Epsom Derby: Winning pedigree can make it Australia day

The pressure felt by racehorses is in body rather than mind, which is a blessing for Australia, given the huge expectation put on him from day one right through to his status as red-hot favourite for Saturday's Derby at Epsom.

First was the burden that comes with an illustrious pedigree because Australia is by Galileo, the 2001 Derby winner, and out of Ouija Board, who was successful in the fillies’ equivalent, the Oaks, in 2004.

If ever a horse was bred for the top job at Epsom, it’s Australia.

The second cross he has had to bear is the statement made last year by Aidan O’Brien that “we always thought he was the best horse we’ve ever had”.

That’s a remarkable endorsement from a trainer who has won the Derby four times, including with Galileo. Admittedly, there have been many others about whom O’Brien has talked the talk but most of them have indeed walked the walk.

The upshot of his superstar billing, comprising nature and nurture, is that judgements of Australia are invariably influenced, distorting the true picture. If the racing community was a jury, we’d have to be discharged on grounds of prior bias. The insider conviction in Australia shouldn’t lead to outsider’s conviction of Australia. The talking horse has yet to speak up.

The major cross-examination so far came at Newmarket in the 2,000 Guineas, where he was like a footballer playing out of position in terms of both the conditions — a bare mile shouldn’t suit him by rights — and where he raced, on the opposite side of the track from the first two home.

That he was beaten less than a length that day, in adverse circumstances, is a measure of his would-be talent and the high quality of the race was underlined by runner-up Kingman going one better, in some style by five lengths, in the Irish version.