Tag Archive for: Lazy Griff

St Leger dreams dashed for Lazy Griff team

/in /by

Owners Middleham Park Racing have been left “gutted” after Lazy Griff was cruelly ruled out of the Betfred St Leger following a setback.

The Charlie Johnston-trained colt has been a standout performer for his connections this term and was due to head to Doncaster with leading claims after placed efforts in both the Derby at Epsom and the Irish equivalent.

He was as short as 4-1 second favourite behind Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia for the world’s oldest Classic next Saturday, with his team now having to turn their attentions to next season with the injury set to keep Lazy Griff out of action for the rest of the current campaign.

Mike Prince of owners Middleham Park Racing said: “He’s met with a setback. He was due to do his last piece of work before the Leger on Saturday but he’s now out for the rest of the season.

“He should be fine to come back next season but it is a bit gutting to get so close to heading to the Leger, where on paper he looked to have a really great chance.

“The syndicate are really gutted and they were all set to head to Doncaster next Saturday, but these things happen and are set to test us.

“It’s one of those things and hopefully we can get him back for next season. We’ll probably look to campaign him in those long-distance races and cup races, he is certainly of that level. Although everyone is a bit flat and disappointed at the moment.”

Mark Johnston remembers Doncaster delights with Double Trigger

/in /by

Doncaster’s St Leger meeting will always spark memories of Double Trigger, despite him just coming up short in the Classic.

The achievements of Mark Johnston’s exceptional stayer are still lauded to this day on Town Moor, with the triple Doncaster Cup hero immortalised in statue form overlooking the parade ring around which he would once swagger.

And 30 years on from capping a phenomenal year by winning his first of three staying prizes in South Yorkshire, Johnston remembers fondly one of the undoubted greats of his era.

Double Trigger was a star for Mark Johnston
Double Trigger was a star for Mark Johnston (John Giles/PA)

“In 1995 we felt there was nothing that could touch him over those trips in the UK so we went there full of confidence,” said Johnston of his first Doncaster Cup success, which came in a season he had already claimed the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and its Goodwood equivalent.

“The ironic thing was he wasn’t champion stayer that year which was down to the way it was calculated and Strategic Choice was actually given it.

“Nowadays he would have been comfortably champion stayer as he had won all the Cup races that year and all the British two-mile and above Group races that season. It was very much his heyday.”

It was always going to be a difficult task for Double Trigger to recreate the halcyon summer of 1995 in the subsequent years, but the popular North Yorkshire-trained gelding with the famous white blaze would always reserve his best for his beloved Goodwood and the faithful on Town Moor.

He would win both events three times in total, bowing out in style when following up a final Goodwood Cup triumph with a fitting farewell in front of a vociferous home crowd who urged their hero on to one last victory and a day Johnston will never forget.

The statue of Double Trigger at Doncaster
The statue of Double Trigger at Doncaster (Nigel French/PA)

Johnston said: “His very last run was in the Doncaster Cup and we had started to have the odd soundness niggle so we had decided beforehand that might be his last run. It was great to bow out on top.

“I remember they had two different paddock sheets ready, one in case he won and one in case something else won and it was sponsored by the train company (GNER) who went and named a train after him.

“It was great times and of course Doncaster built a statue of him which is obviously still there.

“He won the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup in his last two starts and that was pretty special.”

Double Trigger would appear five times at Doncaster in his career and it was a year before establishing himself as a member of the staying elite that he would attempt to end Johnston’s quest for a victory in the St Leger.

Trainer Mark Johnston hopes to see son Charlie win the St Leger
Trainer Mark Johnston hopes to see son Charlie win the St Leger (Mike Egerton/PA)

He would ultimately finish third to Moonax in his Classic tilt, with Johnston also going on to end his career without holding the world’s oldest Classic trophy aloft, and the family curse in the Leger has struck again with son Charlie being forced to rule out Lazy Griff this year.

