1 Fight Your Corner 9-2 (K Darley)
2 Sparkling Water 6-1 (T Quinn)
3 Kayseri 5-1 (P Robinson)
8 ran

Fight Your Corner won a fast-paced Derby trial on the opening day of the Chester May meeting.

The Mark Johnston-trained second favourite was stepping up in distance for the first time and beat off long-time leader Sparkling Water by two-and-a-half lengths.

Fight Your Corner was ridden hard by jockey Kevin Darley from three furlongs out to overhaul Richard Quinn's front-runner.

Philip Robinson, in for an under-the-weather Frankie Dettori, urged his 5-1 shot Kayseri into third.

But Johnston admitted he was worried by the fast pace, set almost exclusively by Sparkling Water.

"Ours didn't have it easy. We were hoping to be up front, relaxing and dictating the pace but it was anything but," he said.

"But he managed to pull out and showed he's got a great turn of foot.

"Over the winter he got a bit lazy but this will have concentrated him and put his mind on the job.

"He's in the French Derby and the owner is very keen on the King Edward VII at Royal Ascot.

"But we've got to think he's a St Leger horse at some point."

Sparkling Water was one of only three Derby entrants in what is traditionally a trial for the Epsom Classic.

But the other Derby-bound horses, 7-2 favourite Researched and 16-1 chance Spanish John, showed little to underline their Classic credentials.

After the race, Johnston hit out at the Derby entry system, which requires horses to be put in the race as unraced yearlings, or added at great expense at the second-entry or supplementary stage.

"It is a ridiculous entry system and something will have to be done about it or Classic trials will be a waste of time," said the Scottish trainer, who also won a Classic trial with Simeon - also not entered for the Derby - recently.