3 minute read

The weather was exceptionally good and the track lightning fast for the Derby Day card at Epsom.

Richard Hannon got his 1000th winner just before the Princess Elizabeth where he got his 1001st winner with Anna Nerium who had started at 9/2.  Awesome Tank followed and favourite Veracious had to settle for this.

However Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore made it to the winners’ circle after winning the Diomed by a length from Oh This Is Us.

And so we come to the Derby itself, and the 240th running thereof.  It was a steady race with the leading horses setting it up for the sweepers and finally the winner emerged from the pack in the form of Anthony van Dyck.  Seamie Heffernan had to weave his way through the horses ahead of him but in the end he got daylight and finished strongly.  Madhmoon came through to take second for Kevin Prendergast and Chris Hayes, with Japan 20/1 a nose away third.  He was ridden by Wayne Lordon.  They were a short head in front of Broome who put in a very solid run and the fifth home was the favourite Sir Dragonet.

There really didn’t seem to be any hard luck stories despite the closeness of the first four.

Every one of the runners had Galileo somewhere in the breeding, and of course we were delighted that Anthony van Dyke’s dam is an Aussie – BelieveNsucceed by Exceed and Excel.  Galileo was of course the sire directly involved here.