17:42 That’s it from day one of the Investec Derby Festival where we have seen some cracking finishes.

If tomorrow proves to be half as exciting then bring it on.

We will be here tomorrow bringing you all the unique atmosphere of Derby Day.

17:37 As expected the final seven furlong contest was an open affair and even a furlong out it was hard to call the winner.

It may have been scant consolation for the great trainer but Henry Cecil was a very popular trainer of the winner Cloudy Start who came home half a length ahead of Shamwari Lodge.

Time Medicean was a length and a half further back in third.

17:18 The Oaks third, High Heeled, may be supplemented for the Irish Oaks

17:09 Jamie Spencer joins Johnny Murtagh in missing the final two days of Royal Ascot as he picks up a five day careless riding ban for his ride on the Oaks winner Sariska.

Comments from winning Classic trainer Michael Bell,

Bell said: "I think there are only a few licensed trainers to have won the Derby and Oaks, and it is great to join that club.

"She has the physical attributes, the temperament and natural gears so she ticks all of the boxes.

"She is the most gorgeous looking horse.

"She's always shown us huge potential at home and ever since the day she started working I thought she was a star.

"She fulfilled all my expectations and we're so thrilled to have her.

"To bag the Oaks is an amazing feeling.

"She has got a nasty cut on one of her back legs, and while it may not need stitching it could bruise and flare up so it is not set in stone where we go.

"It is easy planning for a good filly like her, and the Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks are two immediate possibilities. She's not in the Arc but may be entered now, or we could run on same weekend in the Opera.

"My feeling at this stage is that she is not a Leger horse, and has got the speed to be competitive in high-class 10-furlong races."

17:03 A seven furlong contest in the gathering gloom for race six and a nightmare for favourite backers.

Nasri was a very warm favourite for the Surrey Stakes but the writing was on the wall very early on as it was evident he did not like the course here at Epsom.

Ermine and Velvet and Ocean’s Minstrel, on the other hand, seemed more than happy as they bounded along in front.

It wasn’t until they were halfway down the straight that the favourite ended up on an even keel but it was too late to catch the long time front runners.

Two out Ocean’s Minstrel has taken up the running and although the filly Ermine And Velvet was not going to give up without a fight the John Ryan trained runner came home three parts of a length ahead.    

Nasri was doing his best work at the end but ended up a length and a half behind the front pair.

16:34 I don’t know how much judges at racecourses get paid but Alastair Stewart is earning his money today as we had another photo finish to decide The Oaks.

In the end the favourite, Sariska, was given the call over Henry Cecil’s Midday.

The Stewards called an enquiry following an incident about three out when Sariska veered left and interfered with Phillipina and, more importantly, Midday. In the end Jamie Spencer survived the enquiry but it was a tense ten minutes.

Aidan O’Briens’ Perfect Truth set the very early pace, seemingly taking a very strong hold, so strong he was effectively pulled up in the end.

By half way Oh Goodness Me had taken up the running tracked by Wadaat and Perfect Truth. The principals were settled mid-division.

The controversy came three out as Sariska made her run at the same time as Midday. The favourite veered left and right first of all cutting off Phillipina, then Midday and on the way back then interfered with High Heeled.

In a clear lead two out Midday emerged as the challenger towards the inside and seemed to be gaining, although the winner seemed to have her measure.

High Heeled was 2½ lengths further back in third, with Rainbow View coming home fourth.   

15:56 Johnny Murtagh picked up a five day ban for his ride on Frozen Fire. He was given a ban for careless riding as he drifted across and impeded Buccellati. He will miss the last two days of Royal Ascot as a result of the ban.

15:53 Coronation Cup reaction:- Sir Michael Stoute said, "Things just went wrong last year and we never got the rub of the green. This wouldn't be his ideal track but we thought we had to take our chance.

"We were prepared to just go and sit in front and from my angle passing the post I thought he'd won but we've been caught a few times recently so thank goodness it went our way this time.

"Where he runs next will be ground dependant as he doesn't want the ground too quick."

