India celebrated a landmark achievement at Epsom when Shapoor Mistry-owned and homebred Thundering On stormed to a brilliant victory in the Oaks, becoming the first English Classic winner bred and owned by an Indian citizen. While the filly’s dazzling performance provided a moment of immense pride, the following day’s Derby was overshadowed by controversy, confusion and a stewarding decision that plunged Britain’s most famous race into unprecedented chaos.

They should have played the Indian National Anthem for the 2026 Epsom Oaks heroine Thundering On. The filly is the first English classic winner owned and bred by an Indian citizen. The Maharaja of Rajpipla’s Windsor Lad (1934 Derby) and Radha Sigtia’s Sodium (1966 St Leger) were both purchased at public auction.

Thundering On (Frankel-Thundering Heights) is owned and bred by Mr Shapoor Mistry of Manjri Stud, Pune, one of the oldest and in my estimation among the most attractive studs in India. She looked something very special last Friday in her red colours with stars on the sleeves, destroying her field by nearly four lengths, on the first day of the Epsom Derby Festival.

“I’ve won three or four Indian Derbies but I guess this would top all of that. It’s a once in a lifetime moment,” said Shapoor Mistry who filled in his filly’s background. “We bred the dam, couldn’t sell her and won a Group One with her! She produced a single foal before her tragic death – and here she is, a Group One Classic winner.”

Thundering On is trained by Joseph O’Brien, son of Aidan O’Brien, and he denied his father his twelfth Oaks. The nearest of O’Brien Snr’s three runners was longshot Sugar Island in third, ridden by Ronan Whelan who was to achieve even greater things in next day’s Derby – as was the trainer - almost inevitably landing his 12th Epsom colt’s Classic with Christmas Day - ridden by thirty-two-year-old Whelan.

The 247th Derby winner Christmas Day (Camelot-Beauly) was just Aidan O’Brien’s fiftieth British Classic. For the first time since Mahmoud won in race record time 90 years ago, the winner of the Derby's sire, Camelot, and his dam’s sire, Sea of Stars, are both Derby winners. Christmas Day bears an Indian connection too as he’s a close relation of former leading Indian stallion Gusto.

Thundering On won in a time of 2m 39.4 seconds for the mile and a half. The ground had eased considerably twenty-four hours later when Christmas Day’s time was 2m 43.7. We’ll return to the Derby because there were happenings of even greater immediate moment, and for the future perhaps, than the bare Derby result - that’s without downplaying Christmas Day’s pedigree or performance. Once again the pacemaker for the Coolmore quartet came out best – and by a clear, undeniable margin. It must be said that the favourite Benvenuto Cellini, the mount of stable number one Ryan Moore lost a couple of lengths at the start when a hind leg had become hooked up in his stall.

Such was the starting gun for a post-race furore the like of which we hadn’t seen the since the 1993 Grand National that was declared void after a false start. Have we not learned since there were thirty-two false starts in 1863 Derby – before stalls and even tapes? Betting slips on Benvenuto Cellini were thrown away before, after long deliberation, stewards gave given the incredible “non-runner” verdict about the Derby favourite – the time taken to reach the decision impinging on the next race as bookmakers gave back money on one hand and tried to take it with the other. And then there was the deduction from other bets on the Derby as the favourite was deemed not to have taken part – though he beat a couple home! Total chaos.

British racing authorities are out of touch with the modern world – even further than what was the most important race in the calendar which has so far fallen out of favour. Once the Derby winning post was called “the most important piece of wood in racing” – it is becoming a stick to beat the game with. O’Brien’s best horse, Constitution River, went and took the French Derby. When Santa Claus won the Derby in 1964 there were a crowd of 200,000 - before they stopped counting. Attendance on the Hill in the centre of the course, then as now was free. But in all the millions, prize money and Theme Park entertainments, thrown at this year’s refurbished Derby there was still no cover on the Downs where families huddled to protect children against the elements. There was a feeble attempt to recreate the razzmatazz – all human life once turned up and the King and Queen did so this year. But crowd figures are being guarded. Race sponsors, bookmakers Betfred, had their logo emblazoned on everything that didn’t move but we will probably get a ‘Donald Trump Derby’ style assessment – whatever the final reckoning Epsom management will declare itself winners.

The weather put the kibosh on such hopes. Winter jumping fans, always prepared for the worst, would have steeled themselves but Epsom’s summer patrons weren’t prepared for the elements. The motifs on the legions of Hi-Viz jacketed racecourse staff bore the motto “We’re here to assist” but the place has lost its mojo.

If, as a race, the Oaks sailed by smoothly the Derby was a wreck. Professionals were baffled by O’Brien’s favourite (though weak in the market) Benvenuto Cellini (Frankel-Newspaperofrecord) being declared a non-combatant. His stumbling start threw the meticulous O’Brien race planning out the window – or rather into the gale blowing across Epsom scattering the whole fourteen runner field. Benvenuto Cellini ‘finished’ twelfth but being adjudged ‘a non-runner’ – stewards created a precedent that is going to have reverberations on many fronts – not least the betting.

The stewards’ enquiry went on and on, like a court deliberating a particularly tricky case when this was open and shut. History books will not record that the favourite took part at all. People had thrown away betting tickets on him and those who backed the winner found they had a hefty deduction by the bookmakers – which they were fully entitled to do since they had, of course, no time to adjust prices.

