By
a champion and out of a champion, exciting colt Australia emerged triumphant
from his first test against older rivals, the dual Derby hero taking out the
Group I Juddmonte International at York overnight.
Freshened for the shorter trip of a mile and a quarter having not raced since
winning the Irish Derby at the end of June, the Aidan O'Brien trained Australia
proved too strong in forging clear to win by two lengths over Mastercraftsman
colt The Grey Gatsby, winner of the French Derby.
If Australia himself was big in condition after his summer break, his jockey
was not as regular partner Joseph O'Brien had been wasting hard to make the weight
for the colt, dropping to his lowest riding weight in more than two years.
"If he was going to get beaten today it was the trainer's fault," said O'Brien
after the race.
"I thought maybe I let him get too heavy.
"If it was an ordinary race he would probably have gone for a racecourse
gallop. But obviously with the prize-money here and the way everything is done
at York and being such a prestigious race - the prize-money was so enticing he
had to come here rather than go anywhere else."
Australia is now likely to target the Group I Irish Champion Stakes at
Leopardstown on September 13 and then possibly the Arc at Longchamp.
By champion sire Galileo from champion racemare Ouija Board, Australia was bred by Lord Derby's Stanley Estate & Stud Company and was
purchased by Demi O'Byrne for 525,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October
Yearling Sale.
Australia has won five of seven starts and is a half-brother to Our Voodoo
Prince, who is now with Chris Waller in Australia and won the Group III MRC
Easter Cup earlier this year.
His lone defeats were on debut in June last year when second at The Curragh in
a maiden and when making his seasonal return to finish third behind Night of
Thunder and Kingman in the Group I English 2,000 Guineas.
Australia is the best of four winners from four foals to race from European
Horse of the Year Ouija Board, who won 10 races, seven of them at Group I level
including the Epsom and Irish Oaks as well as the Breeders Cup Filly and Mare
Turf twice and the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase.
A daughter of the Green Desert sire Cape Cross, Ouija Board is back in foal to
Australia's sire Galileo.