Mick Channon was philosophical about Youmzain's defeat, "He's run his race again. We got beat and that's that. He keeps turning up and I just hope we get the luck one day.

"It's one of those situations, another stride and he would have been back up.

"He will go for the King George now."

Ralph Beckett was pleased with Look Here, "The jockey thought she was in front 50 yards out but I'm not so sure, although that may have just been the camera angle.

"She has run a peach of a race and will go now for the Eclipse or the King George, or perhaps even both.

"It's still only the fifth run of her life and these are hardened campaigners. She has only been beaten two noses in a photo finish."

15:46 Well judge Alastair Stewart, who I don’t think reads the news in his spare time, is having a busy afternoon. After the double nose finish in the Coronation Cup we had a dead heat for second in the mile and a quarter Investec Challenge.

Cobo Bay was the pacemaker this time, although in this contest it was as they approached Tattenham Corner that the race truly developed as Seb Sanders bought Seeking The Buck into the lead.

Mystery Star tracked him and made a chase of it and these two still held the advantage as they came down the home straight.

It was then that course specialist Lake Poet also decided to join in the action.

Seeking The Buck still had the advantage inside the final furlong but both Mystery Star and Lake Poet were closing in.

Fortunately for backers of Seeking The Buck the line cam in time and he held for a three parts of a length victory.

15:24 Let’s catch up on some reaction in our previous races.

Deposer, third in the Diomed Stages will be going to the Jersy Stakes at Royal Ascot, with trainer John Best saying the his horse was too keen early on.

Sir Michael Stoute says Confront will now be stepped up to a mile and a quarter.

Martin Lane who rode the favourite Philario in the mile said, “the ground was too quick for him.”

15:12 Well out first Group One of the weekend, the mile and a half Coronation Cup, produced an exciting finish with the first three separated by two noses.

The Irish raider Frozen Fire adopted unusual front running tactics this afternoon and for most of the race the order was unchanged with Frozen Fire in front, pursued by Expresso Star, Ask, then the favourite Youmzain running alongside Buccellati, then came Duncan, Eastern Anthem who did not settle and the filly Look Here.

Once again it was in the home straight that the entire complexion of the race changed as Youmzain, Ask and, most impressively, Look Here all ran on strongly, with Youmzain hitting the frong and looking destined for his first UK Group One victory.

However in the dying stages the front three were suddenly stride for stride as both Ask and Look Here powered down on Youmzain.

The three crossed the line locked together. The crowd waited for the verdict of judge Alastair Stewart – many hoping that Youmzain had broken his hoodoo.

The sound system came to life – “First number one Ask, second number seven Youmzain, third number eight Look Here”

Once again Youmzain, heartbreakingly had to settle for second best.

14:29 Another mile contest for our second race, this time a handicap and again a race where it changed in the final stages.

South Cape and Capable Guest both missed the break but it was the two runners in pink Plum Pudding and Tartan Gigha who set the pace with the former attempting to go for a pillar to post victory.

Royal Power soon joined Tartan Gigha in tracking the leader along with the favourite Philario.

As they turned for home Richard Hughes asked Plum Pudding for more effort and soon had a good few lengths on his rivals.

Philario and Tartan Gigha both ran on in the closing stages to be Plum Pudding’s only serious rivals and it was Tartan Gigha who took the lead inside the final 100 yards to claim a 2¼ length victory.

13:58 Well something of a shock result in the opening race or the Investec Derby Festival with the 14/1 shot  Mac Love taking the opening Diomed Stakes over a mile.

The only three year old in the contest, Deposer, took a very strong hold to lead the contest, with the favourite Confront heading the remainder.

In a group behind the front two were Without A Prayer, General Eliot and Lovelace whilst Mac Love, who loves to come late was last.

As usually happens here the action proper began in the home straight.

Deposer still had the lead with Confront  on his heels, Without A Prayer tried to make an effort but had nowhere to go. Meanwhile Micky Fenton moved out to the centre of the course on Mac Love and launched his runner with a devastating run, taking the lead inside the final half furlong and coming home three parts of a length ahead of the favourite.

