The drama in the 247th Derby on Saturday was mainly in the aftermath. Christmas Day, backed from 18-1 overnight to a starting price of 7-1, was settled in a close second after half a furlong, took over at the three-furlong pole and stayed on strongly to finish two-and-three-quarter lengths in front of Maltese Cross, with Benvenuto Cellini, the 3-1 favourite and a stablemate in the Aidan O’Brien yard, one of the last in the 14-strong field to cross the line.
A couple of minutes after Christmas Day and Ronan Whelan had crossed the line, however, the klaxon sounded to announce a stewards’ inquiry. It soon emerged that Benvenuto Cellini had had a hind leg caught on a rail in his stall when the race started, causing him to miss the break by a stride, and the subsequent inquiry ruled that the Derby favourite should be declared a non-runner.
