REPLAY: Derby day blog at Epsom as Love and Serpentine win the Classics

1715: All you needed was Love and Serpentine. Both trained by the genius that is Aidan O'Brien. Such a strange day, but then again all too familiar. Thanks for joining us!

1704: The Ghost Town Derby goes to 25/1 chance Serpentine. The 241st renewal of the race will go down in history for so many reasons, including those aforementioned records. And also the tricast that paid £55,977.83. Full result below.

1st 14 (12) Serpentine (IRE) 25/1
2nd 7 (14) Khalifa Sat (IRE) 50/1
3rd 1 (5) Amhran Na Bhfiann (IRE) 66/1

• Winning Trainer: A P O'Brien
• Winning Jockey: E J McNamara
• Runners: 16 ran
• Unpl.Fav: Kameko (USA) 5/2 F
• SF: £896.62
• Tricast: £55,977.83

1701: Incredible performance as Serpentine wins the Derby for Aidan O'Brien. He's won by miles! As he kicked clear most viewers will have thought 'he'll come back to them' as I did, but he simply didn't. A record eighth win for Aidan O'Brien. A record fifth win for Galileo. An unbelievable first win for Emmet McNamara.

1700: SERPENTINE WINS THE DERBY!

1657: They're off!

1655: Kameko clear favourite now with seconds to go. He's 11/4. English King is 100/30.

1654: They're just wiping the sweat off English King down at the start. Kameko and Mogul trot down side by side. Oisin calm as you like feet out of the irons. Big moments, these.

1652: They're going to post and nothing seems to have got overly worked up. English King a little sweaty under the masked Frankie Dettori.

1650: Five minutes to the Derby and we still don't know who will go off favourite...

3/1 English King
3/1 Kameko
6/1 Russian Emperor
7/1 Mogul

1637: Dave Ord did a horse by horse guide to the Derby earlier in the week which is here but I know you're all after the blog five-star system guide to the Derby which I just thought of one minute ago.

Amhran Na Bhfiann **** - Maiden. Bred for it. Top stable. Big price.
Emissary *** - Kingman. Half-brother to Workforce. Cheekpieces.
English King *** - Frankie. Stall one. Impressive at Lingfield.
Gold Maze * - Ran in the Irish Derby. First Derby runner for Jessie.
Highland Chief *** - Royal Ascot winner. Paul & Oliver Cole.
Kameko ***** - Brilliant Guineas winner. Wins if stays. Think he will.
Khalifa Sat ** - Stablemate of Kameko. Likely pace angle.
Max Vega *** - Interesting outsider. Zetland winner. Matt's Value Bet.
Mogul *** - Ballydoyle number one? Stall two. Needs to improve. Could.
Mohican Heights ** - Son of Australia. Ran okay at Ascot. Might need further.
Mythical * - The least likely of the Ballydoyles. James Doyle rides.
Pyledriver **** - Impressive at Royal Ascot where beat Mogul. 3 times the price.
Russian Emperor *** - Ballydoyle number one? Seamie rides. Interesting.
Serpentine ** - Ballydoyle pace angle. Will he be sacrificed for the team?
Vatican City **** - Second run on turf. First was second to Siskin in Irish 2000G.
Worthily *** - Gozzy found him down the back of the sofa. St Leger candidate.

1625: It's a Derby of many firsts today.

1620: Well, well, well, SUMMER ROMANCE is back. This was a good ride from William Buick who was always up there and he had enough up his sleeve late doors to see off the Guineas runner-up Cloak Of Spirits. Summer Romance looked good on her first two starts as a juvenile but went off the boil afterwards, while she was 8th behind Love in the Guineas on her seasonal reappearance. Fooraat didn't handle the track well at all and hung into the camber all the way down the straight. She'll be worth another chance somewhere else.

1615: Fooraat a big favourite at Epsom for the Princess Elizabeth Stakes up next. She's a nice filly and a worthy fav. They're going in.

1610: More from Michael Shinners as we get to 45 minutes before POST TIME in the Derby.

"The money has come for English King and he is now 10/3 and challenging for favouritism just behind Kameko. Surely there will be support for the O’Brien horses after the stunning performance from Love in the Investec Oaks."

1606: Mark Johnston on racing during the pandemic after his Epsom win today:

"It was obviously very important to get today on. Everybody knows I felt we stopped too soon and started too late.

"It is just great to have it back. We have learnt an awful lot. It is terrible for the racecourses and the owners who can't be there with a lack of atmosphere on course, but it is teaching us what a good television product racing is.

"It is as good as ever and a big lesson that people watch racing because of the horses."

1600: A nine-length win for the white-blazed monster.

1555: An eighth Oaks success for Aidan O'Brien. I wonder where Love will end up? Could she be an Arc filly with that lovely age and sex allowance? She's 5s from 20s for Longchamp at Betfair and Paddy Power.

1551: Superb work from Matt Brocklebank on the old Antepost Angle. A one-three for him and a Classic double from the same horse. Just received a live picture and it looks like he's just ordered his third jug of Old Peculiar on his Wetherspoons app.