“I suppose one of the things that is often forgotten about Double Trigger is he finished third in the St Leger and people often think of him as a two-mile horse and an older horse but he was top-class as a three-year-old as well,” explained Johnston.

“I never won the Leger and it is a race that I would loved to have won and it will always be a frustration to me that I never managed it.”

Lazy Griff team waiting on St Leger jockey plans

/in /by

Owners Middleham Park Racing will have to play the waiting game before firming up jockey plans for Betfred St Leger chance Lazy Griff, with hopes William Buick might be available to ride at Doncaster.

Christophe Soumillon rode Charlie Johnston’s star three-year-old to win a French Group Three last year and was also aboard when he finished second in the Derby at Epsom, but with Ryan Moore sidelined by a leg injury, the Belgian jockey has been called up by Aidan O’Brien for the Irish Champions Festival on the same weekend.

Two-time champion jockey Buick partnered Lazy Griff when he finished third in the Irish Derby last time out, but on what will be a hectic weekend on the racing calendar in Ireland, Canada and the UK, Middleham Park’s Mike Prince admitted jockey plans will not be firmly in place until at least six days before the final Classic of the season.

“Obviously Christophe was going to ride, but he’s now going over to Ireland to ride for Aidan,” Prince said.

“We are just waiting really because it’s Irish Champions Weekend, there’s racing in Canada as well with Woodbine, so we are just waiting on some clarity on which jockeys are where.

“William, who rode him in the Irish Derby, obviously will have to see where Charlie Appleby is going and what he wants him to ride, so we aren’t going to know until Monday or Tuesday of next week.

“So we have to sit on our hands a little bit and see who is where, really. It’s a shame because there is top-quality racing all around the world on the same weekend. It’s a bit tricky. Come Monday or Tuesday, we will have a plan in place.”

Lazy Griff has placed in all of his three starts this season, with O’Brien’s Lambourn winning each Group contest.

The first of those came in the Chester Vase in May, a performance which led to Johnston setting out a plan for Doncaster and a possible fourth contest of the campaign between the classy three-year-olds.

“He’s had a nice rest since the Irish Derby and Charlie has been building him up nicely, he’s due to do his last piece of work on Saturday and then it’s all systems go for Doncaster,” Prince added.

“We thought we had a nice horse going into the season and then he obviously showed up well at Chester, but he’s run in the Derby and the Irish Derby – they were just both excellent performances.

“He had an excellent season so far and it is by no means over as yet.

“He’s by Protectionist – a Melbourne Cup winner – and the way he finished off in the Irish Derby, he was in his best work in those last couple of furlongs.

“This is the race that Charlie has had in mind for him since Chester really, so I think a step up in trip will suit him nicely and this spell of wet weather as well. Charlie’s gone on record saying that he doesn’t really want to run him on fast ground, but I don’t think he will encounter that at Doncaster now.

“The more rain the merrier, not that he wants it heavy, but the soft side of good and he’s got a good turn of foot and a bit of juice in the ground will suit him to a tee.”

Charlie Johnston banking on break in weather to spark St Leger dream

/in /by

Charlie Johnston is praying for rain, as he counts down the days until Lazy Griff goes for Betfred St Leger glory at Doncaster next month.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned colt has already given his connections a real thrill when placing in both the Derby at Epsom and Irish equivalent this summer, but Johnston has always felt the extended stamina emphasis of the oldest Classic would play to his stable star’s strengths.

Content to head straight to Town Moor fresh, Johnston was a keen observer of York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes last week. Although it is conditions in South Yorkshire that are giving him most concern.

Johnston said: “Doncaster is coming round quick, it’s only 19 days – not that we’re counting them down.

“All is good apart from the weather and surely this summer will end at some point and the rain will come because we will need it.

“It was a fairly easy watch the Voltigeur for us, nothing too scary came out of that and I think if we can get a bit of ease in the ground then we will be really looking forward to Doncaster.”

