LONDON (Reuters) – Auguste Rodin, ridden by Ryan Moore, won the 244th Epsom Derby on Saturday as Frankie Dettori, on 4-1 favourite Arrest, finished 10th in his bid for a fairytale final victory in the blue riband event of British flat racing.
The win, with 9-2 shot Auguste Rodin chasing down 66-1 outsider King of Steel to triumph by a length, was Moore’s third in the classic after Workforce in 2010 and Ruler of the World in 2013.
It was Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien’s ninth Derby win.
White Birch finished third while 52-year-old Dettori’s hopes faded in his last Derby before retirement at the end of the season.
“The track was too much for him. He could not run down the hill and his legs were everywhere, bless him. our chances were done a long way out,” said Dettori of Arrest.
The race was brought forward to avoid a clash with the FA Cup final at Wembley between Manchester United and Manchester City.
Police arrested 19 people in connection with plans to disrupt the Epsom Derby, while a protester was later detained after entering the racecourse.
Videos on social media showed the individual being dragged away by police in the middle of the track.
Last year’s Epsom Derby was delayed after six protesters from Animal Rising, then named Animal Rebellion, entered the course and had to be removed by police.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)
