Fame And Glory has firmed into favouritism for the English Derby after his impressive success in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Fame And Glory (3c Montjeu – Gryada by Shirley Heights) won by five lengths to maintain his unbeaten record.  He will now bid to emulate fellow Aidan O’Brien-trained Derby Trial winners Galileo and High Chaparral, who followed up their victories in the Group 2 with English Derby glory.

Ridden by Seamie Heffernan in the absence of Johnny Murtagh who was in France, the son of Montjeu was settled in the rear but always looked ready to pounce.

He had warmed up for the event by taking the Ballysax Stakes on his seasonal debut and always looked ready to pounce under Seamie Heffernan in the absence of Johnny Murtagh who was in France.

Fame And Glory is now a 5-2 favourite for the English Derby.  Bookies were very impressed after a week of inconclusive trials in England.

Former Windsor Park shuttler Montjeu sired a feature double in Australia on Saturday and former UK galloper Speed Gifted got the ball rolling when he made an eye-catching Australian debut at Flemington.

Speed Gifted (5g Montjeu – Good Standing by Distant View) was among half a dozen English horses sourced by Lee Freedman to target the major cup races in the spring.

Settling well back at Flemington, the former Luca Cumani trained gelding was eased to the outside by stable rider Dwayne Dunn and charged home to score an easy win.

“He was never going to get beaten,” jockey Dwayne Dunn said.  “How quickly and how easily he got to those horses was excellent, considering he’s only raced beyond 2400m.”

The Montjeu gelding is now likely to be spelled and aimed at a spring campaign.

Ballack (5g Montjeu – Trephina by Last Tycoon) was also impressive when he railed up to score G3 win in the BTC Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.

A $70,000 purchase for Danny O’Brien from the Windsor Park draft at the 2005 NZ Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, Ballack has now won five races and his goal this preparation is the Group 2 QTC Brisbane Cup.

Ballack is the first foal of the beautifully related mare Trephina, a half-sister by Last Tycoon to champion South African filly and five-time Group 1 winner Laisserfaire as well as stakes-winners Foreplay, Time Thief and Personify.

Ballack is one of six Australian stakes-winners this season for Montjeu, who shuttled to Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand for four seasons.