Godolphin won their Derby at long last as Masar pulled clear to beat Dee Ex Bee and Roaring Lion in the Epsom Classic on Saturday. The victory will be especially sweet to Sheikh Mohammed’s organisation, as the much-touted Saxon Warrior, representing their Coolmore rivals, could finish no closer than fourth after meeting trouble in running.

Saxon Warrior appeared to travel strongly for much of the way but was held in by Dee Ex Bee when Ryan Moore wanted to get out and make a forward charge. Aidan O’Brien’s runner, sent off the 4-5 favourite, got clear in time to make an impact but could find only the one pace.

“It is not easy to win the Derby,” said Sheikh Mohammed, evidently inclined to understatement. The jubilant winning trainer, Charlie Appleby, getting his first Classic success, said: “I’ve always said, when I started this job, I wanted to be the first to get a Derby winner in Godolphin blue.”

Returned at 16-1, Masar provided his jockey, William Buick, with a first Derby win at the age of 29. Buick said: “It’s huge, it’s massive. I’ve come close a couple of times. There was a couple of times when I was thinking, is my time ever gonna come? This is everything.”