Cape Blanco gives Aidan O’Brien fifth consecutive Irish Derby win

• Trainer ends Classic drought with first three home • Johnny Murtagh recovers from tumble to ride big-race winner When Aidan O’Brien went through the first phase of the Flat season without winning a Classic, it seemed possible that even the buying and breeding power behind his yard might have dealt him a rare poor hand. He played the cards perfectly here, however, as Cape Blanco, Midas Touch and Jan Vermeer took the first three places in the Irish Derby and his five-strong team dominated the race to such effect that at no stage did any of their rivals seem likely to intervene. Monterosso, who finished fourth for Mark Johnston’s Yorkshire yard, represented the best that the rest of Europe could manage.

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