Epsom

[Cork All Star]

People dress up for Epsom as well. I assume the formal dress code still applies for the Queens Stand on Derby Day.

Royal Ascot has taken over because Ascot is a better track, the standard of racing is far higher and it can offer more variety. Unlike Epsom, with its maximum distance of 12 furlongs.

Epsom also isn’t really a place where you would want to run top class 2 year olds.

[apracing]

CAS,

Well Godolphin did run Pinatubo in the Woodcote not long ago, but generally you’re right. Back in the last century they ran 5F races for 2-y-olds at Epsom and they did get top class future winners, but for some reason there are no longer any 5F 2-y-old races run there.

I’ve been looking at a form book form 40 years ago, when it was a four day meeting. It was very different to say the least, with maiden races, claiming races on the Derby and Oaks cards and only one Group race each day. The Friday one was the Diomed Stakes, which actually was a good race. The winner, Pennine Walk, followed up in the Queen Anne, the third, Cliveden, won the Jersey Stakes and the seventh, English Spring, won the Prince Of Wales

There was also a good 6F 3yo handicap on the Oaks card, which was won by Orient from Touch Of Grey. They both won at Ascot, Orient in the feature 5F handicap on Heath day, Touch Of Grey in the Wokingham. But the five 2yo races were basically non events that year as far as producing a good horse.

Of course 1986 was Dancing Brave in the Derby, so maybe that’s all it needed to generate excitement in the build up and controversy post race! Would the ride from Starkey qualify him to be a non runner under the new rule – not given a fair chance from the start.

[Cork All Star]

Thanks AP. I remember Orient. One of those tough sprint handicappers which seemed to run every other week.

I recall the Saturday Oaks card having a Claiming race.

I am sure we mentioned it several times in the post-mortem on last year’s meeting but Epsom exists for three races: Derby, Oaks and Coronation Cup. The rest of the Derby meeting is forgettable and the other meetings at the venue even more so.

I always enjoyed going to Epsom on Derby Day and the course has been quite lucky for me over the years. But it exists for two days. If it was on more suitable terrain, it would probably have been sold off for housing years ago, like Hurst Park.

Epsom can’t even claim to be much of a training centre now.

[Gladiateur]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0jywlw90nxo

I’d left by the time the fisticuffs started. I hadn’t noticed any signs of trouble during the day, although there will always be drunk and/or coked up individuals at major sporting events.

[yeats]

At least the race got a bit of a mention of sorts on the BBC. On BBC Breakfast sports bulletin on Saturday, one of the biggest horse races in the world, some say the biggest failed to even get a mention in the sports bulletin with Mike Bushell, unlike wheelchair tennis, womens football, rugby etc.

[Refuse To Bend]

This really sums up the modern day Derby.
https://www.racingpost.com/news/festivals/derby-festival/ranked-which-derby-winners-were-rated-worse-than-christmas-day-and-should-we-expect-him-to-go-on-to-better-things-avczZ4k5ZW38/

The more I know the less I understand.

[Author]

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