1548: LOVE follows up her success in the Guineas with a stunning performance in the Oaks. She's routed them after a strange old race in which Tiempo Vuela and Passion set what looked a hot pace, but they were largely ignored as they opened up a big lead. They came back to them in the straight and Love was suddenly tanking, with Frankly Darling not quite as happy as she made her challenge under Frankie Dettori down the middle of the track. Ennistymon, indeed, did reverse that Ribblesdale form to nab second, with FD third. But, the winner was in a different parish. All you need is Love.

1541: A bit late off here as they go down. Ennistymon a bit sweaty, but so am I so we won't hold that against her. They all look pretty relaxed. Love is strolling around like she's the Queen and she's a very solid 11/10 chance. They're behind the stalls and ready to load.

1535: Frankly Darling goes to post.

1530: We have the favourite, Love, at 11/10. The 1000 Guineas winner. Trip? Likely to be no problem.

We have the main rival, Frankly Darling, at 6/4. The Ribblesdale winner. Track? Likely to be no problem.

It's far from a match and Ennistymon is value to reverse that Ascot form with Frankly Darling in the eyes of many.

It's a tantalising Classic and our pals at Timeform sum it up nicely in the article below.

1525: I was lucky enough to be there to witness Enable's Oaks. She was majestic, emerging from a thunderstorm to win easily from Rhododendron. What an incredible filly she has been and we might just see the dawning of a new superstar in this year's renewal of the Investec Oaks, up next.

1522: By the way, our friends at the British Champion Series are running a competition to encourage families and kids to download an Enable fan pack from their website in a bid to find Enable’s biggest fan.

Fans enter by simply posting an image/video on social media with the hashtag #GoEnable, while there is a prize for the winner of a pair of season tickets to Sandown Park Racecourse for 2021, as well as an Enable print.

There must be someone with an Enable tattoo out there. They'd have a chance in this. I'll show you my Borderlescott one if you show me your Enable.

1511: Caradoc ran well. He was drawn wide in 15 and Oisin Murphy had to take his medicine and hold him up more drastically than he would've liked. He finished well down the middle but the bird - the Sky Defender bird - had flown.

1509: 'And here they come around the most famous bend in the world of racing,' calls Simon Holt, still much the best commentator for mine. And he describes a 22/1 shocker as SKY DEFENDER wins the races for Mark Johnston and Joe Fanning, a son of Farhh that didn't look particularly well treated but has put up a convincing win today. He'll be up to 105ish after this and Johnston will have to raise his sights, but there will be a plethora of options for him this summer. #plethora

1457: Massive day for William Muir with Pyledriver in the Derby. Nick Luck catches up with him for Racing TV at Epsom and the trainer says: "He's bouncing. He's got form with a lot of the horses that suggests he'll be bang there. We'll just jump and get in a rhythm, sit behind Frankie and see what happens. Hopefully we'll have a bit of luck."

1455: You're Hired a fascinating contender here. He ended a long losing run when hosing up at Newmarket last time and has to tackle a 7lb rise today.

1453: Investec Handicap next at Epsom and Khalid Abdullah has the hot favourite here with Ironclad. Racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe says on ITV: "He's taken a while to come to himself and didn't stay, probably, last time. He's a horse with potential."

1443: A Sky Bet update on the Derby from Mr Michael Shinners who says: "Kameko is very solid at 3/1 and is currently the clear favourite. The Frankie Dettori-ridden English King continues to be supported and would be the worst result of the shorter priced horses. Easily the best backed of the Aiden O’Brien horses is Russian Emperor who is a solid 6/1 chance. This is in marked contrast to Mogul and Vatican City who are both weak in the market and have drifted from this morning's prices."

1432: 1000 career winners for John Quinn, a fabulous trainer. Hopefully he'll have a winner at Sandown tomorrow with Liberty Beach, a lightning-quick filly who drops in class for the Coral Charge. She was mustard at the same track a year ago in the Dragon Stakes.

1429: SAFE VOYAGE wins for favourite backers but not without giving them a fright. Shine So Bright nabbed the lead and railed really well, nicking a few lengths at the top of the straight. Two out Safe Voyage was under pressure while Shine So Bright went well in the lead, but it all changed in the last furlong. Safe Voyage got rolling under Jason Hart as Shine So Bright wilted, with Vale Of Kent squeezing between the two to take second. A good effort from the winner and in course record time, too.

1423: Shine So Bright should be fairly prominent here, but if there's one that could steal a march on them up front it's Vale Of Kent. He has missed the kick on his last couple of starts, though, so watch him out of the stalls.

1415: Investec Surrey Stakes next at 2.25 and I am a *little* surprised to see Safe Voyage so strong in the betting at 6/5. Yes he's a very consistent horse and is the best of these on form, but there is no doubt he's better on softer ground. He may well get away with the conditions in this field on a lush Epsom surface this afternoon, but if there's one in there to beat him it's Shine So Bright for Team Balding. He's an in and out character, but this is his trip (unlike the Diamond Jubilee six furlongs where he finished last) and on a going day he's the one who can put it up to the favourite. 9/2 looks fair. He's got the red hood on indicating it will be taken off at the start.