The defeat of Lazy Griff’s dual Derby conqueror Lambourn at York saw his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate and Goodwood Cup scorer Scandinavia harden as favourite for the final Classic of the year.

The Kingsley Park challenger is now 11-2 second-favourite with the race sponsors, a position Johnston feels is a fair reflection of his claims, as the Middleham handler relishes another crack at the cream of Ballydoyle on September 13.

Johnston continued: “Even before the Voltigeur, I knew where we stood with Lambourn and I could see reasons why we could reverse that scoreline up in distance and on slower ground.

“We have no idea where we stand with Scandinavia and we’re under no illusions that he looks to set a high bar.

“But I do think we’re rightfully second-favourite now and his biggest danger and we’re looking forward to that challenge.”

Middleham Park happy to be heading straight to Doncaster with Lazy Griff

/in /by

Lazy Griff is firmly on course for a third tilt at Classic glory in the Betfred St Leger, as he prepares to head straight to Doncaster.

Charlie Johnston’s charge has performed admirably in defeat on each of his three starts so far this season, finishing second in both the Chester Vase and the Derby before taking third in the Irish Derby, on each occasion chasing home Aidan O’Brien’s Lambourn.

Owners Middleham Park Racing considered a trip overseas in a bid for a Group One breakthrough with Lazy Griff, but have instead elected to keep their powder dry for the world’s oldest Classic on September 13.

“We thought about going to Germany for the race Rebel’s Romance won (on Sunday), but it was quite a warm race and we didn’t really want to leave any Leger chances over there,” said Middleham Park’s Mike Prince.

Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff after his runner-up finish at Epsom
Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff after his runner-up finish at Epsom (PA)

“There’s the Great Voltigeur next week, but we felt there wasn’t going to be enough time between that and Doncaster. I think the ground will be plenty quick at York for him anyway and waiting for September just gives us the chance for hopefully a little bit softer ground if the weather breaks in the next couple of weeks.

“Charlie has had the Leger in mind for him all year and we’ll go straight there now, that is absolutely the plan.”

Paddy Power make Lazy Griff the 7-1 third-favourite for the St Leger, with the O’Brien-trained pair of Scandinavia and his old rival Lambourn the two ahead of him in the betting at 5-4 and 7-2 respectively.

Prince added: “I’d say Scandinavia might be the favourite (to run) out of the two, just because of the trips he’s been running over. I wonder whether they’ll go for the Arc with Lambourn, you never know.

“Whatever Aidan sends will probably go off favourite, whether it’s Scandinavia or Lambourn, and if he sends both then I suspect they’ll both be ahead of us in the market.

Scandinavia will be one of the big dangers to Lazy Griff at Doncaster
Scandinavia will be one of the big dangers to Lazy Griff at Doncaster (Matt Alexander/PA)

“He’s got plenty of ammo, but we’re all geared up and ready to go.”

The Middleham Park team have also started to make plans beyond Doncaster, with Prince saying: “We’ve given him an entry in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot and I suppose the options after the St Leger are that and the Prix Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud at the end of October.

“It’ll probably be the Leger and then one of those.”

Johnston has plenty to look forward to with Ancient Egypt

/in /by

In a season where Charlie Johnston might yet hit the Classic target, he has high hopes for the future with Ancient Egypt after the regally-bred youngster made a winning debut at Beverley last week.

Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing operation went to 1,100,000 guineas for the son of Frankel out of Atone, who is a sister to Midday.

Ridden by Rowan Scott, he needed all of the extended seven-furlong trip to get on top but was doing his best work in the closing stages and Johnston – who won the same race 12 months ago with his dual Derby-placed and now St Leger-bound colt Lazy Griff – is keen to get him out again this season.

“He’s come out of the race good, I was relieved to get his head in front on debut,” said the Middleham handler.

