Derby day will not be moved, insists Epsom supremo

13 April 2012

The Investec Derby is set to remain in its current weekend slot but Epsom's managing director Rupert Trevelyan has hinted that the Investec Oaks could move from Friday to Sunday.

Trevelyan deemed the two-day meeting "a stunning success" and rejected calls to return the Derby to its former Wednesday slot.

He said: "Both days saw fabulous crowds and everyone had a wonderful time. It has always been London's favourite race and it remains the people's race. My thinking is very clear about moving the Derby: the biggest races should be put on at weekends, when families can go.

"You would get a very good corporate crowd in midweek but it is the people's race and it should remain that way. The meeting was a stunning success and so there are no plans to move the Derby.

"There is a case of moving it to a Sunday but there is the clash with the French to consider so it could be a problem. Moving the Investec Oaks to the Sunday could be a possibility but it is not something that we have discussed in detail at this stage."

Workforce, who broke Lammtarra's track record when running away with the Derby, is likely to have his next run in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. Prince Khalid Abdulla's colt could bypass the Irish Derby at the Curragh on 27 June, according to the owner's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe.

He said: "He's come out of the race fine. The Irish Derby is the first race to consider but we are not sure whether or not he goes there.

"If you break the track record by a second, there's no way that you can't have had a hard race, so we'll have to see how he comes out of Epsom. The King George [on July 24] is the next obvious target."

Michael Bell has ruled Coordinated Cut out of next week's King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

The colt finished seventh in the Derby and Bell, who was in France yesterday to see Allied Powers win the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, said: "He ran a good race but he didn't cope with the track. It is a different ball game having a canter round Epsom to going track-record pace. He wasn't in his comfort zone but he stayed on well."

Bell has not ruled out a tilt at the St Leger later in the year, however. He added: "He won't go to Ascot but looking ahead, a flatter track like Doncaster would suit him. I'm not sure if he will stay a mile and six furlongs but the Leger is something to think about. However, there are no firm plans."

Bell also admitted there is work to be done to persuade Lady Bamford to allow her Coronation Cup runner-up Sariska to take on the colts again in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse at Sandown on 3 July.

He said: "She ran a fabulous race and was beaten by a very good horse [Fame And Glory]. I think the Eclipse is an ideal race for her but the owners are lukewarm about the idea. We'll have to have a serious chat about it."

British and Irish raiders were out of luck as Andre Fabre's Lope De Vega landed yesterday's French Derby by three lengths under Maxime Guyon.

Derby day will not be moved, insists Epsom supremo

Read More