The views of the track were of course fantastic and the first race was at 2pm, The Princess Elizabeth Stakes, I managed to win a place bet I'd put down earlier so a decent start for me in the betting stakes. The second race at 2.35 was The Investec Wealth & Investment Stakes and I went one better and claimed a each way win so gained a few more pounds in cash whilst probably gaining a few more pounds weight wise too!!!
So onto the third race, The 3.10 Investec Diomed Stakes, and my finest moment, backing Arod to win the race and seeing it stretch away to a great victory. So after three races I was very much quids in. The fourth race, the 3.45 Investec Mile, was the first race I failed to claim any winnings from, but never mind their were still three more to come.
So to the big one, the main event of the day at 4.30 and the The Investec Oaks. I eventually decided to back a horse called Crystal Zvezda after much deliberation. Here is how the race went as described by Frank Keogh from BBC Sport:-
The 50-1 outsider Qualify sprang a surprise to win an incident-packed Oaks at Epsom.
Qualify, ridden by Colm O'Donoghue for trainer Aidan O'Brien, beat favourite Legatissimo by a short head in a photo finish, with Lady Of Dubai third.
A stewards' inquiry was called after horses bumped into each other as the race unfolded, but the result stood.
Qualify came with a late burst to overhaul Ryan Moore on Legatissimo in the closing strides.
O'Donoghue, 34, said after his first British Classic victory: "Qualify has travelled, she is well balanced and I just wanted to keep her relaxed and come with that clean, straight run. It's the winning post that matters.
"I wanted to keep her on an even keel and keep her running. I didn't want anything interfering with her because we were on the outside of the track's camber. She has come home strong."
A bumper crowd in warm sunshine witnessed a dramatic running of the fillies' Classic.
It was a fifth win in the Oaks for O'Brien, but it came from the lesser fancied of his runners.
As the field entered the final furlong, several horses were bumped and Diamondsandrubies was badly hampered when Together Forever - ridden by O'Brien's son Joseph - collided with him.
Moore went clear on the 1,000 Guineas winner Legatissimo but looked stunned after Qualify went past him.
The winner was beaten seven lengths when finishing 10th behind victor Pleascach in her last run in the Irish Guineas.
There was no fairytale on Ladies' Day for Jessica Harrington, who was bidding to become the first woman to train the winner, with her horse Jack Naylor finishing out of the places.
Runner-up Legatissimo's trainer David Wachman said there were no excuses after the race.
"I'm delighted for Colm O'Donoghue as he deserves more big-race success," he said.
And no fairytale for me either as my horse came in towards the back. Had I backed the other horse I was thinking of backing, Legatissimo, then I would of won some cash, but hey ho that's the way it goes. Some of our group had back the 50-1 outsider Qualify, so they were very much quids in indeed!!!
The sixth race at 5.15, The Investec Surrey Stakes, saw me fail to win again as my day was ending rather tamely compared to how it started. So the final race at 5.50, The Investec Specialist Bank Stakes saw me back the 20-1 outsider Itorio. If it came in I'd win £105 and it had done well here last year but sadly it faded after a good start to finish third, so alas my day ended with nothing again.
Still I ended the day £30 odd pound up and I had thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the races. After a little boogie on the dance floor we went home exhausted after a day of booze and sun but it was a wonderful day spent with some wonderful people. Awesome just awesome!!!
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