A seven-day Derby Festival? I’d get the basics right first… and why one trainer called me a muppet at Epsom
Behind the scenes with our man in the know
GET the basics right and then start thinking about fancy ideas. That would be my message to Epsom after the Derby meeting.
It always makes me chuckle when those in charge of big Festival meetings get quoted the day after and they often say the same thing.
This time it was down to Tom Sammes, the Epsom course manager, to produce the cliches.
Sammes said: “There’s still lots of room to grow. Our number one priority is to deliver 15 races that were exciting and compelling which is what we did.”
Really? Did you?
The ‘grow’ thing is always interesting. If you know there is room to grow then why didn’t you?
It’s always the same in horse racing from those in charge.
It’s always about what people can do… but rarely about what they have actually done.
If you know one day after a meeting you can grow, then can I suggest that you might grow before it.
As for the “compelling races” then obviously this is open to debate.
But I merely and humbly say this. The four races before the Derby were two 5f sprints and two extended mile Group 3 contests.
If those in charge think that is giving variety and interest for racegoers then we will just have to agree to disagree.
And, of course, as was the case at Cheltenham, the wi-fi at Epsom was rubbish and, when you did get connected, blocked you from a number of sites racegoers might want to use.
I appreciate Jockey Club Racecourses are crushed by debt. But if you give people this experience you will only put them off coming.
We are told those in charge are thinking of a seve- day Derby Festival. I’d get the basics right first.
Incidentally, on that seven-day concept the biggest problem everyone in this country faces is the weather.
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It doesn’t matter if it’s three days of racing over seven days with events in between or seven days of racing, the chances are it will lash down with rain at some point and that is what will cause the biggest headache.
It’s also why planning such a concept is nigh on impossible.
Ryan Moore was brilliant in the Derby on City Of Troy, but I found out in the winner’s enclosure that the key was his mum, the super ‘mare’ that is Jayne!
As I was whizzing around for ITV trying to get interviews in the crush around Aidan O’Brien, Jayne was there taking as many pictures as she could of her boy.
It was lovely to see, and even more so with Ryan’s kids all there for such a special occasion.
Jayne mentioned that the last time she came to Epsom on Derby day was for Ryan’s success on Workforce in 2010, but she had booked this Derby visit in six months ago as it fell on her birthday.
When Jayne goes racing at Epsom you take note!
The achievement from Aidan O’Brien in getting City of Troy back to a peak was something special and I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed interviewing him on ITV.
Aidan was as pumped as a pumped thing and I suspect would have spoken without a breath for an hour if I had let him.
It was almost as if he was copying City Of Troy’s heartbeat in the first four furlongs of the 2000 Guineas!
That all said, the training performance of the Epsom Derby weekend for me came from Paul and Oliver Cole via Royal Scotsman.
I still remain convinced he’s a sprinter, and while I know that annoys his connections – they were quick to tell me what a muppet I am after his victory – the all-the-way win in the Diomed was something truly special.
Jamie Spencer is so good from the front, something I have written many times before.
Royal Scotsman has looked like a top class miler in his time, but if he is to win a Group 1 I remain convinced it will be over 6f. He has so much natural pace.
The July Cup is the race for him. Paul and Oli and owner Dr Jim Hay will hate me forever for saying it!
Forgive me for having an opinion…
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