Move To Run Epsom Derby At Night
- Tuesday, 08 July 2014 07:40
Epsom officials are reported to be considering moving the Derby to a Saturday evening slot in a bid to reverse the declining television audience of the great race.
While bookmakers are keen on any initiative that boosts interest in racing, some believe a head-to-head with another big occasion would cancel out the potential benefits.
And 2015 would be one of those years as football's Champions League Final is being staged in Berlin on the same day as the Derby, Saturday, June 6.
"I would encourage them not to do it next year because it would clash with the Champions League Final. That is very late next year as it's the World Cup this year," David Williams of Ladbrokes said.
"Racing has to understand that when it goes head-to-head with big football events it comes off second-best."
Epsom's managing director Rupert Trevelyan told The Times that moving the start time of the Derby was likely to come under discussion in a move already taken by counterparts in Ireland.
The peak audience for this year's race, won by Australia, was 1.55 million, less than half that achieved the last time the Classic was shown by the BBC.
But any change is likely to need the approval of the Queen as the course is well aware of the influence placed on the attendance of the monarch.
"We may decide to innovate. I've never ruled anything out and staging the race later in the evening could be considered," Trevelyan said.
"The broadcasters tell us that every hour later could be worth an extra million viewers.
"The presence of the Queen is paramount and she will be consulted before we make any such change."
