In a landmark Saturday at Epsom Downs, legendary Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien etched his name deeper into horse racing history, becoming the first conditioner to claim four straight Epsom Derby titles after longshot entry Christmas Day claimed a comfortable victory in Britain’s most prestigious flat race.
The 56-year-old trainer did not just notch another Derby win – he crossed a once-unthinkable threshold, securing his 50th victory in British Classic races, while extending his own all-time record for the most Epsom Derby titles to 12. Christmas Day, sent out at 7/1 odds as one of O’Brien’s four entries in the 14-horse field, was not the betting favorite going into the race. But jockey Ronan Whelan, in only his second season working with O’Brien’s stable, delivered a masterclass ride to guide the three-year-old colt to his first career Derby win.
An unusual incident added an unexpected twist to the race after the finish. O’Brien’s pre-race favored entry Benvenuto Cellini, which crossed the finish line well down the rankings, was later officially declared a non-runner after stewards confirmed the horse had become caught in the starting stalls with one hind leg before the race got underway.
Speaking after the win, O’Brien highlighted his colt’s steady improvement and endurance that made the victory possible. “We fancied his chances as he is improving all the time and stays,” he said. “Ronan gave him a beautiful ride. He is a tough hardy horse.” True to his longstanding habit, O’Brien deflected praise for the historic 50th Classic win onto the large team of stable staff back at his Irish base, saying: “It is unbelievable, but I am just a small part of a huge team.”
For Whelan, who became the ninth different jockey to win a Derby under O’Brien’s training, the race felt almost effortless from the saddle. He credited fellow stable jockey Wayne Lordan, who rode O’Brien’s other entry Action, for setting a perfect early pace that let Christmas Day conserve energy down the hill to the finish. “It was so easy to be honest! I had Wayne there to do the fractions and he never gets it wrong from the front,” Whelan explained. “The horse loves the ground and it felt so effortless for him. I can’t thank everyone enough. It’s my second season (with O’Brien) and I’ve made friends for life down there. It hasn’t sunk in yet. When we were running down the hill and Wayne was smacking away, I knew I had loads left. I wish I was as cool a customer as the horse was!”
Once Christmas Day moved to the front of the pack in the final finishing straight, no challenger ever seriously threatened his lead. Maltese Cross crossed the line in second place, while James J Braddock, trained by O’Brien’s son Joseph O’Brien, rounded out the top three. Remarkably, the Epsom win marked O’Brien’s second Derby title in just seven days: the week prior, he trained the first three finishers to claim victory in the French Derby, cementing his status as one of the greatest trainers in modern horse racing history.