Scrap Derby rather than run it later or elsewhere

This season’s first four Classics – the 1000 and 2000 Guineas, Oaks and Derby – were already on hold before the British Horseracing Authority conceded on Wednesday that it would be impractical for racing to resume on May 1. Dante Festival cancelled Jockey Club Racecourses, which owns both Newmarket and Epsom, said it was in talks with the British Horseracing Authority and other relevant parties to work out possible new dates, once racing has resumed. However Tregoning, who sent out Sir Percy to win the Derby in 2006, feels the race would just not be the same if staged away from Epsom’s unique undulations and not in early June. He said: “The Derby is run at a certain time of year, on particular course and that is part of the test. If you move it until later in the year or run it at a different course, it is obviously not the same race. “The Derby is unique. Of course you could run a Group One over the distance somewhere else and call it something else, but it would not be the Derby.” Tregoning thinks safety must be paramount though, adding: “The most important thing is to save lives. We can do lots of planning for a resumption of racing, but in my opinion, we should not resume until it is safe to do so.” Meanwhile BHA chief executive Nick Rust says racing will be ready to resume as soon as it is safe to do so. Fixtures last took place in Britain on March 17, behind closed doors at Wetherby and Taunton, and that suspension has now been extended to an as yet unspecified date. Crowds will not be expected on racecourses until at least June, with a phased reintroduction on the Flat taking place behind closed doors. “We have planned for a number of scenarios and we are ready to go,” said Rust. “Sport has to listen to what Government is signalling and like any other business it needs to follow the advice from Government, but we are talking to Government every day and making the point that when conditions allow, we are ready to resume.” Rust also defended the staging of the Cheltenham Festival in mid-March which attracted 250,000 spectators just a week before virtually all sport was called off. He said: “The weekend before Cheltenham we had a full Premier League football programme, we had a Six Nations match at Twickenham, we had Crufts indoors during that week – we were being encouraged to keep up the positive message by running the Cheltenham Festival. “Of course we thought about it a lot and the mood actually changed that week – I didn’t hear massive calls for people not to be racing at Cheltenham on Tuesday, there were massive calls to listen to Government advice, don’t move away from that Government advice, there is no reason why you should not be carrying on and you must carry on as we need to ensure Government advice is followed. “Based on the evidence at the time it was the right decision for the Festival to go ahead.” Multiple Group One winner and renowned stallion Shamardal has died at the age of 18 as a result of recent health issues. Trained by Middleham’s Mark Johnston to win the Vintage Stakes and Dewhurst Stakes as a two-year-old, the son of Giant’s Causeway joined Saeed bin Suroor in the Godolphin colours for his three-year-old season. It proved a memorable one, as Shamardal landed the French 2000 Guineas, French Derby and the St James’s Palace Stakes, in the year Royal Ascot was held at York. His only defeat in seven career outings came on dirt at Nad Al Sheba in the UAE Derby. Based at Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland, Shamardal’s highest-rated performer to date is the unbeaten Pinatubo.

Scrap Derby rather than run it later or elsewhere - Marcus Tregoning