Seagulls Eleven (5-2 Favourite) swooped late inside the final furlong to win the first Pattern race at the 2026 Betfred Derby Festival at Epsom Downs, the £125,000 Group Three Betfred Diomed Stakes over an extended mile.
Owned by a syndicate of 11 past and present Brighton & Hove Albion FC players headed by recently retired defender James Milner, the four-year-old Galileo Gold gelding looked set for second place entering the final furlong but came with a strong late run under champion jockey Oisin Murphy to get up and pip last year’s winner Persica (11-4) by a nose on the line.
Successful trainer Hugo Palmer said: “Anyone who was standing next to me in the corner, I let out an expletive when I thought we were done, and then literally he got up. I did think he’d got up, but 20 yards before the line hope was gone. You only get paid in one place, and he put his head down where it mattered.
“He’s certainly a very tenacious horse, and we’ve come to expect nothing less from Oisin. They get on very well and Oisin says he’s a dream of a ride now. All the difficulties have been ironed out - you saw him in the paddock, he let us know his well-bring - but it’s all exuberance and fun, no black sweat. He’s just kicking out saying this is fun, look at me.
“I thought Persica was travelling ominously well, and we’ve just possibly outstayed him. I know he’s won twice here over course and distance, but when Oisin said this horse would get a mile and a quarter standing on his head now, I think we just outstayed him.
“He was 113-rated and ran so well as a two-year-old. I genuinely believed he’d run a massive race in the Guineas last year, and he ran no race at all. He got crowded that day and completely spat the dummy out, and I think what we’ve learnt with him is that a turning track and a small field is pretty important to him. I was delighted to be drawn widest of all today as it meant Oisin had options and he didn’t want to lead, he wouldn’t be crowded on the rail. We’ll just pick our spots with him for the rest of the season, but races like the Celebration Mile, Summer Mile at Ascot…”
Oisin Murphy added: “He relaxed great and though I rode him prominently, he never pulled at all, and sometimes he can be a bit difficult, particularly when you’re turning downhill, but he got into a good rhythm. He’s quite tall, so hopefully he’ll continue to fill into that frame. His sire continued to improve to win the St James’s Palace, and hopefully this fella can reach a high level.”
Sean Levey, rider of the runner-up, commented: “I thought he’d won it to be honest but in the last strides the other horse rallied and mine was probably getting a bit tired. It was one of those situations, as stall one is normally a good draw until they change sides.”
Richard Hannon, trainer of the runner-up, said: “It was a super run and probably his best since he was here last time. Martin Hughes (part owner) has just told me that every cloud has a silver lining, and it means he doesn’t get a penalty for the Wolferton at Royal Ascot, but that’s not the way I’d have looked at it.
“That hurts, anywhere, any time, but especially in a Group race at a place like this, but he’s run an absolute belter, and the pair are a long way clear of the third. But that’s racing. We’ll have our luck somewhere else.”
The outstandingly-bred Sallaal (5-2 Favourite) turned the day’s most valuable handicap, the £120,000 ‘Nifty 50’ Handicap over 10 furlongs, into something of a procession as he came home the comfortable six-and-a-half lengths winner in the famous silks of owner Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum. The four-year-old gelding is by Frankel and out of Nahrain, a Group One winner herself and dam of multiple Group One winners.
Successful trainer Roger Varian said: “We’ve thought the world of him for a long time to be honest, but he didn't really put it together last year as he was a very immature horse and probably a bit soft.
“He wintered well and he was gelded, and Ray gave him a nice ride here last time when he thought he probably ought to have won. He had to get him to drop his head and finish, and I think that run here in April probably made him what we saw today, as he learned there to settle and finish.
“We were a bit worried about the draw (16) here, but it was no disadvantage as it turned out and that run had just got the freshness out of him. Sometimes you have to go to A to get to B to get to C and this horse has been a bit like that.
“It will be Graded races now and there are plenty of options for him. The Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown’s Eclipse meeting might be a good fit.”
Winning jockey Ray Dawson added: “He’s a very talented animal and today he was good, but beforehand he could be a little weak-minded and very keen. For his first run here, we knew there wasn’t going to be much pace on and the last thing we wanted to do was to run the race the wrong way around. I think people thought I might have waited too long but I had to ride him according to his mannerisms. We left it a little bit late, but he relaxed and he settled.
“Today they went quicker and he was able to relax on the outside with no cover, and I think that’s off the back of a good experience here a few weeks ago. Also, Tony Procter rides him out, and he’s very good and a big reason he’s matured mentally. I was delighted to see him race so maturely and professionally and put the race to bed inside the two. I had a lot of horse left under me pulling up, which is exciting.”
Andrew Balding, trainer of the runner-up Respond, said: “Very respectable run. He wasn’t in the same class as the winner today, but we’re very happy - he’s done us proud and he’s continued to be very consistent.”
Ladies Day got underway with the £75,000 Win With Zyn 3YO ‘Dash’ over the fastest five furlongs in the world. This contest went the way of 7-2 Fav Naana’s Shadow, who won in the hands of champion jockey Oisin Murphy. The daughter of Havana Grey scored by three-quarters of a length from Call Margot (18-1) with the same distance back to Shes Got A Brother (13-2) in third.
Winning trainer Katie Scott, who made the long trip down to Epsom Downs from Galashiels in Scotland, said: “We had a horse similar to her that we brought here two years ago and finished fifth, and when Naana’s Shadow won at Catterick, my head girl Abi said to me, ‘This is similar’, and I thought, ‘Do you know what, let’s give it a bash’.
“It was quite tacky at York the other day and there was a bit of a headwind, and she just got done late on, but it’s been a blessing, really, because to have a winner here today is massive for us.
“The soft ground was an unknown, rather than a negative, but she handled it no bother. I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to Oisin - that’ll be a phone call later - but he just said, she’s so well behaved, such a pleasure, and very fast.
“We had the best man on board, we’ve done our job - you just have to leave it up to then on the day, don’t you, but we were screaming her home. We’ve only got 21 horses - we’ve only got 21 stables, that’s us full - so we don’t have a great number of chances to advertise what we can do. We’ve got some really fast fillies in the yard this year - we’ve got her and we’ve got a couple of Listed fillies as well - Fig Jam and Lunar, so from our small team we’re producing above what we should be.
“Today was the target. I suppose the next one will be black type at some point over the summer.”
Winning jockey Oisin Murphy added: “She’s fast and on pedigree she was going to improve for slow ground, which she got. She gave me a lovely ride, and well done to her trainer.”
Sam James, rider of runner-up Call Margot, said: “We didn’t have a great run, but we had to ride her that way as she’s better at coming home. It was a little bit annoying, as if I’d got a gap on the rails I think I’d have nearly won, but it’s just one of those things. It was a great buzz, but it would have been nice to have ridden a winner for Gemma (Tutty).”
Sam James quickly gained compensation when partnering Hickory Lad (100-30) to an all-the-way success in the six-furlong Oddschecker British EBF Woodcote Stakes. Trained in Yorkshire by former Phillip Makin, the James Garfield colt kept finding out in front and at the finish had three-and-a-quarter lengths to spare over Alpe d'Huez (22-1).
Makin, who finished second twice in the race as a jockey and was saddling his first runner at Epsom Downs today, said: “He never looked in any bother did he? Obviously going six (furlongs) you wondered if he’d get up the hill, but the further he went, the better he went.
“Happy days! He’d run very well (over five) at Chester from a tricky draw, but he didn’t seem to mind the extra furlong.
“We came here instead of Royal Ascot really, as obviously the Windsor Castle conditions have changed, but we’ll see now. There’s only the Coventry though, and there are plenty of other races for him.
“He’s a lovely horse with a great attitude and he’s very easy to train. We were going to go to Beverley (last week) for the Brian Yeardley, but this race sometimes cuts up a bit as it’s quite close to Ascot, so I’m glad we came here instead.
“I thought I’d won this as a jockey crossing the line on one of David Barron’s (Danielsflyer in 2016), but we were just beaten. I don’t think I’ve been here since.”
Sam James added: “It’s great to ride a winner for Phil. He’s a very good pal of mine and it means a lot for a small trainer like him, and for me too riding on these big days. He’s having a good time of it lately and since he moved yards to Middleham he’s really turned a corner. Hopefully things can get even better.
“Unlike in the first there were no traffic problems, but I was very surprised at how well he won. For most of us Northern lads we struggle to get on one who can compete on these days, so to have a winner it means a lot.”
Luke Morris, rider of runner-up Alpe d'Huez, said: “He ran extremely well. He was impressive on debut [at Lingfield] and he was just a little bit raw round this track but stepped forward nicely, and will go to the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.”
