Benvenuto Cellini secured victory in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday, demonstrating a significant improvement following a disappointing performance in the Epsom Derby earlier this month. The colt had been controversially declared a non-runner at Epsom after finishing tenth, a result that did not reflect expectations given his stable’s strong form.

At Epsom, Benvenuto Cellini experienced a slow start after placing a hind leg against the side of the stalls and appeared to struggle on the soft ground, finishing well behind stablemate Christmas Day. In contrast, the faster turf conditions at the Curragh allowed Benvenuto Cellini to showcase his potential. Under jockey Ryan Moore, Christmas Day took the lead approaching the final furlong, but Benvenuto Cellini rallied strongly to win by one and three-quarter lengths. Pierre Bonnard secured third place, completing a one-two-three finish for trainer Aidan O’Brien.

The victory marked an extraordinary accomplishment for O’Brien, who had previously trained the first three finishers in the French Derby. By securing wins in the English Derby, French Derby, and Irish Derby with three different horses, O’Brien achieved a remarkable treble in European classic races. This clean sweep underlines his ongoing dominance in middle-distance flat racing.