Aidan O’Brien says City Of Troy is “no doubt” the best Derby winner he has ever trained after watching the 3-1 favourite give him a record-extending 10th victory in the race.
Last year’s champion juvenile had earned high praise leading into the Classic season but there were doubts after he faded badly in the 2,000 Guineas last month.
Yet jockey Ryan Moore expertly guided the Irish-trained colt through the field at Epsom before bursting clear to earn his fourth win in the race by two and three-quarter lengths.
Ambiente Friendly (9-2) was second while O’Brien’s Los Angeles (6-1) was third, with 25-1 shot Deira Mile finishing fourth.
It was a second consecutive victory in the Derby for O’Brien, with City Of Troy, like Auguste Rodin last year, bouncing back in startling fashion after disappointment in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
When asked if City Of Troy was the best Derby winner of the 10 he has now trained, O’Brien said: “No doubt! Because he has the cruise, he has the balance, he quickens and he stays. I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.”
Ballydoyle-based O’Brien, 54, added he accepts the blame for his star horse’s poor showing in the 2,000 Guineas.
“Ryan gave him an incredible ride and I’m so grateful to everyone for the work they have done,” he said.
“We knew the Guineas was totally wrong and I made mistakes training him, that’s the bottom line.
“There were stones I didn’t look under. He was too fresh, he was unprepared, he blew up, that’s the reality. But we learned from it and knew the ability he had – and since then everything has been beautiful.”
Moore admitted he did not know what to expect before the race and had his work cut out after initially being badly placed.
Then, after finding a route through the field on the inside, he had to contend with a stray horse in the closing stages – Voyage had unseated jockey Pat Dobbs out of the gate.
“It was hard to know what would happen today but I was very sure we still had the best horse for the race,” Moore told ITV.
“I can’t pretend we knew it would happen but we do know he has a big engine, he showed himself to be a brilliant two-year-old.
“In the Guineas we got a few things wrong but it is great that he could come back today.”