It was a typical British shambles – the type of farce which once used to amuse theatre goers – slapstick London West End theatre such as ‘Dry Rot’ in which three bookmakers were villainous race fixers. Except this time nobody was laughing and the whole abject scenario left the newcomers whom the Epsom executive had fought so hard to encourage, befuddled, head scratching, emblematic of the current state of the nation.

The lead feature on BBC Radio Sports News on Derby morning had been the Monaco Grand Prix. I’m not a motor racing fan but I do know that Monaco is hardly what you’d call a ‘race’. In the narrow streets of the French resort’s circuit there was only one overtaking move last year – about the average: so it’s nothing more than a procession. At least the races at Epsom where horses scattered all over the course – the Derby winner came up the middle – and photo finishes abounded, there was drama aplenty.

Jockeys had overreacted to rain on the first day of the meeting when, like sheep, they all headed to the stands’ rail which is allegedly favoured when the ground is soft on Epsom Downs. It took a lesser known (hope she will forgive me) girl rider on the Saturday to show senior jockeys the folly of their preferred route home. Laura Pearson swung round Tattenham Corner in isolation hugging the far rail in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes Gr3 on the six-year-old mare Sparks Fly (Muhaarar-Stepping Out). They left their rivals for dead - as dual Derby winning and many time champion jockey Frankie Dettori told me “The rest of them lost ten lengths with that manoeuvre, steering that wide.”

Now when it comes to tactics Aidan O’Brien bears the crown - the first trainer to win the Derby four times in a row!!!! (The four exclamation marks are not an accident). And of course he’s the first trainer to win with his fourth choice runner for the fourth time! Group One races are classic examples of the Irishman’s mastery of racing’s chessboard. Three runners in the French Derby, drawn on different parts of the Chantilly track yet the result was ordained – favourite Constitution River (Wootton Bassett-Chuppy) first; the other pair, having cleared the way, were still good enough to complete a stable 1-2-3 with Hawk Mountain close up and Montreal third only a couple of lengths back in third. By accident? Not on your life.

Or maybe it wasn’t a good renewal of the French Classic. After all the ‘expendable’ pacesetter Montreal’s previous victory was in a run of the mill maiden race. It’s unlikely that Constitution River and Christmas Day will meet. There are as many prestigious races at ten furlongs (French Derby distance) as the twelve of Epsom. The Arc could be a decider but the ground there will surely suit Christmas Day more – and there are other O’Brien specials in the pipeline.

At Epsom there are endless computations – including running on what amounts to a different racecourse. When the ground is soft runners come wide off Tattenham Corner and race up the stands’ rails – a longer route home but because of the camber down the wide expanse of the track, rainfall tends to seep to the far rail where, consequently, the ground will be slower. Lush grass through intense preparation also slowed up speedsters and the race times were inevitably above average.

And so many times in recent years the best laid plans, even O’Brien’s, have been subverted and the desired result not achieved – the victories of Wings of Eagles 40-1 and Serpentine 25-1 over more distinguished stable companions are just two instances where the imponderables of horseracing took over from military planning. Neither of those Derby ‘heroes’ won again. Christmas Day had been 40-1 in the days leading up to the race. In the tumult of the betting ring his price shortened to 7-1 on the off but was still thought to be the least likely winner of the O’Brien quartet. He had been comprehensively defeated in the Dante Stakes Trial by Item (Frankel-Capla Temptress) who was sent off second favourite – his trainer Andrew Balding led the trainer’s championship before O’Brien’s Derby coup. The turnaround from York was over 30 lengths in Christmas Day’s favour, Item one of many who failed to cope with the conditions.

A couple of intriguing runners to note for the future. Experienced Pat Dobbs was unshipped from Richard Hannon’s outsider at the Derby start last year. “I hope I stay the trip this time” he told me jovially before this year’s ride on another maiden, Alderman (Study of Man – Algagappa) a 42,000 gns foal, and in the same red and green colours of sporting owner Julie Wood. Dobbs and Alderman were strong finishing fifth, winning twice that purchase price in prize money: a maiden race won’t be a problem.

But what of Poker (Wootton Bassett-Park Bloom) the other maiden who had prior to Epsom far repaid £6611 of his £4.3m purchase price? I’ll repeat that, £4.3m. As well-bred as any individual in the race and looking a picture beforehand, he finished last – stone cold and bedraggled. A maiden race might be a problem.

The Coronation Cup (Gr1) over Derby trip for older horses attracted the alleged world’s best horse Calandagan from France, as the prize was doubled to £1m. Calandagan was beaten in the race last year by Coolmore’s Jan Brueghel but had reversed placings at Ascot. Calandagan had won the Japan Cup since but in a photo and in a race the form of which was below par but still won him £2.5m.

Three of the six Coronation runners – how short we are of top class middle distance performers – were O’Brien trained. Again the three jockeys with their schedules were: Moore – Jan Brueghel; Lambourn (last year’s Derby winner) – Lordan; Illinois neck second to Jan Brueghel in their St Leger – Whelan. And the game plan was soon evident. They ran the legs off Calandagan who never went a yard (to be fair top French trainer Francis Henri Graffard had expressed his reservations about the going) but ran themselves into the ground and Bay City Roller (New Bay-Bloomfield) swooped. He won £560,000 having cost 320,000 gns.

Money can’t buy you love and sometimes it buys you sorrow. Epsom, with the new authority throwing the kitchen sink at their waning prestige couldn’t fail to improve on the diminuendo of recent years. Lessons may be learnt: the millions Epsom invested in the rescue attempt for the great occasion were not rewarded. Back to the drawing board – where Aidan O’Brien will already be studying how to make it five Derbies in a row.