Another Derby for brilliant Montjeu
30th June 2008
Montjeu’s imperious victory in the 2000 G1 Irish Derby lives long in the memory and eight years on at the Curragh on Sunday it was a case of ‘like father like son’ as he sired the 2008 winner Frozen Fire (3c Montjeu-Flamingo Sea, by Woodman).
Aidan O’Brien’s charge was produced with a well-timed run by jockey Seamie Heffernan to take the Classic by two lengths from Casual Conquest.
It was Aidan O’Brien’s sixth winner of the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, equalling the record of his predecessor and namesake at Ballydoyle, Dr Vincent O’Brien.
"It’s marvellous. This is a very special race and the Curragh is one of the greatest if not the greatest track in the world," said O’Brien. "All we wanted coming here was a good solid even run mile-and-a-half race and all our horses ran great races.
"It’s important for the genes going forward that people know what the best horses are over a distance and it´s important that we get a strong pace in races like this. The plan was for Seamie to take his time and let the race unfold and that´s what he done. He gave him a beautiful ride.
"Seamie is a great fellow. He works very hard and is a great jockey. Every year he gets better and better and nobody deserves it more. There are so many people involved in this horse from the day he was conceived. It´s great teamwork and I feel privileged to be involved with so many special people.
"It is a real privilege to be mentioned in the same sentence as Dr Vincent O'Brien."
Frozen Fire, who was bred by Jurgen and Wolfgang Hoyer, made 250,000 euros at the 2006 Goffs February Sale when sold by Peter Kavanagh’s Kildaragh Stud to Timmy Hyde.
He continued the remarkable record of Montjeu, who has sired two of the last four winners of the G1 Derby at Epsom in Motivator and Authorized.