1359: The British Champion Series are calling this a 'Wonder Weekend' and it really is, isn't it? Any excuse to use this swanky graphic...

1352: TWAASOL wins the Woodcote in good style for Owen Burrows and Martin Harley. The son of Adaay looks to have come on for his Windsor debut win as he accounts for three previous winners very nicely indeed. A 40/1 quote for next year's 2000 Guineas has dropped in my inbox from Paddy Power. No, not me either. Harley rides Worthily in the Derby later on for John Gosden, a once-raced winner whose a half-brother to St Leger winner Lucarno, also trained by Gozzy. A Derby win on his second start would be a surprise, of course, but do keep an eye on his Leger price this afternoon.

1349: More Derby chat throughout the afternoon, but for now they're at the start for the Woodcote. Calcutta Cup a fascinating newcomer for Kameko's trainer, Andrew Balding, and he tells ITV Racing: "The thinking was we had to start somewhere. He'll learn a lot here."

1346: 'But he won't stay, Ben' yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe he won't, but 5/1 and 11/2 was insulting for a Classic winner that is way clear on ratings, by 9lb on Timeform and 7lb officially. For me, his pedigree is encouraging on the mile and a half front, too.

1341: And my first bit of news is that Kameko is now the right and correct Derby favourite at 100/30 generally. Well done everyone.

1340: Thanks Dave and good afternoon everyone on what is a very different Derby day. John Hunt described it as the Ghost Town Derby earlier on and what better way to describe an empty Epsom this afternoon. It's the 241st running of the greatest race in the world, but the first in history without crowds. Wherever you're following this blog, be it at home, in the pub or elsewhere, I wish you the very best of luck with your bets on what is a very special afternoon. The Oaks and the Derby in one day. I never thought I'd see it, but here we are.

1330: That's my stint over - Ben Linfoot now in the saddle for a wonderful afternoon. Good luck to all.

1320: Update from the Sky Bet trading room re the Investec Derby courtesy of Michael Shinners:

"Three losers in the book at the moment, Worthily, English King and Pyledriver. The Aidan O’Brien horses are proving friendless at the moment, with interest in the Frankie Dettori-ridden horse English King increasing in the last hour or so. Kameko is the current favourite but this could easily change."

1310: Another really nice Dwyer piece here too - courtesy of the QIPCO British Champions Series:

1305: One of the best stories in today's Investec Derby is Pyledriver, impressive winner of the King Edward VII Stakes. He was a colt nobody wanted at the sales but has developed into a live contender for the great race.

His jockey Martin Dwyer has won the Derby before - aboard a colt with a not dissimilar background in Sir Percy. Here are his thoughts.

1250: It's not just Kameko who has to answer the stamina questions in the Investec Derby. Vatican City looked every inch a Group One colt when chasing home Siskin in the Irish 2000 Guineas. He's got speed - but will he stretch out to 12 furlongs? He's by Galileo so that's a good starting point. Here are Cassie Tully's thoughts in her Pedigree Pointers.

1230: And that's lunch...well England have named their squad for the first test. A reminder of the Sky Bet offer for the Investec Derby as I fuel for the afternoon ahead.

1220: I don't think it's the best Woodcote we'll ever see - last year's will take some beating on that score. I initially thought Twaasol might be a sporting bet for Owen Burrows but he's a 7/4 chance. That's not sporting. 10/3 for Mutazawwed might just be. Mark Johnston knows what it takes to win this race - and has a strong juvenile team.

1205: It's not all about the Derby today is it though? Love v Frankly Darling in the Investec Oaks a mouthwatering clash. I think Ennitymon might get a bit closer to the latter than she did in the Ribblesdale. Both are works in progress but the Ballydoyle filly looks tailormade for this test. If there is a party pooper, it's likely to be her.

1155: Our Investec Derby day briefing has landed - all the morning gossip and market movers ahead of today's card.

1135: It's obviously a huge day for our ambassador Oisin Murphy. If Kameko stays he wins the Investec Derby, it's a simple as that? So how is he going to ride him? Well Oisin went through the test he faces in this fascinating interview with Ed Chamberlin.

1130: And here's his greatest winner:

1128: A Derby morning nod to the Epsom's greatest jockey - Lester Piggott.

1120: Ben Linfoot will be behind the wheels of steels of the blog this afternoon but if you want his Derby analysis before then it's right here - in a terrific piece.

1110: We have once, twice, no three times a market movers, courtesy of Betfair, Sky Bet and Paddy Power.

Full details are right here - in the Derby there's money for Russian Emperor and Worthily with Sky Bet - the other firms report Kameko to be very strong.

1100: Good morning and welcome to an Investec Derby day like no other. No racegoers, no buses on the centre of the course, no funfair - but still the world's greatest flat race - and the additional bonus of the Investec Oaks too.

We race on good ground following minimal overnight rain. An overcast start to the day but it's expected to stay dry. There are three non-runners on the card - the most significant being favourite Desert Icon being taken out of the 3.00.

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