It's rare in racing for a horse to live up to the hype but Australia certainly did when giving Aidan O'Brien an unprecedented third successive Epsom Derby.

Hailed as potentially the best he had trained by the Ballydoyle handler, some statement considering the likes of Galileo, Giant's Causeway, High Chaparral and Dylan Thomas have all benefited from his tutelage, the striking chestnut beat second-favourite Kingston Hill by a length and a quarter.

When your parents are both Classic winners (Galileo and Ouija Board) there is only really one race you are born to win but if Joseph O'Brien felt any nerves riding the 11-8 jolly with his reputation on the line then he did not show it.

If anything went wrong it was that he came down the famous hill too well as he found himself challenging Kingston Hill probably a little earlier than he would have liked.

Where he goes next has still to be decided, with the Irish Derby and the Coral-Eclipse seemingly his two most likely destinations.

O'Brien was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief on greeting his winner, and the quietly spoken man from Tipperary continues to rewrite the record books.

Asked what makes Australia so special, he said: "It's very simple, it's pace.

"He has terrible pace, terrible class, he's able to go from A to B so easy, which is so unique for a horse that's bred the way he is.

"Everyone knew every sinew in his body was going to be tested here, he was going to have to quicken and have to travel. What makes him different is his natural pace."