Dettori rides Golden Horn to victory at English Derby

EPSOM, England (AP) Frankie Dettori won the 236th English Derby on 13-8 favorite Golden Horn by 3 1/2 lengths on Saturday in Britain's richest and biggest flat race.

Watched by 125,000, including Queen Elizabeth II, the Italian jockey settled Golden Horn toward the rear of the 12-strong field on a good to firm course.

Dettori made his move on the John Gosden-trained colt in the last furlong of the 1 1/2-mile (2,400-meter) classic, which was first run in 1780.

Golden Horn dispelled any doubts about his stamina as he quickened to pull away from stable companion Jack Hobbs.

''I still can't believe I won the Derby again, what a feeling,'' said Dettori, who won on Authorized in 2007. ''I knew he was a good horse.''

Jack Hobbs was second, with Storm The Stars third.

Golden Horn's winning time of 2 minutes, 32.32 seconds was the third fastest in Derby history. Workforce holds the record with 2:31.33 in 2010.

''The horse wanted to run for me today so, for the first two or three furlongs, we had a slight argument and that's why I took him back a bit. I didn't want him to race that much,'' Dettori said. ''I knew I could beat the others. Everything then went exactly to plan.''

The 44-year-old Dettori was searching for his first victory in a British flat-racing classic since 2011.

In those four years, Dettori lost his job with the Godolphin operation and was banned from horse racing for six months after testing positive for cocaine. However, the winners have returned in his alliance with new employer Al Shaqab Racing, which briefly released Dettori to ride for Gosden on Saturday.

Dettori was riding in his first Derby in four years, and the 20th of his career.

His victory ruined Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien's chances of a record-extending fourth straight victory in the Derby, after Camelot (2012), Ruler of the World (2013), and Australia (2014).