Christmas Day arrives on Derby day as favourite is non-runner over stalls incident

Christmas Day won the Derby at Epsom for the trainer Aidan O’Brien, revelling in the rain-soaked soft ground to give his handler a 12th win in Britain’s premier Classic.

The 7-1 shot was up with the pace from the start and the result never looked in danger soon after entering the straight, staying on strongly to the line and repelling a ate challenge from Maltese Cross.

Ronan Whelan, the winning rider, said: “I went by the line and I couldn’t believe I won so easy. Aidan told me to keep it simple. The horse done it so easy – he loves the ground and it felt so effortless. Thank God my mum and dad and my girlfriend are here. I wish I was as cool a customer as the horse was. He’s a gent and a credit to all who work with him.”

Christmas Day was the supposed O’Brien third string, albeit it at a well-supported at 7-1, but he was always perfectly positioned in behind his pacesetting stablemate Action and edged to the front rounding the home turn.

While several horses, including his two better-fancied stablemates, struggled to make up ground in the testing conditions, the son of 2012 Derby hero Camelot galloped on strongly to win by two and three-quarter lengths, with Maltese Cross best of the home team in second and James J Braddock third.

The favourite Benvenuto Cellini, also trained by O’Brien, got off to a dreadful start in the race with one of his hooves being caught in the stalls and the stewards declared him a non-runner owing to an unfair start.