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MV Track out big wheel to TV over racecourse
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2.
MV Queen Mother(pink) Princess Anne (white)
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3.
TV Race in progress, Lester Piggott overtakes
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4.
CU Piggott leading & wins 1st,2nd,3rd & 4th superimposed
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Initials LN/CT/SGM LN/CT/SGM


SPORT: HORSE RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The favourite Nijinsky, rode by the champion British jockey lester Piggott, and owned by American Charles Engelhard won the English Derby on Wednesday, June 3 by two and a half lengths with three lengths between second and third.

Gyr, a French-trained colt owned by American Winston Guest was second and Gerry Oldman's Stintino placed third of eleven runners. Bill Williamson rode Gyr and George Thiboeuf was on Stintino.

Official starting prices were 11 to 8 favourite Nijinsky, 100 to 30 Gyr, and 7 to 1 Stintino. Great Wall finished fourth at 80 to 1.

Cry Baby and Long Till set the pace for most of the first mile(kms) of the mile-and-a-half (kms) course. Coming round Tottenham Corner Long Till led from Meadowville, Cry Baby and Mon Plaisir, with Nijinsky and Gyr close behind.

Great Wall took the lead two and a half furlongs out, but was soon joined by Gyr, with Stintino improving and Nijinksy still well placed. Gyr hit the front two furlongs out from Stintino, but Nijinsky quickened and swiftly went clear to win easily.

Nijinsky covered the mile and a half in 2 minutes 34.68 seconds, the best time for the Derby since Mahmoud set the record at 2 minutes 33.8 seconds in 1936.

It was estimated that Nijinsky's triumph cost bookmakers a total of nearly 2,000,000 sterling to backers of the winner, who is now unbeaten in eight races. It was the fifth Epsom Derby winner for jockey Lester Piggott who captured the 62,311 sterling purse.

Clear blue skies and warm weather brought thousands of people to Epsom for Derby Day, and there were loud cheers for the Royal procession. Among the Royal party were Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the Queen Mother and Princess Anne.