Tag Archive for: William Derby

Officials at York looking forward to star-studded start of Ebor meeting

William Derby declared himself delighted at the prospect of what looks the race of the season for the richest-ever Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday.

York’s chief executive and clerk of the course believes the track has been rewarded for a 25 per-cent increase in prize-money by a field not just strong in numbers, but in quality, too.

A total of 13 will go to post which includes the Aidan O’Brien’s Derby and Eclipse winner City Of Troy, the best middle-distance filly in training in Bluestocking, who is owned by the sponsors, two top-class runners from France and the Japanese St Leger winner.

Throw in the current ante-post joint-favourites for the Derby clashing in Ruling Court and The Lion In Winter in the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes and Irish Derby winner Los Angeles in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur, and the meeting will get off on a footing akin to the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot’s opening days.

Derby said: “We are delighted. We’ll see whether it is the race of the season at the end of the season, but we couldn’t be more thrilled with the field.

“We’ve worked out it’s a record level of declarations since it’s been run in 1972 and obviously with an international field as well it looks a stellar renewal and I’m really interested to see who wins.

“You’ve got the three-year-old generation well represented, course form, the Derby winner, both sexes with Bluestocking there so everything is crossing.

“It’s the richest race we’ve ever staged and to be rewarded for Juddmonte’s support and York’s executive committee with such a line-up is what every race fan wants to see.”

Derby is also excited at the strength of the undercard.

Ruling Court is already favourite for the Guineas and the Derby and runs in the Acomb Stakes
Ruling Court is already favourite for the Guineas and the Derby and runs in the Acomb Stakes (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“We’re thrilled with the Tattersalls Acomb. Without getting too technical the (win) restriction that was on the Acomb has been lifted and as a result it has drawn a high-quality field of 11. It is the richest juvenile race in the country.

“Also, for the first time ever it is a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Mile at Del Mar so we’re thrilled that it has been rewarded.

“We were over at Ballydoyle about 10 days and Aidan was considering running Los Angeles in the Great Voltigeur then so to see the Irish Derby winner in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur is brilliant and he will be hoping he can follow in the hoofprints of Continuous who went on the win the St Leger.

“I know they think a lot of King’s Gambit (Harry Charlton) and his run in the York Stakes against Alflaila looks great form.

“It’s fantastic racing all round on Wednesday, it’s the richest race day we’ve ever staged, as well as the richest race, so hopefully all race fans will either be here or be watching on TV – because of Durezza’s participation the race is also being shown live in Japan.”



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York thrilled at prospect of City Of Troy clash with Japanese ace

York’s chief executive William Derby is fascinated to see how last year’s Japanese St Leger winner Durezza fares against City Of Troy in what promises to be a mouthwatering renewal of the Juddmonte International.

With Aidan O’Brien leaning towards keeping the Derby and Eclipse winner at 10 furlongs, the richest race on the Knavesmire is City Of Troy’s likely port of call on August 21.

But a fascinating new opponent has emerged in the shape of Durezza, who will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire.

“We’re obviously delighted to hear the news from Ballydoyle that City Of Troy is likely to run in the Juddmonte International – obviously there’s a long way to go with horses, but to have Europe’s highest-rated three-year-old being aimed at our flagship race is great,” said Derby.

“We have a record prize fund this year of £1.2million and it’s hugely exciting, it’s looking like an absolute cracker.

“City Of Troy has that mercurial potential to join the likes of Sea The Stars and Frankel, two of the great winners of the race. We all saw what he did in the Betfred Derby, he obviously wasn’t on a going day in the Guineas, but he won the Eclipse like Sea The Stars did ahead of coming to the Knavesmire and it will be fascinating to see how he performs if he comes.

“It has also been confirmed this morning that Durezza, who won the Japanese St Leger last year, is heading our way with Christophe Lemaire due to ride him, so to have the best two jockeys in the world in Christophe and Ryan Moore taking each other on is something very exciting for us and all race fans.”

Derby has been at the helm at York for over 20 years now, and has seen some great renewals of the race.

“My first Juddmonte was 2003, Falbrav won it and then in 2005 Electrocutionist just touched of Zenno Rob Roy, he was the last Grade One winner from Japan we had and Electrocutionist went on to win the Dubai World Cup the following March,” he said.

Electrocutionist (left) just been Japan's Zenno Rob Roy (green hat) in 2005
Electrocutionist (left) just been Japan’s Zenno Rob Roy (green hat) in 2005 (John Giles/PA)

“It was the world’s highest-rated race with Frankel in 2012 and again with Ghaiyyath in 2020 and a top 10 race last year. It’s our flagship race, the best we stage and the richest so we’re delighted City Of Troy and Durezza have it on their radar.

He added: “Ticket sales are good for the Sky Bet Ebor Festival, we’re really looking forward to it. We’re putting finishing touches to our southern end development which was soft launched at the John Smith’s Cup meeting and the feedback was positive.”



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York officials raring to go on one of the big weeks of the year

York’s flagship meeting has plenty in store as the racing world descends on the city for the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

The headline race on the opening day of the four-day event is the Juddmonte International, a Group One contest that is one of the highlight of not only the Ebor fixture but of the whole Flat calendar.

This year’s race has attracted a field of just four, but among them is arguably one of the best and most popular horses in training in Aidan O’Brien’s Paddington.

The colt has won a string of Group One events that includes the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Coral-Eclipse and the Sussex Stakes and now aims to add a fifth success at the top level to an already stellar CV.

He will face John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf, a four-length winner of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, plus his stablemate Nashwa and Andrew Balding’s Dante hero The Foxes.

“It looks a fascinating renewal, Paddington is seeking a fifth successive Group One and he’s taking on Mostahdaf, who was so impressive at Royal Ascot,” said William Derby, York’s chief executive and clerk of the course.

Paddington winning the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot
Paddington winning the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“I think they’ve won something like 14 Group races between them and the filly, Nashwa, adds a different dimension and of course The Foxes was so impressive in the Al Basti Equiworld Dante – it’s an interesting shape to the race and it’s filled with quality.”

On Thursday there is a superb race in prospect in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks, with 10 high-quality fillies declared including Irish Oaks heroine Savethelastdance and Bluestocking, runner-up at the Curragh.

Al Husn, successful in the Nassau Stakes, joins the fray, as does Ribblesdale Stakes winner Warm Heart and Middleton Stakes victor Free Wind.

“I’m delighted, especially as it’s Pertemps first sponsorship of the Yorkshire Oaks and it’s such a fascinating contest,” said Derby.

“The first two in the Irish Oaks take on the older horses, it looks really exciting. Al Husn is a Group One winner from Goodwood and it looks a real highlight of Ladies Day at the Ebor Festival.”

Savethelastdance flying home in the Cheshire Oaks
Savethelastdance flying home in the Cheshire Oaks (David Davies/PA)

The Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup promises to be a compelling renewal as many of the Goodwood Cup cast reassemble on the Knavesmire, including runaway winner Quickthorn and the Ascot Gold Cup champion Courage Mon Ami.

“It could be a Goodwood Cup rematch! I’m delighted that we have the Gold Cup winner from Royal Ascot looking like he’s coming, that division looks really open post Stradivarius so it will be interesting to see how it shapes up,” Derby said.

“Quickthorn did a similar job in the Lonsdale last year as he did at Goodwood so it will be interesting to see if they let him get an easy lead this time around.”

On the same day the five-furlong Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes is a race worth anticipating, with John Quinn’s locally-trained supermare Highfield Princess bidding to retain the title she won 12 months ago.

She is joined by a host of Northern-based rivals including the two-year-old Big Evs, