Lambourn (horse)
| Lambourn | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Australia |
| Grandsire | Galileo |
| Dam | Gossamer Wings |
| Damsire | Scat Daddy |
| Sex | Colt |
| Foaled | 24 Aprl 2022[1] |
| Country | Ireland |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Coolmore Stud |
| Owner | Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor |
| Trainer | Aidan O'Brien |
| Record | 6: 4-1-0 |
| Earnings | £1,039,444 |
| Major wins | |
| Criterium de l'Ouest (2024) Chester Vase (2025) Epsom Derby (2025) | |
Lambourn (foaled 24 April 2022) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. He showed promise as a two-year-old in 2024, winning two of his three starts including the Listed Criterium de l'Ouest. In the following year he showed improved form, finishing second in the Ballysax Stakes before winning the Chester Vase and the Epsom Derby.
Background
[edit]Lambourn is a bay colt with a white stripe bred in Ireland by the Coolmore Stud. He races in the ownership of the Coolmore partners Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and was sent into training with Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle.
He was from the seventh crop of foals sired by Australia who won the Epsom Derby, Irish Derby, and International Stakes in 2014.[2] Lambourn's dam Gossamer Wings won one minor race from fourteen starts but was placed in both the Queen Mary Stakes and the Flying Childers Stakes.[3][4]
Racing career
[edit]2024: two-year-old season
[edit]Lambourn began his racing career in a one mile race on good ground at Killarney Racecourse on 17 July when he was ridden by Wayne Lordan and started at odds of 6/1 in a ten-runner field. After racing "lazily" in the early stages he looked unlikely to win until the clear leader Green Triangle veered off the course inside the final furlong. Lambourn stayed on well in the closing stages and won by three quarters of a length from J'Adore Chris.[5]
For his next race the colt was stepped up in class and sent to France to contest the Listed Criterium de l'Ouest over 1600 metres on very soft ground at Craon on 31 August. Ridden by Christophe Soumillon he started the odds-on favourite against six opponents and recovered from a poor start to win by three quarters of a length from Place Fontenoy after taking the lead 300 metres from the finish.[6]
On his final start as a two-year-old Lambourn was moved up in class again for the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh on 28 September when he was equipped with blinkers. He made little impact and looked "outpaced" in the closing stages as he finished last of the five runners, almost eight lengths behind the winner Hotazhell.[7]
2025: three-year-old season
[edit]Lambourn began his second campaign in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes over ten furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse on 30 March when he was ridden by Ronan Whelan and started the 9/1 third choice in the betting. After racing in third place he made steady progress in the straight but proved "no match" for his stablemate Delacroix and finished second, beaten two and a quarter lengths by the winner.[8] Ryan Moore took the ride when Lambourn was sent to England to contest the Chester Vase (a trial race for the Epsom Derby) over one and a half miles at Chester Racecourse on 7 May. Starting the 11/8 favourite in an eight-runner field, he raced close behind the leaders before overtaking Lazy Griff inside the final furlong and won "going away" by one and a half lengths.[9] After the race Aidan O'Brien said "He looked a thorough stayer and while he was a little on and off the bridle, once the penny dropped, he came home really strongly... He got the trip really well and he's gone through the line nicely.[10]
A month after his win at Chester, Lambourn returned to England to contest the 246th running of the Derby over one and half miles on good ground at Epsom Racecourse when he was ridden by Lordan. He went off the 13/2 third choice in the betting behind Delacroix and the Dante Stakes winner Pride of Arras in an eighteen-runner field which also included The Lion In Winter (Acomb Stakes), Midak (Prix Greffulhe) and Tennessee Stud (Criterium de Saint-Cloud). Lambourn took the lead from the start and was never seriously challenged, coming home three and three quarter lengths clear of Lazy Griff, with Tennessee Stud taking third place ahead of the French-trained outsider New Ground.[11] After the race Lordan said "He's a horse we always felt would stay. I just thought that anybody who would get to me would have to stay well and it would be tough for them... for any jockey that starts out all they ever want to do is win a Derby". O'Brien commented "Lambourn is very straightforward... he's a very genuine horse. I'm delighted for Wayne, I couldn't be happier."[12][13]
Pedigree
[edit]| Sire Australia (IRE) 2011 |
Galileo (IRE) 1998 |
Sadler's Wells (USA) | Northern Dancer (CAN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairy Bridge | |||
| Urban Sea (USA) | Miswaki | ||
| Allegretta (GB) | |||
| Ouija Board (GB) 2001 |
Cape Cross (IRE) | Green Desert (USA) | |
| Park Appeal | |||
| Selection Board | Welsh Pageant (FR) | ||
| Ouija | |||
| Dam Gossamer Wings (USA) 2016 |
Scat Daddy (USA) 2004 |
Johannesburg | Hennessy |
| Myth | |||
| Love Style | Mr Prospector | ||
| Likeable Style | |||
| Lavender Baby (USA) 1999 |
Rubiano | Fappiano | |
| Ruby Slippers | |||
| Mighty Milk | Hero's Honor | ||
| Hot Milk (Family: 4-i)[4] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Lambourn pedigree". Equineline.
- ^ "Australia - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
- ^ "Gossamer Wings - Form". Racing Post.
- ^ a b "Hermione - Family 7-f". Thoroughbred Bloodlines.
- ^ "Irish EBF Median Sires Series Race result". Racing Post. 17 July 2024.
- ^ "Criterium de l'Ouest result". Racing Post. 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Beresford Stakes result". Racing Post. 28 September 2024.
- ^ "Ballysax Stakes result". Racing Post. 30 March 2024.
- ^ "Chester Vase result". Racing Post. 7 May 2025.
- ^ "Lambourn claims victory in Chester Vase for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore". BBC Sport. 7 May 2025.
- ^ "Epsom Derby result". Racing Post. 7 June 2025.
- ^ Carr, David (7 June 2025). "'All you ever want to do is win a Derby' - Lambourn dominates from the front to give Aidan O'Brien yet another triumph in the Epsom Classic". www.racingpost.com.
- ^ "Lambourn storms to Derby triumph with 11th victory for Aidan O'Brien". Guardian. 7 June 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.