AT the beginning of April, Aidan O’Brien told us that with the relatively warm winter his team was in a very good place, especially in contrast to 12 months before, when there was still snow on the hills at Ballydoyle.

Two Guineas and five Derby trial wins later and the results are backing up O’Brien’s judgement. The Ballydoyle bandwagon is hitting top gear and O’Brien looks to be in an ominously good position to secure a seventh Derby.