Little light shed on Epsom picture

Little light was shed on the picture for the Investec Derby as Viren’s Army won a three-way battle for the Betdaq Dee Stakes at Chester yesterday.

The Richard Hannon-trained colt, who is not entered in the premier Classic, put up a determined effort to beat the strong-finishing Linguistic by a short head in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa, with Aidan O’Brien’s Housesofparliament another head away in third.

Hannon said of his 12-1 winner, who runs in the colours of Middleham Park Racing: “I am very pleased with him as it showed he obviously needed his first run (third to So Mi Dar at Epsom).