Lazy Griff not guaranteed to run again before Leger bid
His third in the Irish Derby was the opposite of his runner-up finish at Epsom, where he was handy throughout, as this time he was outpaced before flying home to finish third.
'It was quicker ground. William (Buick) jumped to go forward and he just couldn't go the early pace on that ground,' said Mike Prince of owners Middleham Park Racing.
'He travelled sweetly at Epsom, but he just couldn't lie up with them and it wasn't until he hit the rising ground that he absolutely flew home. So the Derby form was upheld, but it happened in a very different way.
'It was a strange race to watch as coming round the bend Lambourn looked in trouble, but I think he fools you as that's his racing style, he's just tough and reality has shown he is a very good horse.
'What we do next is an interesting one as obviously the St Leger is his main target for the rest of the season. We're coming into the height of summer and Charlie reiterated he wouldn't want to run him on fast ground again.
'He's in the Grosser Preis von Berlin on August 10 which is normally run on good ground so if we did have a run that would be the most likely as the Great Voltigeur is a bit close to Doncaster. But we're not adamant that he needs to run again as he's done Chester, Epsom and the Curragh which is tight enough with three tough races.
'The Leger is definitely his number one target and if he runs before then we'll see. William said afterwards that his Derby run was no fluke and he's a proper Group One horse.'
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A mildly surprising winner at Epsom, he then doubled up at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent and despite giving weight away all round to his rivals, he was sent off the 4-5 favourite to confirm his position as the best mile-and-a-half colt of his generation. However, Ryan Moore was hard at work from some way out as first stablemate Stay True loomed up looking a threat, before the Ballydoyle duo were swamped by Ralph Beckett's Pride Of Arras. The winner had scored impressively in the Dante at the track in May but finished well behind Lambourn at both Epsom and the Curragh and had subsequently been gelded. O'Brien fielded four in the Group Two and they filled the final four positions. Lambourn is now 5-1 for the St Leger with Coral as his stable companion Scandinavia hardened to 4-5 favourite for the final Classic. 'He went grand, they went steady and he's lazy, I think it was a steadily-run race,' said O'Brien of Lambourn. 'All of them ran grand. The reason we ran Lambourn here was so that he had the option of either the Leger or the Arc. 'I don't think the Leger trip will be a problem, we know he stays a mile and a half well. 'Ryan (Moore) said he felt like he got a little but tired but we'll see how he is. 'Stay True ran a lovely race, he's always looked a lovely horse for the Leger so it looks like he'll be happy doing that.' One horse who enhanced his reputation despite losing his unbeaten record was the Paddy Twomey-trained Carmers, the Queen's Vase winner from Royal Ascot who was dropping in trip. He got caught flat-footed when the pace quickened before staying on for second, beaten a length. 'He maybe didn't get the run of the race but I think it was a very good trial for the Leger,' said Twomey. 'I think he's learned more today than he had in any race he won. It's a big run and back up to the mile and six (furlongs) will suit him. 'I don't think the ground makes any difference to him.'
