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2014 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
Location	Epsom Downs Racecourse
Date	7 June 2014
Winning horse	Australia
Starting price	11/8
Jockey	Joseph O'Brien
Trainer	Aidan O'Brien
Owner	Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Teo Ah Khing
Conditions	Good
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Epsom Derby 2014
1-2-3

Australia	Kingston Hill	Romsdal

Also Ran
4-5-6

Arod	Red Galileo	Western Hymn
7-8-9

True Story	Fascinating Rock	Ebanoran
10-11-12

Kingfisher	Impulsive Moment	Orchestra
13-14-15

Our Channel	Pinzolo	Sudden Wonder
16

Geoffrey Chaucer	16 Ran	2m 33.63s

The 2014 Epsom Derby (known as the Investec Derby for sponsorship reasons) was the 235th annual running of the Derby horse race which took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 7 June 2014. The race was won by the favourite, Australia, a British-bred chestnut, trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by O'Brien's son Joseph. Australia's victory gave Aidan O'Brien his third consecutive victory in the race, and his fifth in all, after Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012) and Ruler of the World (2013).

Race synopsis

The initial entry for the 2014 Epsom Derby, announced in December 2012, consisted of 406 yearlings. The number of entries was 32 fewer than for the 2013 race and included 68 from Godolphin Racing and 56 from the partners of the Coolmore Stud.^[1] The number of potential runners was reduced to 118 at the first scratching date in March 2014,^[2] and subsequently increased to 133 when a further 15 horses were entered at the second entry stage in April 2014.^[3] The field for the Derby began to take its final shape at the May scratching deadline when 27 runners were left in the race,^[4] and the final confirmation stage on 2 June saw the final field settled at 17 runners with 11 further withdrawals and the additional entry of Romsdal at a cost of £75,000.^[5] Snow Sky was withdrawn at the declaration stage on 5 June, leaving 16 runners to contest the 2014 Derby.^[6]

On 7 June, 100,000 spectators including the Queen were in attendance at Epsom for the 235th running of the Derby.^[7] After heavy rain in the morning,^[8] the race was run in fine weather and the going was officially described as "good". Australia started 11/8 favourite ahead of Kingston Hill (15/2) and True Story (8/1). The O'Brien stable's other contenders were Geoffrey Chaucer, Orchestra (winner of the Chester Vase) and Kingfisher (Dee Stakes). Ireland was also represented by the John Oxx-trained Ebanoran and the Dermot Weld-trained Fascinating Rock who had filled the first two places in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial. John Gosden saddled two runners: Western Hymn (Sandown Classic Trial) and Romsdal, whilst the Peter Chapple-Hyam stable was represented by Arod. The 50/1 outsider Our Channel took the early lead and set a strong pace from Kingfisher, with Kingston Hill next. Soon after the turn into the straight Kingston Hill went to the front as Australia made rapid progress on the outside. Australia took the lead approaching the final furlong and held off the renewed challenge of Kingston Hill to win by one and a quarter lengths. Romsdal finished third ahead of Arod and the 100/1 outsider Red Galileo.^[9]

After the race, Aidan O'Brien said: "A long time ago we thought he was very special, we wanted to be here with him, but you can never be sure because there are so many variables. Things can go wrong so big credit to everyone at home". Joseph O'Brien commented, "horses don't come any easier to ride than this one. He's the best."^[10] Roger Varian, trainer of Kingston Hill, expressed his belief that his horse might take on Australia again, saying "The winner is very good and the Guineas form has stood up. I knew how tough my horse is and I was very confident he’d get the trip so I’m hoarse from cheering him. I knew he’d go down fighting. We’ll see what paths we both go down now and they could meet again.”^[11]

Race details

Sponsor: Investec
Winner's prize money: £782,598
Going: Good
Number of runners: 16
Winner's time: 2:33.63

Full result

	Dist *	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	SP
1		Australia	Joseph O'Brien	Aidan O'Brien (IRE)	11/8 fav
2	1¼	Kingston Hill	Andrea Atzeni	Roger Varian	15/2
3	3¼	Romsdal	Richard Hughes	John Gosden	20/1
4	3¾	Arod	Jamie Spencer	Peter Chapple-Hyam	20/1
5	1¼	Red Galileo	Oisin Murphy	Ed Dunlop	100/1
6	hd	Western Hymn	William Buick	John Gosden	10/1
7	¾	True Story	Kieren Fallon	Saeed bin Suroor	8/1
8	1	Fascinating Rock	Pat Smullen	Dermot Weld (IRE)	12/1
9	1½	Ebanoran	Declan McDonogh	John Oxx (IRE)	12/1
10	2	Kingfisher	Colm O'Donoghue	Aidan O'Brien (IRE)	50/1
11	1¼	Impulsive Moment	David Probert	Andrew Balding	50/1
12	1½	Orchestra	Seamie Heffernan	Aidan O'Brien (IRE)	16/1
13	1¼	Our Channel	Silvestre de Sousa	William Haggas	50/1
14	10	Pinzolo	James Doyle	Charlie Appleby	40/1
15	½	Sudden Wonder	Kevin Manning	Charlie Appleby	66/1
16	61	Geoffrey Chaucer	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien (IRE)	10/1

* The distances between the horses are shown in lengths or shorter; hd = head.
† Trainers are based in Great Britain unless indicated.

Winner details

Further details of the winner, :

Foaled: 8 April 2011
Sire: Galileo
Owner: Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Teo Ah Khing
Breeder: Stanley Estate and Stud Co

Form analysis

Two-year-old races

Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 2013

Australia – 1st in Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Trial Stakes
Geoffrey Chaucer - 1st in Beresford Stakes
Kingston Hill - 1st in Autumn Stakes, 1st in Racing Post Trophy

The road to Epsom

Early-season appearances in 2014 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:

Arod - 2nd in Dante Stakes
Australia – 3rd in 2000 Guineas
Ebanoran - 3rd in Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes, 1st (disq) in Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
Fascinating Rock - 1st in Ballysax Stakes, 1st in Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
Geoffrey Chaucer - 3rd in Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
Impulsive Moment - 2nd in Sandown Classic Trial
Kingfisher - 5th in Ballysax Stakes, 1st in Dee Stakes
Kingston Hill - 8th in 2000 Guineas
Orchestra - 1st in Chester Vase
Our Channel - 1st in Investec Derby Trial
Pinzolo - 3rd in Newmarket Stakes, 1st in Fairway Stakes
Red Galileo - 4th in Sandown Classic Trial, 6th in Lingfield Derby Trial
Romsdal - 2nd in Chester Vase
Sudden Wonder - 3rd in Lingfield Derby Trial
True Story - 1st in Feilden Stakes, 3rd in Dante Stakes
Western Hymn - 1st in Sandown Classic Trial