ADAYAR
(b.c. 2018)
Winner of the 2021 Cazoo Derby Stakes
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Run on Saturday, 5 June, 2021 as the Cazoo Derby Stakes over the Derby Course of one mile and a half and 6 yards, Epsom Downs. For three-year-olds; entire colts 9st 0lb, fillies 8st 11lb. 387 entries. Value to winner £637,987.50
1st ADAYAR Adam Kirby 16-1
2nd MOJO STAR David Egan 50-1 4½ lengths
3rd HURRICANE LANE William Buick 6-1 3¼ lengths
Also ran: 4th Mac Swiney (Kevin Manning) 8-1; Third Realm (Andrea Atzeni) 14-1; One Ruler (James Doyle) 17-1; Bolshoi Ballet (Ryan Moore) 11-8 Fav: Youth Spirit (Tom Marquand) 25-1; John Leeper (Frankie Dettori) 8-1; Gear Up (Ben Curtis) 50-1; Southern Lights (Declan McDonogh) 33-1 (tailed off 42 lengths behind the winner.
Commentary: Minutes after the winner crossed the line all the talk was of the jockey, not the horse; Adam Kirby, having been offered the ride on the much fancied John Leeper, apologetically, turned down the ride on the Godolphin long shot Adayar. However, when Aidan O’Brien released Frankie Dettori, he took over the ride on John Leeper, returning Kirby to Adayar. Fate, however, later sought fit to reverse Kirby’s misfortune.
The betting centred on Bolshoi Ballet, Aiden O’Brien’s sole representative, a Galileo colt having won the Ballysax Stakes and the Derrinstown Derby Trial, to send him off the 11-8 favourite. Other fancies were Godolphin’s, Hurricane Lane, winner of the Dante Stakes, now at 6-1, while John Leeper, winner of Newmarket’s Fairway Stakes, and Jim Bolger’s homebred Mac Swiney, winner of the Irish 2,000 Guineas, were both on offer at 8-1. The mystery of the betting was Adayar –almost exclusively backed on the exchanges from 40-1 down to 16-1.
On a glorious sunny day the 11 runners left the stalls on good to soft ground. After a furlong, Gear Up led from Youth Spirit with Bolshoi Ballet close up. Soon after, Adayar, drawn 1, dubbed by experts as “the coffin box”, was driven up to lay handy alongside his stable companion, Hurricane Lane. From the mile post to the top of the hill, the order was unchanged, but rounding Tattenham Corner, Bolshoi Ballet ominously closed on the front two, while Adam Kirby on Adayar saw to track Gear Up at the rail. When half a gap appeared Adayar courageously went through and with authority went on to win by 4½ lengths. Mojo Star and Hurricane Lane came out of the pack to fill the places, but by now the bird had flown.
11 ran. Time 2 min 36.85 sec.
The winner was OWNED and BRED by Godolphin and TRAINED by Charlie Appleby at Newmarket, Suffolk.
Finally, two quotes that will live long in the memory:
Adam Kirby revealed, “I always said I’d rather win the Derby than be Champion Jockey”. And when Charlie Appleby suggested to Sheikh Mohammed that Adayar was more of a St Leger horse, the Sheikh replied, “No Charlie, there’s only one Derby – you need to keep him in the Derby.”
Footnote: Due to the Government’s revision of the Coronavirus situation, the 2-day Cazoo Derby Festival was run before a limited crowd of 4,000, with no access to The Hill.
The winner, ADAYAR, has won 2 races from 5 starts: EBF Stallions Golden Horn Maiden Stakes, 1m 75y, Nottingham, Cazoo Derby Stakes, Epsom.
The sire, FRANKEL b.c. 2008 ex KIND by DANEHILL, (unbeaten), won 14 races incl. Two Thousand Guineas Stakes, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes, (twice), Queen Anne Stakes, International Stakes, Champion Stakes. Sire of 3 Classic winners since retiring to Judmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in 2013, incl. ANAPURNA , 2019 Investec Oaks; LOGICIAN, 2019, William Hill St Leger Stakes .
The dam, ANNA SALAI b.f. 2007 by Dubawi. Won 1 race from 8 starts : Prix de l’Grotte, Longchamp. She has bred 1 winner from 3 runners.
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