“He horse we’ve always liked. He’s a big boy. He’s a horse for next year. I’m not sure what we’ll do with him now, I’m sure we’ll see him again at least once more this year, quite how quickly we step up in class, we’ll have to have a think about, but he’s a he’s a smart horse.

“I love the way he was only just getting half the idea in the last furlong when he went and put it to bed. Rowan took about half an hour to pull him up and come back in again so he’ll take a big step forward from that. We think he’s a smart horse.

“It was the same race that Lazy Griff won. I’m not going to stand here and say that I’ve been planning that for months, but after he worked last week I thought it was the entry, so let’s hope he ends up in the same sort of echelons as him.”

Lazy Griff’s route to Doncaster still open to discussion

/in /by

Connections of Lazy Griff have yet to decide whether to give the top-class colt another run ahead of a planned third tilt at Classic glory in the Betfred St Leger.

Charlie Johnston’s three-year-old has bumped into the Aidan O’Brien-trained Lambourn on each of his three previous starts this season, finishing second in the Chester Vase and the Derby at Epsom before making late gains into third place in the Irish Derby.

A fourth clash could be on the cards at Doncaster in September, with Lambourn the 15-8 favourite and Lazy Griff a 7-1 shot for the Leger with Paddy Power – but whether the latter will be seen in action before the Town Moor showpiece remains to be seen.

“He’s fine and back cantering now and I need to have a chat with Mike Prince and the Middleham Park team, just to thrash out what route we’re going to go down,” said Johnston.

“We haven’t come to any firm decisions on that yet, but whatever we do it will all revolve around the Leger, that’s for sure.

“I think we’re probably looking for him to have two more runs this year and it’s just a question of whether we run him somewhere between now and the Leger or we go straight to the Leger and have another run after that at the back-end of the season. That is the conversation that needs to be had.

“He had a couple of easy weeks as the main priority was to get the horse out of Ireland in good shape and back cantering and we’ve done that, so the tough bit now is deciding what to do next.

“They’re nice decisions to have to make, I wouldn’t mind plenty more of them.”

Lazy Griff not guaranteed to run again before Leger bid

/in /by

If Lazy Griff runs again before the Betfred St Leger it is likely to be in the Grosser Preis von Berlin.

Charlie Johnston’s charge has finished behind dual Derby winner Lambourn at Chester, Epsom and the Curragh this season and may yet have to come up against him at Doncaster.

His third in the Irish Derby was the opposite of his runner-up finish at Epsom, where he was handy throughout, as this time he was outpaced before flying home to finish third.

“It was quicker ground. William (Buick) jumped to go forward and he just couldn’t go the early pace on that ground,” said Mike Prince of owners Middleham Park Racing.

“He travelled sweetly at Epsom, but he just couldn’t lie up with them and it wasn’t until he hit the rising ground that he absolutely flew home. So the Derby form was upheld, but it happened in a very different way.

“It was a strange race to watch as coming round the bend Lambourn looked in trouble, but I think he fools you as that’s his racing style, he’s just tough and reality has shown he is a very good horse.

“What we do next is an interesting one as obviously the St Leger is his main target for the rest of the season. We’re coming into the height of summer and Charlie reiterated he wouldn’t want to run him on fast ground again.

“He’s in the Grosser Preis von Berlin on August 10 which is normally run on good ground so if we did have a run that would be the most likely as the Great Voltigeur is a bit close to Doncaster. But we’re not adamant that he needs to run again as he’s done Chester, Epsom and the Curragh which is tight enough with three tough races.

“The Leger is definitely his number one target and if he runs before then we’ll see. William said afterwards that his Derby run was no fluke and he’s a proper Group One horse.”

Serious Contender proves well named with Irish Derby effort

/in /by

Gavin Ryan came close to breaking his Classic duck on Serious Contender, who gave odds-on favourite and stablemate Lambourn a real fright in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

Second in a handicap at Royal Ascot, Serious Contender was sent off a relatively unconsidered 28-1 chance but gave his 8-13 stable companion plenty to think about.

