Jockey Ryan Moore, with horse Los Angeles and trainer Aidan O’Brien celebrate after winning the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Group 1 on day three of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival at The Curragh Racecourse in Kildare. Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Los Angeles put his name up in lights as he showed his class in a blockbuster conclusion to the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.
Third behind Aidan O’Brien stablemate City Of Troy in the Derby, he had just over three lengths to find with James Fanshawe’s Epsom runner-up Ambiente Friendly, who was sent off the 6-4 favourite at the Curragh.
Los Angeles was one of four for O’Brien in Ireland’s premier Classic and it was the Ballydoyle quartet who dominated the front of the race in the early stages, with Euphoric, Grosvenor Square and The Euphrates giving their hotly-fancied stablemate the perfect tow into the race.
Heading into the straight Ambiente Friendly had raced strongly to the heels of Los Angeles, who was being asked to stretch for home by Ryan Moore, and the duo became embroiled in a titanic duel.
As much as Robert Havlin tried, however, he could not reel in the son of Camelot aboard Ambiente Friendly, who just gave way to another British raider, David Menuisier’s Sunway, for second in the closing stages.
Los Angeles had three-quarters of a length in hand at the winning post as he scored at odds of 13-8, a victory that gave O’Brien a record-extending 16th triumph in the race. Ambiente Friendly was another half-length away in third.
