Daliapour impresses

Daliapour is 12 to I with William Hill to give Luca Cumani his third Vodafone Derby and the Aga Khan his fourth after an authoritative win in the SchroderUnit Trusts Blue Riband Trial at Epsom yesterday.

With the ground turned soft by overnight rain, the Sadler's Wells colt's jockey Gerald Mosse elected to follow the path Freddie Head had inadvertent)y taken onLyphard in the 1972 Derby, when his mount hung over to the stands' rail.

However, in this, case Mosse was tracked by his four rivals, who early in the straight were beginning to show the strain. Although Kieren Fallon andLightning Arrow stayed on, they could never present a serious threat to Daliapour, who justified 8 to 13 favouritism by two and a half lengths.

Three lengths further back came Helvetius, carrying the colours of Cumani's Derby winner of 12 months ago, High-Rise. The Bedford House trainer,whose first win in the race came via Kahyasi, who in 1988 took the Aga's victories to three after Shahrastani in 1986 and Shergar in 1981, was typically pessimistic about his colt s chances on June 5th.

"I can't believe we could have two Derby winners in two years running - it took us 10 years between first and second," he said. "It would be fantastic."

"It was an easy contest in the end and he probably does more on the gallops.

"But he has shown he acts on the course and that won't be a problem if he comes back.

"There is a long way to go but hopefully he will get there and run very well on the day."

Kuster gave Cumani a double when collaring Border Prince in the closing stages of the maiden.