Oh This Is Us delivers last-gasp Diomed win

Ashley Iveson
June 5, 2021 2:57 pm

Richard Hannon stalwart prevails by a nose from hat-trick-seeking Century Dream.

Oh This Is Us got up right on the line to narrowly Century Dream a third victory in the Cazoo Diomed Stakes.

The latter was dropping in class for a Group Three contest he won in 2018 and 2020 – and was always in the vanguard as Marie’s Diamond led the field along.

When James Doyle kicked on Simon and Ed Crisford’s 2-1 joint-favourite it looked to be a race-winning move, after Frankie Dettori and Duke Of Hazzard found themselves stuck down on the rail.

But the Richard Hannon-trained Oh This Is Us picked up smartly for Tom Marquand once he got out and saw daylight, and as he edged relentlessly closer, he just got there to win by a nose at 18-1.

Oh This Is Us gets up on the line to land the Diomed Stakes ⁦@EpsomRacecourse⁩ for ⁦@rhannonracing⁩ and ⁦@TomMarquand⁩ pic.twitter.com/wgZeZo2DII
— Ashley Iveson (@AshIveson) June 5, 2021

Hannon said: “He’s my favourite (horse in the yard) and has been for some time.

“You never know when he’s going to pop up – he won at 66-1 at Ascot (in April).

“He’s never won a Group race before, so although there’s a Derby today, that’s probably mine!

“He’s won for something like eight different jockeys and Tom has won about seven on him – he’s just been a star.”

Considering future plans, he added: “He’s in the Royal Hunt Cup (at Royal Ascot), but we’ll find our way around the big meetings, like today, and be very kind to him.

“He deserved that today and it might set him up as a stallion.

“He drove the horse box here today and probably won’t retire until he’s 25!”