13:39 The runners are in the parade ring for our opener, so a quick run through them.

Lovelace is fairly quiet and relaxed, hard to see how fit he looks as, typically for a Johnston runner, he is rugged up.

Hatta Fort is jig-jogging around and is slightly on his toes.

Confront is pulling a bit but looks nice. General Eliott is slightly on edge, whilst Mac Love was pulling hard.

Vitznau looked nice but is very small compared with the others.

12:10 For our preview of this afternoons action please visit our Friday preview

12:07 Today is Ladies Day here at Epsom and here is my nomination for the best hat so far.

11:05 Good morning from a very dull Epsom, where the forecast was wrong as we have a slate sky and light rain.

We have just the one non-runner, Sweet Lightning is out of the 3:25.

08:00 Day one of the Investec Derby Festival and it is a bit overcast and cooler than the past few days. The forecast is a dry day with the possibility of some showers this evening.

The going is almost perfect Good, Good to Firm in places.

We currently have no non-runners.

Our selections for Day One are as follows:-

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

11:11
6 Sweet Lightning (other - VC 09:13)

Results

1:40 Diomed Stakes 1m 114yds

1st 5 Mac Love 14/1
2nd 3 Confront 6/4 fav
3rd 8 Deposer 14/1
8 Ran
Distances 3/4 & 1
Fav second
Tote
Win £16.90
Places £2.80 £1.20 £3.50
Exacta £45.90
CSF £34.71
Time 1' 43.61"

2:10 Handicap 1m 114yds

1st 6 Tartan Gigha 9/2
2nd 2 Plum Pudding 7/1
3rd 1 Philario 3/1 fav
9 Ran
Distances 2 1/4 & neck
Fav third
Tote
Win £5.80
Places £2.00 £1.60 £1.50
Exacta £36.40
CSF £35.63
Tricast £108.82
Time 1' 44.01"

2:45 Investec Coronation Cup 1m 4f 10yds

1st 1 Ask 5/1
2nd 7 Youmzain 2/1 fav
3rd 8 Look Here 9/2
8 Ran
Distances nose & nose
Fav second
Tote
Win £7.20
Places £2.20 £1.10 £2.60
Exacta £17.00
CSF £16.06
Time 2' 37.00"

3:25 Heritage Handicap 1m 2f 18yds

1st 7 Seeking The Buck 9/2
=2nd 1 Lake Port 7/4 fav
=2nd 4 Mystery Star 12/1
10 Ran NR 6
Distances 3/4 & dead heat
Fav second
Tote
Win £5.00
Places £1.90 1-£1.40 4-£3.70
Exacta 7x1 £5.80 7x4 £29.80
CSF £29.16
Time 2' 10.55"

4:05 Investec Oaks 1m 4f 10yds

1st 7 Sariska 9/4 fav
2nd 2 Midday 5/1
3rd 1 High Heeled 33/1
10 Ran
Distances head & 2 1/2
Fav winner
Tote
Win £3.70
Places £1.40 £2.00 £5.60
Exacta £15.80
CSF £13.41
Tricast £288.41
Time 2' 35.28"
Result Stands

4:50 Stakes 7f

1st 1 Ocean's Minstrel 8/1
2nd 7 Ermine And Velvet 33/1
3rd 6 Nasri 6/4 fav
9 Ran
Distances 3/4 & 1 1/2
Fav third
Tote
Win £8.20
Places £2.40 £5.60 £1.20
Exacta £308.60
CSF £241.87
Time 1' 21.99"

5:25 Handicap 7f

1st 6 Cloudy Start 10/1
2nd 2 Shamwari Lodge 11/2
3rd 13 Time Medicean 11/2
15 Ran
Distances 1/2 & 1 1/2
Favs 7 & 10 9/2 (both upl)
Tote
Win £14.20
Places £4.30 £2.30 £2.70
Exacta £96.70
CSF £62.92
Tricast £356.55
Time 1' 22.46"