Benvenuto Cellini is the Epsom Derby favourite. Yesterday at Chester he won the Chester Vase authoritatively at 2/7 for Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore. He is now no bigger than 3/1 for the Derby on June 6 at Epsom. O'Brien won the Derby last year with Lambourn — who had also won the Chester Vase. The preparation path is identical. The case against opposing him is strong.
The Chester Vase Win
The Read Horse Racing report was direct: "authoritative win in the Boodles Chester Vase at Chester, giving O'Brien and Ryan Moore a notable Cheshire Oaks-Chester Vase double." He raced in third, moved into second over a furlong from home, was pushed along to lead and went clear inside the final furlong.
Coolmore's Kevin Buckley described Moore's feedback after the race: "Ryan was very happy with him. He handled the ground, handled the track, settled nicely and had a nice turn of foot so he has all the attributes you require to go to Epsom." The phrase "all the attributes you require" is not routine post-race commentary. It is a specific assessment from the team that prepared Lambourn for the same race and the same subsequent target a year earlier.
The Lambourn Parallel
Last year O'Brien won the Chester Vase with Lambourn, who went on to win the Derby. The preparation path — Chester Vase in early May, Derby at Epsom in June — is now established as O'Brien's preferred route for his primary Derby horse. Sending Benvenuto Cellini to Chester follows the same blueprint. The Racing Post live blog confirmed: "Racing TV noted that O'Brien had won the contest 12 months earlier with subsequent Derby winner Lambourn, adding extra relevance to Wednesday's result for the Classic narrative."
O'Brien's Four-In-A-Row Bid
O'Brien bids for his fourth consecutive Epsom Derby win in 2026. Three consecutive Derby wins is already an achievement without modern parallel. A fourth would place him in a category of his own in the race's history. Benvenuto Cellini is the vehicle for that attempt.
The 3/1 Price
At 3/1 Benvenuto Cellini is not a price to build a complex each-way strategy around — he is the clear market leader. The case against him at this price rests on the unpredictability of any 19-runner Derby field and the question of whether his Chester form fully translates to Epsom's unique demands. The case for him is the Chester win, O'Brien's record in the Derby, Moore's assessment and the Lambourn precedent.
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Facts verified via web search May 7 2026.