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Epsom Derby Festival 2024: Ezeliya storms to victory in the Betfred Oaks.

By supplementing his impressive Prix du Jockey Club winner Vadeni for Saturday’s race, the Aga Khan has the opportunity to win the Eclipse Stakes for the first time. In his many years as owner and breeder, the Aga Khan has won all of Britain’s other top all-aged middle-distance races - the Coronation Cup, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, King George, Juddmonte International and Champion Stakes - at least once, but never the Eclipse.

Shergar returns in triumph after the Derby at Epsom on June 3, 1981 (PA) (PA Archive). Shergar’s victory in the Derby remains one of the most iconic of all Classic victoriese. His winning margin of 10 lengths is a record and stamped Shergar as a middle-distance horse of the highest quality. At the start of the season, Shergar was 33-1 in the ante-post market on the Derby, but went off the 10-11 favourite after winning Sandown’s Classic Trial and the Chester Vase very easily. With his young rider Walter Swinburn in the saddle, the opposition was routed in spectacular fashion.