Fortune doesn't favour the favourites as Audience runs away with the Lockinge
"Well, whoops," said Thady Gosden to Cheveley Park's Chris Richardson, beautifully surmising the mood shortly after watching their second string and apparent pacemaker Audience run away with the Lockinge.
You see, this was not really supposed to happen. The Group 1 had been billed as one of the season's first real heavyweight clashes between the yard's Inspiral, a six-time Group 1 winner last seen scoring at the Breeders' Cup, and Big Rock, also making his seasonal reappearance after a frankly ludicrous success in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in October.
It is not so much that they were beaten. It is that neither came remotely close to threatening the 22-1 winner, who was ultimately kept in training to be a lead horse for Inspiral and runs in the same Cheveley Park silks. The winner could hardly have been more impressive, making all after racing in splendid isolation.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
inReports
Copy- 'You could see Aidan was overcome with stress' - O'Brien's relief is obvious as City Of Troy fulfils his Derby destiny
- Listowel: Shecouldbeanything powers home under Sam Ewing for sixth success and gives Gordon Elliott a double on the day
- Musselburgh: Goodwood an option for Jabaara as filly keeps Emalka team on a roll by landing Listed Queen of Scots
- Worcester: 'I gave him a squeeze four out and I knew I was in business' - Sean Bowen lands opener as flood-hit track resumes
- 'There's no doubt he's the best Derby winner we've had' - City Of Troy and Aidan O'Brien silence the doubters
- Champions League final double odds boost: get 100-1 for Dortmund to win OR 40-1 for Real Madrid
- Epsom Derby betting offer: get £40 in free bets with Ladbrokes for the big race at Epsom
- Champions League final odds boost: claim Sky Bet's exclusive 50-1 odds for 1+ shots on target during Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid
- Jude Bellingham betting offer: get enhanced odds of 40-1 for Bellingham to have 1+ shots on target in the Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid Champions League final
- 'You could see Aidan was overcome with stress' - O'Brien's relief is obvious as City Of Troy fulfils his Derby destiny
- Listowel: Shecouldbeanything powers home under Sam Ewing for sixth success and gives Gordon Elliott a double on the day
- Musselburgh: Goodwood an option for Jabaara as filly keeps Emalka team on a roll by landing Listed Queen of Scots
- Worcester: 'I gave him a squeeze four out and I knew I was in business' - Sean Bowen lands opener as flood-hit track resumes
- 'There's no doubt he's the best Derby winner we've had' - City Of Troy and Aidan O'Brien silence the doubters
- Champions League final double odds boost: get 100-1 for Dortmund to win OR 40-1 for Real Madrid
- Epsom Derby betting offer: get £40 in free bets with Ladbrokes for the big race at Epsom
- Champions League final odds boost: claim Sky Bet's exclusive 50-1 odds for 1+ shots on target during Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid
- Jude Bellingham betting offer: get enhanced odds of 40-1 for Bellingham to have 1+ shots on target in the Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid Champions League final