Irish Derby winner Latrobe bounces back to form in Ballyroan Stakes

Latrobe achieved his first win since landing the 2018 Irish Derby in the Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown and, on the day their Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling was retired, he could be the horse to take up the mantle for owner Lloyd Williams and Joseph O'Brien.

Ridden by Donnacha O'Brien, the son of Camelot was always in the front two and managed to avoid some trouble in running behind him. He finished three quarters of a length clear of Guaranteed in workmanlike fashion, with the previously unbeaten Broad Street an unlucky third, beaten two and a half lengths.

“He did it nicely. Donnacha had a nice position. He said he was happy throughout and galloping on well at the line," said the winning trainer.

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"Lloyd felt it was important to get his head in front this year, which is one reason we came here, and we could make a plan for the second half of the year after that.”

O'Brien would not be drawn on specific targets for Latrobe, and added: “He could go to Australia, but he has options all over the place, such as in America and Japan. There are big races here too.

"He seems pretty versatile and has run well over a mile and a quarter and a mile and six furlongs. Donnacha felt he was always in control, he doesn't do things in a hurry but he's always been that way.”

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