ROWAN MATHIE, DSTL & ASSOCIATES COMBINE FOR FIRST DOUBLE

Trainer Rowan Mathie and owner DSTL & Associates combined to win the first two races on the Derby Day programme with Buff Bay and King Antholew.

Ridden by Dick Cardenas, Buff Bay easily defeated rivals in the opening race, Division 1 of a four-year-old and upwards (non-winners of 3) contest at 7 furlongs (1,400m). Buff Bay came with a strong run in deep stretch on the inside rails to beat Positive ID (Reyan Lewis) and Aphelios (Shane Ellis) by 2 lengths. The final time was 1:27.3.

With Dane Dawkins in the saddle, King Antholew put away rivals in the second event, a four-year-old and upward (non-winners of two) going 6 furlongs (1,200m). King Atholew got the job done by six lengths in a time of 1:15.1. Finishing second was Legal Opportunity (Reyan Lewis) with Big Argument, (Cardenas) third.

REGAL AND ROYAL DOES IT FROM IN FRONT

Trained by Gary Griffiths and ridden by Oshane Nugent, Regal and Royal easily obliged in Division 2 of the four-year-old and upwards (non-three) travelling 7 furlongs.

Regal and Royal wasted no time, jumping to the front of the field at the off as he easily led ahead of Itiz What Itiz (Nicholas Hibbert), JJ Warrior (Andre Powell) and Khai Alexis (Tevin Foster) down the backstretch. Approaching the half-mile (800m), Regal and Royal increased the tempo of his gallop to move further ahead of Khai Alexis and Great Britt (Shane Ellis).

In the lane, Regal and Royal sprinted clear of rivals in deep stretch, winning by 6½ lengths ahead of Great Britt and Khai Alexis in a time of 1:27.1.

NEZ PERCE GETS UP IN TIME

Six-year-old chestnut gelding Nez Perce produced a strong run in deep straight to nip to beat Hecandance in an Optional Claiming ($400,000-$300,000) event three-year-olds and upwards horses going 6½ furlongs (1,300m).

Nez Perce broke prominently when the barriers opened, settling in third place on the inside rails down the backstretch behind Hecandance (Javaniel Patterson) and Devine Lexie (Jemar Jackosn). Hecandance injected pace navigating the half-mile turn ahead of Lazer Light (Tevin Foster) and Nez Perce, and looked the likely winner at the top of the lane.

Jockey Roger Hewitt then sent down the Donovan Plummer trainee for his run on the inside rails in deep stretch and, Nez Perce responded by surging forward for the win over Hecandance. Lazer Light finished third. The final time was 1:22.1.

TWO HORSES CLAIMED

With just one claiming race being offered, two horses went through the claiming box.

In the sixth race, Byron Davis claimed second-by-the-post Hecandance for owner Baldwin Williams for $400,000 from Patrick Taylor while Anthony Dixon claimed third-by-the-post Lazer Light for owners Keeble Roberts and Dwight Falconer, also for $400,000, from Michael Marlowe.