ASTUTE MISSILE SPRINGS A 28-1 ENGLISH DERBY FINAL UPSET

Irish born Seamus Cahill achieved a life’s ambition at Towcester tonight when he won the €175,000 Star Sports English Derby final with the rank outsider Astute Missile.

It was a bad night for the Irish with a succession of fancied dogs being beaten in the build up to the Derby final and then Tyrur Shay and Clares Rocket finished second and third in the Derby final.

Clares Rocket went off the favourite but his troubles started at the traps when he was once again tardy into his stride and was then immediately cut off as Droopys Acrobat went across him from the inside and Astute Missile cut over from the outside.

Astute Missile led up but the Irish owned Hiya Butt got up the inside into the bend and took it up. Hiya continued to lead from Astute Missile down the back but at this stage Tyrur Shay looked to have a massive chance of victory. He was in a clear third and appeared to be within striking distance of the leaders.

Astute Missile burst his way through on the inside of Hiya Butt on the third bend and Tyrur Shay was now a menacing second off the final bend. But Astute Missile was very determined out front and he held off Tyrur Shay to cross the line three parts of a length in front of Tyrur Shay in 28.92 with Clares Rocket another four and a half lengths third.

The winner, formerly known as Karlow Melody, was bred by David Donegan in Tinahely and is a son of Kinloch Brae and China Doll.