Fallon steers North Light to Derby delight

Kieren Fallon made it back-to-back Epsom Derby wins as North Light shone brightest of all today.

Michael Stoute’s improving colt (7-2) beat Rule Of Law to give the trainer and champion jockey back-to-back victories in the blue riband following Kris Kin last year.

Let The Lion Roar was third.

Fallon is the first jockey to have ridden successive winners of the blue riband since Willie Carson on Troy (1979) and Henbit (1980).

He was also completing a Classic double after landing the Vodafone Oaks on Ouija Board yesterday.

Today Fallon had North Light, winner of the Dante Stakes, in an ideal position on the shoulder of Meath from the start.

He was always going to try to make use of his mount’s undoubted stamina and so it proved, as he took up the running with three furlongs to run.

Third favourite American Post tried to sit in his slipstream but could never get to the leader and faded a furlong and a half out.

Percussionist came with a challenge, having lost his position at the top of the hill, but he could not get there either as the Stoute team won the day by a length and a half from the Godolphin second string Rule of Law (20-1).

John Dunlop’s Let The Lion Roar (14-1) was a head back in third.

Frankie Dettori's Derby hoodoo continued as Snow Ridge, the joint-favourite with North Light, never looked happy on the course and failed to get in anything like a serious blow.