John F Kennedy

With five runners here, Coolmore trampled the 5-4 favourite Dawn Approach, whose owner, Sheikh Mohammed, has yet to win the Derby in his own colours and found no relief from the steroids scandal afflicting his Godolphin operation in Newmarket. Dawn Approach pulled like a bronco in a Western before carting his rider to the front of the 12-runner field and then fizzling out to finish last behind the 7-1 shot Ruler Of The World, trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore.

In stamina, quality and tactics, Godolphin were out-gunned by the mighty Irish team, whose best blood derives from the first of their five Derby winners, Galileo, Ruler Of The World’s sire. Ten Epsom champions have now burst out of boxes at Ballydoyle, where Vincent O’Brien trained six before handing over to Aidan (no relation), who can now claim four. To add to the picture of clan activity, Vincent O’Brien was the father of Sue, who married John Magnier, the shrewdest of all the Coolmore heavyweights.

The full team line-up looks like this. Sue names the horses and draws on all her wisdom from the Vincent O’Brien era. John Magnier is estimated to be worth £556 million and has homes in Ireland, Barbados and Switzerland.

Michael Tabor is a bookmaker turned currency dealer valued at £550 million (his wife Doreen is also involved). Derrick Smith is a former Ladbrokes trading director now based in Barbados with his wife, Gay, and is rated at £565 million by the Sunday Times Rich List.

None can match the wealth or political clout of Sheikh Mohammed, but together they are a formidable foe for Godolphin, still reeling from the 22 positive tests for steroids recorded at the Moulton Paddocks Stables previously occupied by Mahmood Al Zarooni, since banned for eight years.

The Derby has not seen such a monopoly for more than half a century. The Earl of Egremont prevailed with Assassin (1772), Hannibal (1804), Cardinal Beaufort (1805), Election (1807) and Lapdog in 1826. The third Aga Khan won three in the 1930s with Blenheim, Bahram and Mahmoud and added My Love (1948) and Tulyar (1952).

Tabor and Magnier had already shared victories with Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Pour Moi (2011) and Camelot last year. Galileo, Coolmore’s strandard-bearing stallion, was responsible for five of this year’s 12 Derby runners. Ruler Of The World’s name was no punt. It was tied to the horse’s bloodlines and potential, as Magnier explained: “All the horses are rated on pedigree, then rated as individuals. Sue names all the horses in February/March time. Aidan gives his thoughts from week to week.

This horse obviously made his way to the top. Sometimes they get it [the naming] right, sometimes they don’t. We’ve had a lot of bad American presidents.” Coolmore’s formula is to fish the best gene pool and send the finest products to O’Brien, who is not reliant on the old system of testing horses in Classic trials, though Ruler Of The World did win the Chester Vase, a traditional prep race. This Derby winner was not seen as a two-year-old and made his debut as recently as April, at The Curragh.


Comments made after last year's Derby, which must surely have irked our Sue....maybe she's going to nail one at last.

Timely post, Headmaster.

"john f kennedy is travelling well"

'' JFK has stopped as if he's been..''

will cover a huge book of mares

Just as long as they don't run it on a track that has a grassy knoll.

The horses name looks out of place at that operation. Kennedy was against greed and corruption, and called for freedom of press and transparency. Ballydoyle go against all of those principals. Witholding information on a horse with that name, to fill their own pockets with a gamble, well it pretty much sums them up. Sometimes the rich and intelligent just don't get it, like when someone thought it would be a groovy idea to have Bob Dylan sing ' the times they are a changin' in the Whitehouse.

Well there was the Sam Giancana connection. Actually that might be a more suitable name, or maybe Al Capone, given his reputation as a tax dodger

Kennedy was against greed and corruption,

You obviously don't know anything about old Joe Kennedy!

I backed this a couple of months ago (I mentioned it in the Derby thread) on the basis of Coolmore saving their best names for their best horses. I guess I am on the right track, not many horses get their own thread, even before that have been entered for a race.

He has a younger brother that will supposedly be even better.

