Monday, June 05, 2006

Derby debrief

As dramatic a Derby as I can remember, with a neck covering the first four finishers.

At various points in the final furlong I thought Dylan Thomas, Dragon Dancer, Hala Bek and then Sir Percy might win. You would have to say that the gaps came at the right time for Sir Percy who squeezed home by a short head.

Hala Bek looked unlucky as a violent jink right in the shadow of the post almost certainly cost him the race. Jockey Philip Robinson put it down to the horse's immaturity.

Dragon Dancer was within a whisker of becoming the first maiden to win the Derby in over 100 years. As Daryll Holland said - he'd look a good thing in a maiden now.

The events surrounding Horatio Nelson's run are necessarily tinged with sadness. Allowed to take his chance after extensive examination by connections at the start, the horse broke down badly three furlongs out when called upon for his effort. He was destroyed later. Fallon was clearly affected as he gave up his final ride at the meeting, a sad footnote to the most dramtaic of Derbies.

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