Aidan O’Brien became the first trainer to win three successive Epsom Derbys on Saturday as favourite Australia prevailed in a thrilling race.

Australia, ridden by O’Brien’s 21-year-old son Joseph, repelled a late challenge by Kingston Hill (15/2) to take the honours at 11/8 while Romsdal was third at 20/1.

Australia, O’Brien’s fifth winner in the race considered the ‘blue riband of the turf’, follows Camelot and Ruler of the World in giving the Irish trainer his hat-trick.

It was the 235th running of the 3200m event.

Earlier, remarkable French horse Cirrus des Aigles collected his sixth Group One win despite going lame halfway through the Coronation Cup.

The eight-year-old gelding, who is the all-time record prizemoney winner in Europe with almost STG6 million ($A11 million), came home clear under Belgian riding ace Christophe Soumillon to prevail and justify his favourite’s odds of 10/11 on.

Fellow French raider Flintshire, trained by six-time Coronation Cup winner Andre Fabre, was second at 6/1 after briefly looking like posing a significant challenge before the winner pulled away.

Soumillon immediately jumped off the winner after passing the post sensing that not all was right with the horse.

“I felt early on that there was something wrong,” said the 33-year-old.

“In the middle of the straight he changed his leg stride and he never usually does that.”

Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe believed there wasn’t too much wrong with her stable star.

“I’m so proud of him,” she said.

“He’s a very brave horse. He loves fighting and winning.”