Having had to work hard to see off the Ralph Beckett second string Sir Dinadan, Lambourn and Ryan Moore might have felt they had done enough but Serious Contender made them pull out all the stops, eventually going down by just three-quarters of a length.

“He’s a lovely horse, a big laid-back type and he was coming off it (bridle) a long way out, the more you ask the more he gives you,” said Ryan.

“He’s a big, tough, genuine type and it was a lovely run.”

Charlie Johnston’s Lazy Griff has now finished behind Lambourn at Chester, Epsom and the Curragh but another clash could be on the cards in September at Doncaster.

“It wasn’t an easy watch, after half a mile I thought ‘we’re not winning, that’s for sure’ as he just couldn’t hold his pitch,” Johnston told Racing TV.

“He was getting bullied out of where he wanted to be by the Ballydoyle contingent and horses who were just travelling better than him so we ended up further back than we wanted.

“Even turning into the straight I thought we were treading water but then that last furlong when he met the rising ground he’s flown home.

“We were always concerned about the ground coming in to this meeting and clearly softer ground would have suited him better and another two furlongs is going to suit him so if the winner is going to the Leger we’re all ready for round four!

“It’s about time this horse started to get the credit he deserves, he’s been placed in two Derbys now, he’s been overlooked at every step so far but he keeps showing he belongs at this level and that is where he’ll be going forward.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Tennessee Stud, just like he had at Epsom, finished behind Lambourn and Lazy Griff back in fourth.

His jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle said: “It was a great run, he just got a little bit outpaced at the bottom of the straight but he came home well inside the last furlong and hit the line strong.”

Lazy Griff all set for a third crack at Lambourn in Irish Derby

/in /by

Charlie Johnston is “more than happy” to let Lazy Griff take on Lambourn for a third time in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh on Sunday.

A Group Three winner in France at the end of his juvenile campaign, Lazy Griff made his return to action in last month’s Chester Vase and emerged with plenty of credit in finishing second to Lambourn, earning him a shot at the Betfred Derby at Epsom.

Johnston’s charge was a widely unconsidered 50-1 shot for the premier Classic, but belied those odds with an excellent effort to again finish best of the rest behind Aidan O’Brien’s front-running colt and round three will take place at the Curragh this weekend.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to come to, perhaps the Grand Prix de Paris might have been an easier challenge and we certainly wouldn’t have been taking on a horse that’s already beaten us twice, but the lure of the Irish Derby was too strong to turn down,” said Johnston.

“We’re under no illusions about the task in hand because it is two-nil to Lambourn, but having said that we weren’t afraid to have another go at him.

“It’ll be interesting to see how the race pans out. You can’t take anything away from Lambourn and what he did at Epsom at all, but at the same time he was given a very good front-running ride and we all maybe gave him a little bit too much rope on the front end.

“Sunday is going to be a different day on a different track with a different field and we’re more than happy to have another go and see what we can do to reverse the form.”

Christophe Soumillon was on board Lazy Griff at Epsom, but as the French-based Belgian is required to partner Goliath in Sunday’s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, Johnston has turned to William Buick to ride his stable star in his bid for Classic glory.

William Buick will ride Lazy Griff for the first time in the Irish Derby
William Buick will ride Lazy Griff for the first time in the Irish Derby (David Davies/PA)

He added: “Obviously it’s a shame as Goliath and Lazy Griff are probably Christophe’s two marquee horses for the season at the moment and it’s sod’s law that they’re both running on the same day.

“It’s a shame for him, but we’re able to bring William in who is obviously top-class but will also be very confident at the moment after a great Royal Ascot, it’s a great replacement to call upon.”

Lazy Griff and Lambourn feature in a 10-strong field following Friday’s declaration stage, with Aidan O’Brien also saddling Lingfield Derby Trial winner Puppet Master and Gallinule Stakes scorer Thrice, as well as Serious Contender and Shackleton, both of whom performed well in defeat at Royal Ascot.

