EPSOM – Having already made history at Chantilly, Aidan O’Brien will attempt to extend his domination of the European Classics at Epsom on June 6, where he is responsible for seven of the 17 colts left in the £2 million (S$3.4 million) Group 1 English Derby (2,400m).

The Ballydoyle trainer became the first in the long history of the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (2,100m) to saddle the first three home in the French equivalent of the Epsom Derby, completing a remarkable Classic sweep with Constitution River, Hawk Mountain and Montreal in France on May 31.

Neither of the first three from Chantilly has been left in the Derby, but O’Brien still holds the strongest hand numerically as he turns his attention to a race he has already shaped more profoundly than any other trainer.

Final declarations, the draw and jockey bookings will be confirmed at the 72-hour stage on June 3 (still not known at press time), with O’Brien seeking a record-extending 12th Derby victory and a fourth consecutive success following Auguste Rodin in 2023, City Of Troy in 2024 and Lambourn in 2025.

His team are headed by Frankel colt Benvenuto Cellini, who has charted a familiar Ballydoyle route. A winner at Leopardstown as a juvenile, he ended last season by making the frame when third in the Group 3 Futurity Trophy (1,600m) at Doncaster on Oct 25, 2025 and returned at Chester with an imperious success on May 6.

His victory in the Group 3 Chester Vase (2,500m) came at the expense of stablemate Proposition and strengthened the impression that a mile and a half should bring out further improvement.

Pierre Bonnard once looked the most obvious Classic colt among the Ballydoyle middle-distance division, having won the Group 3 Zetland Stakes (2,000m) on Oct 11, 2025 before graduating two weeks later to Group 1 company in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (2,000m) as a two-year-old on Oct 26, 2025.

The Camelot colt’s spring, however, has been less persuasive. He was unable to make an impact on his return in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes (2,000m) – won by stablemate Christmas Day – at Leopards...