| Investec Derby |
|---|
| Venue: Epsom Date: Saturday 1 June Time: 16:30 BST |
| Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live and online |
Anapurna edged out Pink Dogwood to give jockey Frankie Dettori his fifth victory in the Oaks at Epsom.
The 8-1 chance, a daughter of Frankel trained by John Gosden, passed Aidan O’Brien’s runner-up in the closing stages, with Fleeting third.
“Beautiful. She was very courageous,” said the 48-year-old Dettori, who won the Oaks for the first time in 1994 on Balanchine.
“I absolutely love it. My first one was 25 years ago and I’m still here.”
Ryan Moore went clear on Pink Dogwood after the Camelot filly showed an impressive turn of foot to pass her rivals, but Dettori was more patient and timed his run to perfection.
Dettori was given a two-day ban after the race for breaching the whip rules.
The Italian-born jockey also won the race on Moonshell (1995), Kazzia (2002) and Enable (2017).
It was a first British Classic for Frankel, who was unbeaten in 14 races before starting a career at stud.
Anapurna’s breeders, the Meon Valley Stud, will hope to triumph again in the Derby on Saturday with Telecaster.
Earlier, Defoe won the Coronation Cup as jockey Andrea Atzeni clocked up a 494-1 treble.
The 11-1 shot, trained by Roger Varian, outpaced Kew Gardens in the final furlong for Atzeni, who also enjoyed wins on Gossiping and Mountain Angel.
St Leger winner Kew Gardens, under Moore for O’Brien, hit the front in the straight but Defoe passed him as the winning post neared.
Analysis
BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght
The feeling beforehand that this result would probably be yet another to revolve around Aidan O’Brien’s challenge was confounded not for the first time – and nowhere near the last if you believe he wants one day to ride against his 14-year-old son Rocco – by Frankie Dettori.
It was quite a rough race, but having ridden his first Classic winner here 25 years ago, Dettori was wise to all that.
For the thoroughbred breeding industry having a European Classic winner fathered (at last) by the iconic Frankel only adds to the significance of the result.
