Fresh from a Group One double yesterday, Ryan Moore was back in the hallowed winners’ enclosure at Epsom Downs, when Persica justified 6-4 favouritism in the Group Three Betfred Diomed Stakes over an extended mile.

The four-year-old New Bay colt overhauled Ice Max inside the final furlong to take the honours by three-quarters of a length.

Asked if he was confident about Persica’s ability in this sort of company, especially given the pace of the race today, Ryan Moore said: “He’s run some very good races. He was a good winner at Newmarket at the start of the year. The ground is important to him and he had conditions in his favour, he carried a penalty, he’s put away some good horses there.”

Asked about the conditions as he looks ahead to Delacroix in the Derby, he said: “He’s performed well on slow ground, so hopefully he’ll be fine.”

Successful trainer Richard Hannon said: “He’s one of those horses that it’s a pleasure to turn up with - he’s a good-looking horse, belongs to the right people and has a chance in any race. Knowing his connections, they’ll want to go to the Japan Cup, the Breeders’ Cup, Australia…! We’re happy - Ryan’s always said to ply our trade around this level, and I think he’s dead right. He might make the occasional jump up on the back of a race like this, but he has a chance in any race on this ground.

“Ryan said he thought he struggled coming down the hill a little bit. I didn’t have the guts to tell him he came here last year and was fine… It’s a Group Three and at this level, he’s capable of winning right through the year. Looking forward, we’ll just follow the ground around. He’s a different horse on that.”

Karl Burke, trainer of the second Ice Max, said: “He’s a bit of a hard one to place as he needs soft ground, and I just think he was in front half a furlong too soon there. If the leader had led us a bit further he would have just sat, but he committed and took a length out of the winner and then just got outstayed. A shame, but he ran well.”

Harry Eustace, trainer of third-laced Docklands, said: “It’s frustrating because he’s just at that level where everything has to go absolutely right for him, and it just didn’t quite. He just got in a pocket and he doesn’t quicken - he lengthens. The winner and the German horse just kept us in a bit longer than Richard (Kingscote) would have wanted, but I can’t give any real excuses as they’ve obviously gone a nice fair gallop and everyone’s had a chance.

“He’s a legend of a hose for us and that’s another good run. He’ll definitely go back to Ascot for the Queen Anne [second last year] as that’s always been the plan, but this year it’s a much deeper race than last year. It’s nigh on the race of the week and he’ll go there sort of 20-1, but he loves the track. He could run his absolute guts out and finish fourth.”

Joint-trainers John and Thady Gosden, who are doubly represented later this afternoon in the Betfred Derby by Damysus and Nightwalker, got their Derby Day off to the perfect start when Spiritual (9-1) came home the comfortable winner of the Group Three Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored by Oddschecker).

Partnered by Rab Havlin, the four-year-old Invincible Spirit filly came home four three-quarter lengths clear of Bright Thunder in the extended mile contest.

John Gosden said: “She loved it in front, got a bit of space around her and relaxed and had plenty of confidence. It’s lovely to win a Group 3 like that in style. They gave it to her easy up front as they say. She’s a good filly, but she’s the kind to worry about the others.

“Now we’ve won a Group Three we’ll try to win a Group Two. There’s one in France we’ve got our eye on, but we were hoping to run well today, not to win like that.

“It’s lovely for George Strawbridge, he can’t be here today, but I should think he’ll be thrilled to win on Derby Day.”

Rab Havlin added: “She obviously had the run of the race, but the run at Lingfield had taken the freshness out of her and I was surprised at how well she settled in front. She normally makes the running but it’s not by design a lot of the time. Today there was a lot to look at and she just took her foot off the gas and gave herself a chance.”

Asked his opinion on the ground, Havlin said: “Good to soft ground. I think a good shower of rain and it will quite quickly turn to Soft.”

Karl Burke, trainer of the runner-up Bright Thunder, said: “I’m delighted. She’s run a great race and I’m very, very happy with her. She loves the ground - we probably could have done with it being a bit softer - but I think that was probably a career best for her. I’m very happy with her.”

David Loughnane, trainer of the third Sparks Fly, said: “She ran a blinder, she just didn’t get out in time.

“She’s handled the ground fine and that’s the first time she’s gone and got black type with good in the going description, I’m thrilled with the run.

“It was a real blinder and it opens up a few more options for her now. I’ve always thought she was a Group Three horse and she’s proved it there.

“I thought she was the best horse in the race, but just got held up and didn’t get there in time.”

Ruling Court a non-runner in the Betfred Derby

Betfred 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court will not an attempt to win a second Classic today after he was declared a non-runner in the Betfred Derby due to the ground.

Trainer Charlie Appleby explained: “It’s very disappointing. The horse was prepared for the Derby and is in great nick. The ground conditions were a concern yesterday – it rode genuine Good to Soft. There was rain overnight on open ground and we arrived here with an open and William (Buick) would ride in the opening race.

“William thought it was riding genuine Good to Soft ground and collectively the other jockeys seem on the same page. Stamina was an unknown for Ruling Court and from what we saw in the Guineas on quick ground and the way he quickened that day, today was not going to be the day to test him over a mile and a half.”

The Godolphin trainer went on to say that the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Coral-Eclipse were now the likely targets for Ruling Court.