For the second year running, the Darley stallions were responsible for the winner of the Derby, when King's Best’s son Workforce took the Blue Riband in scintillating fashion on only his third racecourse appearance.
Settled in mid division under Ryan Moore, Workforce travelled well throughout, although as the field entered the straight it looked as though pacemaker At First Sight might steal the show. However, demonstrating a blistering turn of foot, Workforce absolutely flew down the straight and cruised past the long-time leader, romping home to win by an astounding seven lengths in a new record time of 2:31.33 – breaking the previous record set by Lammtarra by almost a second.
Rewilding, Godolphin's impeccably-bred son of Tiger Hill, put up a magnificent performance to finish third, just half a length behind At First Sight.
Owned and bred by Khalid Abdulla, Workforce is out of the unraced Sadler’s Wells mare Soviet Moon, a full sister to multiple G1 winner Brian Boru.
He became King’s Best’s second Derby winner in two weeks, following Eishin Flash’s victory in the Japanese Derby last weekend. He will aim to add a third in less than 24 hours time, when Simon de Montfort lines up in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly tomorrow.
King’s Best (pictured) has now sired six individual winners at the highest level including fellow Darley stallion Creachadoir.
