We saw a "Triple Crown" being won, on the first Saturday of June, but it came on the wrong side of the Atlantic. Aiden O'Brien became the first man in the 235 year history of the Epsom Derby to win the race three years in succession, taking his overall tally to five. On the other side of the Atlantic, California Chrome's bid for American Triple Crown immortality got buried in the dirt of the long Belmont straight. It was celebration time and ecstasy in England but it was heartbreak and agony in Belmont. And that in a nutshell sums up what this glorious game of uncertainty is all about.

It is incredible how two horses on two sides of the Atlantic – California Chrome in the USA and Australia in the UK could be more diametrically different in their quest for glory despite the fact that both were firm favourites.  California Chrome already a superstar was the backstreet bred,  peoples’ great hope, owned by two unheard of guys named Martin and Coburn and trained by a 77 year old veteran named Art Sherman who had never saddled a runner in any of the Triple Crown Races in his career till California Chrome came along.

Australia on the other hand was bred in the purple and destined for greatness from the day he was born.  Sired by a Derby Winner and Champion in Galileo and out of an Oaks winning mare named Ouija Board. The Racing Silks he would sport would be those of John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derick Smith – colours that had won this very Classic of Classics three years on the trot before Australia would make it four. The horse was being ridden by young Joseph O’Brien the Champion jockey and son of Aiden who had already won his first Derby two years ago. And finally Australia was bred by the 19^th Earl Of  Derby who is a direct descendent of the 12^th Earl after whom the Epsom Derby came to be named. If that doesn’t load the dice in your favour then you tell me what does.

There were no hard luck stories in the Derby. Joseph O’Brien knew what he was on and he made no mistake with Australia living up to his five star billing. Aiden O’Brien the master whose actions speak louder than his words had put his neck on the line when making a statement about Australia’s brilliance and he had come out smelling of roses.

California Chrome on the other hand failed in his quest to make that great American Dream come true and finished up 4^th in the Belmont Stakes. A shade below three lengths was all that separated him from adding his name to the List of All Time Greats. Perhaps it would have been even closer had his jockey Victor Espinoza chosen to sit on the fence where he was during the first half of the race instead of opting to make his run on the outside. But that’s mere supposition. The Record Books will show that Tonalist won the Belmont and California Chrome who had sparked the imagination and rekindled that spark in the hearts of Turfites across America had turned out to be mortal after all. The Rocky Balboa of the American Turf had lost the battle but he had not lost the war.