Epsom Downs

Formal dress codes will no longer be in place at any of The Jockey Club's 15 racecourses beginning this year. The move is a result on the part of the organisation to make horseracing more "accessible and inclusive". The only exceptions to the new rule are offensive fancy dress or offensive clothing of any kind and replica sports shirts. The Queen Elizabeth II Stand at Epsom Downs Racecourse will also continue to require either morning dress or formal daywear on Derby Day. Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive at The Jockey Club,...

James Crespi has been appointed the new General Manager of Epsom Downs Racecourse, The Jockey Club announced on Wednesday. He will begin his duties on Monday, Dec. 5. The Chief Operating Officer of West Wittering Estate PLC since 2015, Crespi also spent 10 years at the Goodwood Estate, where he rose to the position of General Manager of Goodwood Racecourse. Simon Durrant will remain as General Manager of Kempton Park Racecourse while Sarah Drabwell has been appointed General Manager of Sandown Park on a permanent basis, having held the position...

Saturday's G1 Cazoo Derby is no ordinary Derby, being placed squarely in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and bearing the title "In Memory of Lester Piggott", so the onus is on the latest collection of elite middle-distance colts to rise to the occasion. Famed for his ability to pick and choose in his heyday, the question is what would the Longfellow have opted for in this line-up? Few would say anything other than the edition's pop idol Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), whose Dante win had all the purists pricking up...

This year's G1 Cazoo Oaks is an up-to-scratch renewal. Aidan O'Brien runs four, with Ryan Moore electing to ride Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Tuesday, while John and Thady Gosden are double-handed with short-priced favourite Emily Upjohn and Nashwa. Emily Upjohn cost just 60,000gns as a yearling while Tom Clover's Rogue Millennium, unbeaten in both of her starts, is another bargain buy that will line up in this year's Classic after she changed hands to join her current connections for just 35,000gns. We took a look at the story behind each...

With the last eight winners of the G1 Cazoo Oaks hailing from Ballydoyle or Clarehaven, this particular rivalry is taking on epic proportions unmatched in the great Epsom Classic's history. Not even the duels between the race's record holder Robert Robson and Dixon Boyce in the early 19th century and between the current Rosegreen maestro and the late Sir Henry Cecil at the end of and beginning of the 20th and 21st enjoyed such mutually-exclusive domination. There is more than a strong chance that it will be extended on Friday,...

More than 50 international broadcasters will cover the G1 Cazoo Derby at Epsom Downs Racecourse, an official part of Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, on June 4. The £1.604-million contest will be shown live by 32 broadcasters, and there will be 15 on-site news and lifestyle broadcasters, plus various news agencies for the two-day stand. These broadcasters were secured by The Jockey Club, Racecourse Media Group and HBA Media. In America, both Good Morning America (ABC network) and NBC News will broadcast live from the course, while Jess...

While Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee celebrations at Epsom understandably focus on the Derby, we should remember that that great race, in which she owned the runner-up Aureole (GB) just days after her Coronation in 1953, is not the only big race at the meeting which has close links to Britain's Royal Family.  Arguably even stronger are the ties which bind Epsom's big weight-for-age race, the G1 Coronation Cup, to the monarchy. This prestigious contest is run over the Derby course for 4-year-olds and upwards and serves as the natural target...

At the six-day stage, 12 fillies are set to line up in the 1 1/2-mile G1 Cazoo Oaks on Friday, June 3. As expected, Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was supplemented for the Epsom Downs feature, where she will face the John and Thady Gosden favourites 'TDN Rising Star' Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Blue Diamond Stud's Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Aidan O'Brien fields a quartet of fillies in the hunt for his 10th Oaks title and they are led by the dual Classic-placed Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo...

Sir Bob Parker (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will not travel to Epsom to contest the G1 Cazoo Derby on Saturday week as he has been injured, according to trainer David Menuisier. The Michael Watt-owned colt won at second asking at Chantilly in April and was third in the G2 Prix Greffulhe to Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on May 8. "Sad to report our Derby hope Sir Bob Parker has sustained an injury today [Saturday] which will see him out of action for a little while," Menuisier tweeted on Saturday. "So close,...

There will be a special interactive display on The Hill at Epsom Downs in recognition of The Queen's passion for the Thoroughbred during the official Platinum Jubilee celebrations on Cazoo Oaks and Cazoo Derby Days, June 3-4. Billed the Racing Showcase, the display will highlight the care that is shown for racehorses throughout their lives, how the racing industry is engaging and inspiring young people to look at racing as a career, the provisions the industry makes for its people and how racing is looking to reach out to communities...

Saeed Suhail's 'TDN Rising Star' Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who won the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York on May 12, will continue his association with jockey Richard Kingscote in the G1 Cazoo Derby on June 4, according to trainer Sir Michael Stoute. A Nottingham maiden winner in November, the colt delivered a 3 1/4-length victory in the Dante and would become the sixth winner of the Blue Riband for the veteran trainer if he captured the 1 1/2-mile contest. "He has ridden him plenty of...

Saeed Suhail's Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) anchors the 21 colts remaining at this entry stage for the G1 Cazoo Derby on June 4. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt is a perfect two-for-two after winning the G2 Dante S. at York on May 12. He is joined by the Godolphin duo of Listed Blue Riband Trial winner Nahanni (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the stakes-placed Walk of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), both trained by Charlie Appleby. Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners have a quintet of colts still entered-Changingoftheguard (Ire) (Galileo...