Drumbeat adds to O’Brien’s two-year-old roll of honour

Drumbeat added further depth to Aidan O’Brien’s Classic battalion for next year in earning quotes of 14-1 for the Derby after landing the Criterium de Saint-Cloud at the Paris track.

The Wootton Bassett colt – wide-margin winner of the Zetland Stakes at Newmarket last time out – looked short of room at a crucial stage of the race under Ryan Moore, but burst through a gap to lead approaching a furlong and a half out.

From there he stayed on too strongly for stablemate Shakespeare and Christophe Soumillon, the pair two lengths back in second with Joseph O’Brien’s Jesus Green a further length away in third.

The 9-10 favourite was delivering a seventh win in the race for O’Brien, but a first for Moore after wins for Soumillon aboard Pierre Bonnard 12 months ago and Los Angeles in 2023.

“He showed a lot of quality and is a very straightforward horse,” Moore told Sky Sports Racing.

“He had the pace to go and take the gap and he quickened up well.”

It was a second Group One of the weekend for O’Brien, who struck in the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday with Giant Sequoia.

“He is a lovely horse, handled the ground and got the trip well,” said O’Brien.

“He probably learned plenty today which was great so we couldn’t be happier. He is a lovely horse to think about for next year.”

O’Brien narrowly missed out on another two-year-old Group One in the Criterium International, when Master Man made all under Anthony Crastus to deny favourite Capability Brown and Aix La Chapelle.

The Richard Chotard-trained Goken colt was following up a win in a conditions race at ParisLongchamp on Arc weekend.

The winning rider said: “I was very confident with him today as he won very easily at Longchamp and with the track very soft here I knew he would like this type of ground. He is improving and will be an even better horse next year.

“I have been second in Prix du Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris, but never won a Group One in France so I am very happy today.”