Christmas Day secured victory in the 247th running of the Betfred Derby at Epsom on Sunday, delivering a surprising result amid a chaotic race that saw the favourite declared a non-runner post-race. The event unfolded under heavy rain, with the £2 million Classic contested over 1 mile 4 furlongs.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, Christmas Day entered the race as a long shot but drew significant late betting support, shortening from 25-1 to 7-1. Ridden by Ronan Whelan, the four-year-old colt showed strong stamina and resilience on the rain-softened turf. Whelan, who joined O’Brien’s operation two years prior, made a calculated move three furlongs from the finish, steadily maintaining the lead to cross the line first.

Maltese Cross, owned by Hollywood producer George Waud and priced at 12-1, finished strongly to claim second place, while James J Braddock, carrying 9-1 odds, took third. The race’s official results, however, were overshadowed by a controversial incident involving the pre-race favourite, Benvenuto Cellini.

Benvenuto Cellini, also trained by O’Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, was widely backed at 3-1 but finished tenth. A lengthy 20-minute inquiry followed the race after officials determined the horse was impeded at the start, with one of its legs caught on a stall shelf as the gates opened. The British Horseracing Authority’s head of stewarding, Shaun Parker, confirmed that Benvenuto Cellini had been denied a fair start under racing rules, resulting in the horse being declared a non-runner for betting purposes.

Consequently, bookmakers rejected all bets placed on Benvenuto Cellini and refunded wagers, while some operators chose to waive the usual Rule 4 deductions on winning bets for Christmas Day. O’Brien expressed understanding of the ruling, emphasizing the quality of Christmas Day’s performance and adaptability to the soft ground conditions. "He’s fine, that’s just the way it is," O’Brien remarked. "Ronan gave Christmas Day a beautiful ride. The horse has done nothing but improve this year – he’s so genuine, stays and handles the soft ground exceptionally well."

The Derby was attended by around 40,000 spectators despite persistent downpours, an increase of approximately 6,000 from the previous year’s meeting. King Charles and Queen Camilla made a notable visit to the course by helicopter following their attendance at the royal wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling earlier in the day in Gloucestershire.

This victory marked O’Brien’s 50th British Classic win and his 12th Derby triumph, extending his record with a fourth consecutive victory in the event. The race, rebranded as DerbyFest by The Jockey Club, maintained its reputation as one of British flat racing’s marquee fixtures despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the start and final betting outcomes.