Horse Racing – Derby Festival – Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom, Britain – June 1, 2019 Anthony Van Dyck ridden by Seamie Heffernan in action before winning the 4.30 Investec Derby Stakes Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs
June 1, 2019
(Reuters) – Anthony Van Dyck won the Epsom Derby after a pulsating finish on Saturday, handing trainer Aidan O’Brien a record-equaling seventh victory in Britain’s richest horse race.
Jockey Seamie Heffernan rode the 13-2 chance to victory, ahead of a number of horses that held chances deep inside the final furlong.
Madhmoon put up a sparkling performance to finish second for veteran trainer Kevin Prendergast, with Anthony Van Dyck’s stable mate Japan in third spot.
“It’s incredible… I’m so privileged to be part of the team,” O’Brien, who trained seven of the 13 runners in the mile-and-a-half race, told ITV Racing.
“These races are so competitive and so tough. I’m so privileged, delightful and grateful to the team.”
The victory takes O’Brien level with Robert Robson, John Porter and Fred Darling for most Derby wins, while it was jockey Heffernan’s first Derby win in 12 attempts.
“I knew he (Anthony Van Dyck) would be with me when I needed him,” Heffernan added.
“It was a big ask of him, but he’s danced every dance.”
(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
