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| |  Saturday, 8 June, 2002, 17:55 GMT 18:55 UK O'Brien savours Epsom success O'Brien's victory sealed back-to-back Derby wins Aidan O'Brien celebrated a memorable triumph as High Chaparral beat Hawk Wing to give the Irish trainer a one-two in Flat racing's �1.38m blue-riband event. It was his fifth success in the last seven British Classics, stretching back to a Derby-Oaks double with Galileo and Imagine in 2001. A crowd of more than 100,000 watched 7-2 shot High Chaparral, ridden by Johnny Murtagh, fight off a challenge from his stablemate in the 223rd running of the event. Murtagh only got the ride after O'Brien's stable jockey Mick Kinane opted for the 9-4 favourite Hawk Wing. Afterwards, O'Brien revealed he had no idea which of his two major contenders would come away with the �800,400 top prize. The straight-faced 32-year-old told the BBC: "In the last half a furlong I really didn't know who would win.
"The two horses were really well up to the race and the two lads gave them beautiful rides." Murtagh took up the race with two furlongs to go from early front-runner Moon Ballad and kicked on as Hawk Wing unsuccessfully endeavoured to close the gap. Following his two-length win, the Irish jockey paid tribute to O'Brien's achievements. He said: "He is a great man to ride for. He has shown what a trainer he is. "The outside ride for Aidan O'Brien is I think as good as anybody's first string," he added in reference to Kinane. Like O'Brien, it was Murtagh's second success in the Group One race. But Murtagh revealed: "When you win the Epsom Derby it is always very sweet. The first time I felt elation. Today it was very emotional." The victory marked a hat-trick of Irish winners in the event. And Murtagh insisted it would act as a good World Cup omen for his footballing countrymen in Japan and Korea.
He added: "Our will to win is good. We are not afraid to work. So Ireland will beat Saudi Arabia." Michael Tabor, High Chaparral's owner and a co-owner of last year's winner Galileo, insisted he had every confidence in his horse. "I backed High Chaparral at big prices and just left it at that," he said. "It's fabulous - just the best." The day proved fruitless, however for trainer Mark Johnston, whose two entrees, Fight Your Corner and Bandari, failed to live up to their pre-race billing and were fifth and eighth respectively. Johnston said: "Bandari got upset at the start and never ran a race. "I don't know whether that was Fight Your Corner's form. He got a bit behind and he struggled to get into it." | |
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