Aidan O’Brien Wins Record Twelfth Victory at the 2026 Epsom Derby
Aidan O’Brien 在 2026 年愛普生德比舞會創紀錄奪得第 12 次冠軍
Introduction
The 247th Epsom Derby ended with a victory for the horse Christmas Day, which increased trainer Aidan O’Brien's record number of wins in the event.
第 247 屆愛普生德比舞會由 Christmas Day 奪冠，使練馬師 Aidan O’Brien 刷新了在該項賽事的最高勝場紀錄。
Main Body
The event took place under poor weather conditions, as heavy rain left the track surface officially described as soft. Despite the rain, King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the race. To stop the decline in attendance seen in 2025, the Jockey Club worked with Queensberry Promotions to create 'DerbyFest.' This initiative aimed to attract younger people by offering free admission to The Hill and adding live music and other entertainment.
該賽事在惡劣的天氣條件下舉行，大雨導致賽道表面被正式描述為「柔軟」。儘管下雨，查理三世國王與卡米拉王后仍出席了賽事。為了阻止 2025 年出現的入場人數下降趨勢，賽馬會與 Queensberry Promotions 合作創建了「DerbyFest」。此舉旨在透過免費開放 The Hill 入場並增加現場音樂與其他娛樂活動來吸引年輕人。
In terms of the competition, 14 horses competed in the race. Christmas Day, with odds of 7/1 and ridden by Ronan Whelan, took first place, giving Whelan his first Derby win. The horse, a descendant of the 2012 winner Camelot, showed great strength on the wet ground and finished ahead of Maltese Cross and James J Braddock. Consequently, this result marks the fourth win in a row for Aidan O’Brien and his 50th British classic victory.
在比賽方面，共有 14 匹馬參賽。由 Ronan Whelan 策騎、賠率 7/1 的 Christmas Day 奪得第一名，讓 Whelan 獲得了他的首場德比冠軍。該馬為 2012 年冠軍 Camelot 的後代，在濕滑地面展現出強大實力，領先於 Maltese Cross 與 James J Braddock。因此，此結果標誌著 Aidan O’Brien 連續第四次奪冠，也是他第 50 次贏得英國經典賽。
However, there was an unusual situation regarding the favorite, Benvenuto Cellini. Although the horse finished eighth, race officials later declared him a non-runner. They decided this because the horse's back leg had become caught in the starting stalls, meaning he did not have a fair start. Meanwhile, the betting market was very unstable, with several horses seeing their prices drop significantly before the race began.
然而，關於大熱馬 Benvenuto Cellini 出現了異常情況。雖然該馬跑在第八名，但賽事官員隨後宣布其為「非參賽馬」。他們決定如此是因為該馬的後腿在起跑閘中被卡住，意味著它沒有公平的起跑機會。與此同時，投注市場非常不穩定，數匹馬在賽前價格大幅下跌。
Conclusion
Christmas Day won the 2026 Epsom Derby, further proving Aidan O’Brien's long-term dominance in the competition.
Christmas Day 贏得了 2026 年愛普生德比舞會，進一步證明了 Aidan O’Brien 在該項比賽中的長期統治力。
Vocabulary Learning
The 'Bridge' to Fluency: Logical Connectors
At the A2 level, students usually connect ideas with simple words like and, but, or because. To reach B2, you need to use Logical Connectors. These are words that show the relationship between two ideas more precisely, making your writing sound professional and fluid.
⚡ The Shift from A2 to B2
Look at how the article avoids simple sentences and uses 'Bridge Words' instead:
-
Instead of "But..." Despite
- A2 style: It rained, but the King came to the race.
- B2 style: Despite the rain, King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the race.
- Coach's Tip: Use "Despite + [Noun]" to show a surprising contrast.
-
Instead of "So..." Consequently
- A2 style: He won the race, so he has 50 victories now.
- B2 style: Consequently, this result marks... his 50th British classic victory.
- Coach's Tip: "Consequently" is a formal way to introduce a result. Use it to start a sentence for a stronger impact.
-
Instead of "Also..." Meanwhile
- A2 style: The horse had a problem. Also, the betting was unstable.
- B2 style: Meanwhile, the betting market was very unstable.
- Coach's Tip: Use "Meanwhile" when two different things are happening at the same time in different places.
🛠 Practical Application
To move toward B2, stop using and/but/so at the start of every sentence. Try this replacement map:
| A2 Word | B2 Bridge Word | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| But | However | To introduce a contradicting point |
| So | Therefore | To show a logical conclusion |
| And | Furthermore | To add more a piece of important information |