably too slow for him, but he still ran very well.

“We think that he will step up, big time, next time, going a mile and a half.

“I know Benvenuto, the Vase horse, is a shorter price, but it is... you know what I mean, the other horse is going to step up. He’ll move up again.”

Two things stand out there. The ‘big time’ improvement for peaking, according to his regimental schedule, when going a mile and a half on his third run of the year.

And then the casual reference at the end telling us not to ignore Pierre Bonnard due to the odds discrepancy between himself and the new favourite, Benvenuto Cellini.

Watching the Cashel Palace back again, I’m not sure what to make of him. They did go a steady gallop – Timeform recorded a finishing speed of 106.2% with the closing sectional – and that wouldn’t help a horse who might well get the Leger trip.

So perhaps he deserves another pass. Certainly on pedigree – by Camelot out of a 1m4f winner – he’s bred for every inch of the Derby trip. He is being prepared for one day, the first Saturday in June.

The Ballydoyle Derby squad is still to be finalised. But Pierre Bonnard is on the teamsheet, he was the first name on it. And after two defeats in the trials, with one stablemate and perhaps two usurping him in the pecking order, his trainer still believes. Big time.

More from Sporting Life

• Free bets
• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.