Apparently both Pegasus and Coolmore are reserved names and I suspect they won't be deployed until all Sue's ducks are in a row.....JFK I'm not so sure - like the big man said...."We’ve had a lot of bad American presidents.”...but he's entered on Saturday at the Curragh so we might get to find out.

How is your luck Headmaster? Any better?

prefer ol man river his other one in the race. JFK May foal. That's pretty late

Holds an entry on Sats Ire Oaks card JFK.

dunlaying - no...shocking!  Hope you're doing better???

I am sorry to hear that Sir. Things will look up eventually, of that I am sure.

Tapestry, a full sister runs in the Irish Oaks, breeding doesn't look like a stayer though, we will have to wait and see.

will love every inch of the oaks trip

debut today

JFK blown away, what else do I have to say

Looked awkward. Will improve obviously.

can't wait to see ol man river. Looked a beauty in the sales ring with a fantastic attitude.

They also have 2yo's named Fields of Athenry, Sir Isaac Newton & Sherlock Holmes. Going by names, one of these might turn out to be decent....does anyone know anything about any of them?

if I were them id give up on dead American presidents as names

maybe US hit tv shows will work better I nominate

game of thrones

There is not much imagination involved in the naming of theirs horses but I guess that's what happens when you have hundreds to name. Still, a little more effort from the wives can't be much to ask for, hard to imagine them working hard everyday.

Wonder which of their pool of brilliant minds came up with Was and Say and Up.

What about Star Wars characters....I'd love to see a Derby winner named Jabba The Hut

not expecting Pistorius, Rolf or Clifford to make their debuts any time soon...

Probably the same one that came up with Words, Sankara. She actually looks pretty smart so worth following that one!

Maybe they just get a dictionary and throw it on the floor and see what page it lands on then pick a word. One day we'll see a horse named fellatio or rectum

pompous doesn't even begin to describe it

All smiles. And excuses.

Never is one of theirs beaten on merit. Has to be a reason.

JFK blown away, what else do I have to say

But next time he did the blowin! and a new joint Derby fav (in places) Maybe the ground, maybe needed the race first time? 

tracked leaders, 5th halfway, closer in 4th 2f out, ridden to lead over 1 1/2f out, stretched clear final furlong, impressive
http://www.irishracing.com/result?prn=Curragh&prc=084&prd=201408101435

Doesn't much look like a Derby horse to me, looks a big strong galloper. Coming round Tattenham corner I think he could end up in Hounslow.

2015 derby winner out tomorrow

So I suppose that stamina doubts were dispelled by Tapestry.

IN THE FILM THERE WAS A MAN WEARING GLASSES NEAR THE DRY CLEANERS WHO LOOKED AS IF HE WAS UP TO NO GOOD,I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT HIM IN FOR QUESTIONING

JFK in the group 3 over a mile on Saturday. Obviously not quick enough to be their 2000G hope and run in the National Stakes

Australia won the same race.... and ended up their 2000g horse

and lost

am going for both days , looking forward to seeing this fella in the flesh ,also cant wait to see free eagle ,as seen him last year before this very race ,and he looked a little weak ,as in he had plenty of grown and filling out to do ,will be interested to see what he looks like in the flesh ,i just hope he runs

Nice performance

looks like a proper one now

Nice showing again 2day from JFK.
Head a bit high would be my only fault with him (poss still greenness)
Love the way he moves over the ground, great action
Nice prospect indeed.

This horse has to be AOB's star juvenile this year, one more run and win in a Group 1 to cement the idea that he is the 2000 Guineas centrepiece to the AOB challenge.

D Day today

has it finished yet?

think lee harvey may have got to it...

Do you remember him? Winter favourite for the 2015 Derby before finishing last in both the Ballysax and Dante.

Well, Coolmore have named another of their horses after an American president and he is entered in a maiden at Leopardstown next Thursday, the same maiden Camelot won.

His name is Delano Roosevelt - Galileo x Again

He's already in the betting for both the Guineas and Derby....

wonder if sue will name one Donald trump

Well despite being 14/1 and the stable 3rd string, he won that with a fair bit up his sleeve. Whilst it was only a head between first and second it doesn't represent  his superiority.

Delano looks a very good one.