Lazy Griff connections keep options open after Derby exploits
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.'
A huge thank you to @itvracing for capturing the incredible scenes after Lazy Griff's brilliant 2nd place finish in The Derby.
This is syndication at its finest, sharing unforgettable moments together!💙🧡
📽️ITV Racing#TeamMPR #Derby2025 pic.twitter.com/jO86XWPMLZ
— Middleham Park Racing (@MprUpdates) June 7, 2025
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'.'
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.'
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