LONDON: Masar of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum's Godolphin stable stormed to victory under jockey William Buick in Saturday's Epsom Derby, as trainer Charlie Appleby earned his first win in the race.
Dee Ex Bee, owned by Sheikh Mohammed's son Hamdan, finished second ahead of Roaring Lion in third, while 2,000 Guineas winner and odds-on favourite Saxon Warrior could only manage fourth.
"I can't express myself very well now," said Buick. "I've come close a couple of times. It's my seventh or eighth Derby ride and I thought sometimes, 'Is it ever going to come?'"
"I've dreamt of this since I wanted to be a jockey. Sheikh Mohammed has been so loyal to me so it is special to win."
Masar, a son of the 2008 Derby winner New Approach, set off at 16/1, and brought a premature end to Saxon Warrior's attempt to become just the fourth horse to pull off an English Triple Crown.
The mount of two-time winning Derby jockey Ryan Moore was looking to complete the second step of the rare feat but fell short after failing to get a perfect run through the race.
For Appleby, whose wife Aisling was in tears, it was a proud moment for the 42-year-old who was appointed Godolphin trainer in 2013.
"It still hasn't sunk in. I always said I wanted to be the first trainer to train a Derby winner for Godolphin," Appleby said.
Sheikh Mohammed-owned Masar wins Epsom Derby for Godolphin
Sheikh Mohammed-owned Masar wins Epsom Derby for Godolphin
Bayern demolishes Wolfsburg 8-1 to go 11 points clear in Bundesliga
- Bayern hasn’t lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe’s five biggest leagues
Michael Olize scored twice as Bayern Munich started the new year by routing Wolfsburg 8-1 with six second-half goals to move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.
Olize, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz picked apart the Wolfsburg defense on Sunday in a display of dominance which leaves Bayern firmly on course to defend the title in only the 16th game of the 34-game season.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was pleased his players didn’t let up.
“It’s these moments where it’s five, six, 7-1, and they keep running, they keep pressing and keep trying to score goals,” he told broadcaster DAZN. “I have to say, I like that.”
In freezing temperatures for Bayern’s first game since the winter break, Olize got a brace and Kane and Díaz one apiece, along with goals for substitutes Raphael Guerreiro and Leon Goretzka, and two Wolfsburg own-goals.
Bayern only had two nervous moments all game. The first was Dzenan Pejcinovic’s goal for Wolfsburg in the 13th, which leveled the score at 1-1 after right back Konrad Laimer missed an interception.
The other was a brief injury scare for Kane, who needed treatment after being caught on the ankle by defender Moritz Jenz midway through the first half but was soon back in action.
It was Bayern’s biggest margin of victory in a Bundesliga game since Kompany took over ahead of the 2024-25 season. His team has scored a remarkable 63 goals in 16 league games this season, nearly four per game, and conceded only 12.
Bayern hasn’t lost a Bundesliga game since March and remains the only unbeaten team in any of Europe’s five biggest leagues. Wolfsburg is 14th, three points above the relegation zone, as a troubled season hits a new low.
Bayern’s closest rivals all had difficulties this weekend as second-place Borussia Dortmund drew 3-3 with Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen lost 4-1 to Stuttgart and Leipzig’s game was postponed due to snow.
Wolfsburg’s American midfielder Kevin Paredes entered in the 77th minute, his first match this season after recovering from foot surgery in August.
Also Sunday, United States full back Joe Scally scored his first goal since 2023 as Borussia Moenchengladbach beat Augsburg 4-0. Gladbach moved up two places to 10th after winning at home for only the second time this season.
