APPROACHING Ballydoyle's imposing gates feels like seeing the Hollywood sign or the Eiffel Tower for the first time – it's a landmark you've heard so much about, and entering its inner sanctum is no less thrilling.
We're greeted by a statue of Triple Crown winner Nijinsky, one of an incredible 16 Derby winners to have been trained on the famous Ballydoyle gallops, the “home of champions”. The original master of this lush pocket of Tipperary was the legendary Vincent O'Brien, with Aidan – no relation – taking the helm in 1996, continuing the legacy for leading owner John Magnier.
Starting with Galileo in 2001, the 54-year-old has landed the Epsom Classic a record nine times and this year megastar colt City Of Troy spearheads Ballydoyle's multi-pronged assault in Saturday's race, with Ylang Ylang the favourite for the fillies' Classic on Friday.
“With Dr [Vincent] O'Brien, everything was about winning the Derby; the whole three-year-old generation is measured in that race; that's the reality
