Five Horses To Take Out Of The Derby Meeting

Whilst Anapurna won the Oaks for John Gosden and Frankie Dettori, Pink Dogwood can count herself a shade unlucky having come their cantering on the outside.

She travelled oh-so comfortably in the hands of Ryan Moore having made significant headway from the back of the field, and in the end was just outstayed by one of her market rivals.

However, it was her first start over the mile-and-a-half trip after coming through a simple Listed contest at Navan over ten furlongs.

Still learning on the job at such a young age, the three-year-old did not do a lot wrong and will be a definite contender wherever she goes next, possibly back down the distance ladder.

Space Blues provided us with yet another winning NAP selection on Friday, but more importantly it showcased the talents of the Charlie Appleby three-year-old now back in Class One company.

Winner on debut as a juvenile, Space Blues failed to win on his first two appearances this season before slotting into handicap company at York and bolting up easily in a Class Three back down to seven furlongs.

Now pushed up into a Listed field, he proved his class (son of Dubawi) by prevailing by a neck in the Surrey Stakes over Urban Icon and Marie's Diamond.

Now very much with that winning feeling on his side, Space Blues does look a certain Group performer.

Anna Nerium provided trainer Richard Hannon with his 1,000th winner in training, as she reversed the form with Awesometank in the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes on Derby day.

The William Haggas-trained four-year-old got the better of the daughter of Dubawi at Goodwood on reappearance in Listed company earlier in May, where she just held off the late swooping challenging of her chestnut counterpart.

Anna Nerium flew home that day and was just denied, but there was no stopping her at Epsom, as a patient Tom Marquand delivered his mount to perfection down the centre of the track.

Victory bettered her second in the race from twelve months ago, and big targets now beckon going forward.

Eeh Bah Gum was the real eye-catcher from a very fast-run Investec Dash Handicap - arguably the quickest five furlongs in the world on good-to-firm ground.

Ornate made all under Phil Dennis to take the Class Two prize, but Eeh Bah Gum - trained by Tim Easterby, stormed out the pack from the back of the field to land some decent prize money for his owners by finishing fourth, and failing to reach the leaders which were beyond his grasp.

Now winless in his last five, he is showing signs that a return to his four-time winning form of last season is not now that far away, and the Wokingham could be his next target.

A promising run having made up an enormous amount of ground under Jamie Gormley.

Anthony Van Dyck will capture all the headlines for his win in the Epsom Derby, but Kevin Prendergast will surely be left proud from the run of his three-year-old Madhmoon who finished half-a-length down in second.

Hamdan Al Maktoum's runner beat Broome over a mile in good style as a juvenile, but finishing a decent fourth in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier in May suggested he will stay beyond that distance despite pedigree question marks.

Not bred to do so, he fought on gamely under Chris Hayes to just be outmuscled by the O'Brien battalion, who aside from the winner, filled out the third, fourth, fifth and sixth spots completing an Irish sweep.

Excellent performance, and one to keep in mind next time out.