Three Performances From The Weekend - 07/06/21

There is no better place to start than with the 2021 Epsom Derby winner Adayar, who was heavily backed before the off and then went on to take the event for Charlie Appleby, Godolphin and jockey Adam Kirby.

The son of Frankel has been seen five times now, finishing fourth on debut in October at Nottingham over 8.5 furlongs when looking to learn a lot for the experience.

He then went back over the same course and distance later that month and got of the mark for the first time in his career, taking the event by an impressive nine lengths.

Saved for this season he made his return in the Group Three Classic Trial at Sandown in April and finished a staying on second behind a nice type for William Haggas.

He was then stepped up in trip for the Listed Derby Trial at Lingfield and finished a fair second behind Third Realm who was better on the day.

With his form falling short this year, he was overlooked to begin with but the closer the race came the more that punters latched onto him and in the end he went on to win easily.

What next for the Derby winner? He has plenty of options with Royal Ascot probably coming too son, but now the big middle distance races like the Arc and Champion Stakes have to come into the picture.

The performance of the entire, week, weekend and year to date came from Snowfall in the Epsom Oaks on the friday, with the filly going on to land the Classic event by 16 lengths.

Having needed her first two runs as a juvenile, she got off the mark at The Curragh at the third time of asking in a Fillies' Maiden.

However, since then she has raced four times between seven furlongs and a mile in decent graded events and has struggled being outclassed.

Stepping up in trip on debut this term brought bring improvement out of her, when winning the Group Three Musidora Stakes at York over 10.5f.

Many thought off the back of that she should have been closer in the market to her stablemate Santa Barbara, and they were right.

Snowfall went on to take the event with ease for Aidan O'Brien and jockey Frankie Dettori and that sees the handler land the event for the ninth time.

She could now be set for the Irish and Yorkshire Oaks, with the Arc definitely a possibility if O'Brien wants to let her mix it with the boys.

The final horse to put up an outstanding performance this weekend was the Aidan O'Brien trained St Mark's Basilica, who went on to land the French Guineas and Derby double.

The superstar three year old took his form to a new level and created history for his trainer on Sunday by landing the Group One Prix du Jockey Club, seeing the handler take it for the first time in his career.

At the end of his juvenile career he truly showed just how good he can be when taking the Group One Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, having finished a close third in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes.

This season he picked up from where he left off by taking the Group One French 2000 Guineas on seasonal debut and then on Sunday on his first try at an extended trip he took to it superbly to land the French Derby.

St Mark's Basilica could now be aimed at races like the Coral Eclipse, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes, with the potential for him to step up to 1m4f.