His son Joseph runs Derby third Tennessee Stud, while Green Impact is a fascinating contender for Jessica Harrington on what will be his first attempt at a mile and a half.

Ralph Beckett’s Dante winner Pride Of Arras bids to bounce back from Epsom disappointment, with his stablemate Sir Dinadan completing the line-up.

Middleham Park looking to the Curragh skies for Lazy Griff

/in /by

Lazy Griff’s participation in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby will be a late call and depend on how much rain falls at the Curragh this week.

Charlie Johnston’s charge outran his odds of 50-1 under Christophe Soumillon in the Derby at Epsom, getting closet to impressive winner Lambourn, just has he had done in the Chester Vase.

However, connections are keen not to ask him to race on ground which they deem to be too quick.

“It was good, good to firm this morning and we’re in the same situation as applied at Epsom, we don’t want to run him on fast ground,” said Mike Prince of owners Middleham Park Racing.

Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff
Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff (PA)

“We’ll keep him in at the forfeit stage (on Tuesday) and then play it by ear. I’ve seen some forecasts suggest plenty of rain  midweek, but others saying only two to three millimetres.

“All we can do is keep him in and keep monitoring, it keeps changing every time I look.

“It will probably be the Grand Prix de Paris if he doesn’t run. It’s the German Derby next week or the Grand Prix the week after, those are the options and France is more likely than Germany currently.

“He doesn’t have to leave until Friday so we don’t have to decide until declarations.”

He added: “He’s been fine since Epsom, Charlie’s really happy with him and we’re going to check in with Christophe, just to see what is what.”

Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits

/in /by

Options in France, Germany and Ireland are under consideration for Lazy Griff following his fantastic effort to fill the runner-up spot in the Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

Second to Lambourn in the Chester Vase on his three-year-old debut, Charlie Johnston’s colt was a widely unconsidered 50-1 shot for the premier Classic but outran his odds to again finish best of the rest behind Aidan O’Brien’s all-the-way winner, much to the delight of the Middleham Park Racing team.

Middleham Park’s director of operations, Mike Prince, said: “It was a brilliant day and it was surreal watching him as he was coming round the bend and into the straight travelling so sweetly.

“There was just a split second where you thought ‘he might just do it’! I think Christophe (Soumillon) thought that he would get past him (Lambourn), but the winner is obviously a good horse and he was super tough in that final furlong.”

Prince insists Lazy Griff’s performance was not a huge surprise to his connections, particularly after the rain that fell on the Surrey Downs in the lead-up to the race.

“He’d worked well in the spring and he just missed a week before Chester, so we knew we were going into Chester undercooked and we knew he’d come on for it. So having seen him run such a big race there, that kind of cemented us going for the Derby,” Prince continued.

“The only issue was Charlie didn’t want to run him on super fast ground, that was the only reason he wouldn’t have gone to Epsom, but obviously the rain came which was helpful.

“We were thinking we could finish in the top six going in there – we weren’t going there just for a day out that’s for sure and Christophe obviously won a Group Three in France on him last year and I know he couldn’t understand why he was such a big price either.”

A trio of Group One assignments are on the table for the Protectionist colt’s next start, while another tilt at Classic glory in the St Leger at Doncaster appears an obvious target.

Prince said: “There’s the German Derby, the Irish Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris. No decision has been made as yet and obviously the ground will play a part – if it’s fast anywhere we won’t go.

“I think it will be one of those three and I’d say the percentage call at this point would be the Grand Prix de Paris, but it’s certainly not set in stone and if it came up heavy in Ireland with proper soft ground that might change things.

“The St Leger would make sense later in the year as although he was quite fleet of foot there coming down the hill at Epsom, there is plenty of stamina in his pedigree, being by a Melbourne Cup winner, and I know after Chester Charlie said ‘this is a Leger horse’.”

Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff
Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff (PA)

Wherever Lazy Griff turns up next it should be an exciting second half of the season for his 24 individual owners, which include George Griffiths, after whom the horse is named.

Prince said: “We have a policy where the first person to buy a 15 per cent share gets to name the horse and George also got his name on the racecard. He and his wife Amy were obviously on cloud nine on Saturday.”

Johnston can afford to dream of what might be to come with Lazy Griff

/in /by

Charlie Johnston is dreaming of the rest of the season with Lazy Griff, after the 50-1 shot chased home Lambourn in the Betfred Derby.

It was the second time this year the Middleham Park Racing-owned colt has found Aidan O’Brien’s new mile-and-a-half star too strong, as the same two horses filled the same positions in the Chester Vase last month.

Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Lazy Griff – who got off the mark at the third time of asking as a two-year-old at Beverley – cruised around Tatttenham Corner and while his large army of owners will no doubt have been briefly thinking they were about to hit the jackpot, the winner was going away again at the line.

Should he head to the Irish Derby next it would likely mean round three with Lambourn, but Johnston also raised the possibility of a return to France for the Grand Prix de Paris. Lazy Griff won a Group Three at Chantilly last year.

“We told as many people as would listen we couldn’t understand why he was such a huge price. Lambourn was 13-2 yet this morning we were 100-1! It’s safe to say the Chester form held up well,” said Johnston.

Lazy Griff (light blue) beat all bar Lambourn
Lazy Griff (light blue) beat all bar Lambourn (Aaron Chown/PA)

“I’m delighted, I’m surprised how well he handled the track because that was always my biggest concern because he’s quite a heavy-topped horse and we felt if the ground wasn’t as soft as it was he wouldn’t be here.

“I said after Chester that Doncaster (St Leger) would be his place, but to run so well leaves us dreaming about the rest of the year.

“I would say it will be the Irish Derby or the Grand Prix de Paris. The Irish Derby would mean going into the lion’s den I suppose, but it will be one or the other I would say.”

Soumillon partnered Lazy Griff at Chantilly and did not need to be asked twice to ride him in the Derby.

“What a race and I was travelling so well, the whole race I was travelling so well and I was just cruising down the hill,” said Soumillon, who has still to win the premier Classic.

“This kind of track suits him and when I came downhill I was talking Mickael (Barzalona, on Midak) that there was nobody able to follow us, we were cruising. I thought at that point I would be able to win the race two furlongs out, then I took my time to come out, which I don’t think was the best option.

“I maybe should have stayed on the rail, but the horse in front was so lazy in the turn I thought he would stop at a point, but he never gave up and went to the end. Rounding the bend I thought ‘now I go and we will see’ and for two furlongs I thought we will get the winner, but in the end he was too strong.

“I’m so proud of my horse. It’s a great run and it’s the same form as the Chester Vase. I was very surprised when I saw the odds in the paper this morning at the airport. I thought how can I be so high? For me it was a nice horse with a decent chance and finally he proved it today on the track.

“He would be able to make the German Derby, but I just spoke to the trainer who was asking me if he could go in the St Leger. I think that can also be an option, he stays really well. We’ll just see how he comes back from this race.”

Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff
Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff (PA)

He added: “When my agent called me to say I could ride this horse I said ‘let’s go’ straight away. I loved him last year and he did everything I asked. Mr Johnston’s horses are really tough and that’s what you need and this really feels like a winner to me. I’m so proud of the horse. It’s a great result.”

Joseph O’Brien was watching his father win the race for an 11th time, but the man who rode two of them, Camelot and Australia (the sire of Lambourn), was close to his own piece of history by saddling Tennessee Stud to finish third.

He said: “I’m very proud of him, it was a serious run and he came home strongly. I’m so pleased for the owners, it’s very good to be placed in the Derby and he’s an unexposed type from whom there should be plenty more to come.”