HOWEVER you dice it, the Derby was a compelling contest, with the pre-race melodrama of John Leeper’s connections jocking Adam Kirby off in favour of Frankie Dettori seeing Charlie Appleby do the same to Oisin Murphy so that Kirby could take the ride on 16/1 chance Adayar, a horse he had been instrumental in breaking in.

Kirby and his mount ensured that the story had a happy ending, with the powerful son of Frankel beating the hoodoo of the inside stall to run out an impressive winner by four and a half lengths from the maiden Mojo Star (Richard Hannon/David Egan), with the winner’s stablemate Hurricane Lane (William Buick) three and a quarter lengths back in third, and the same distance clear of Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney.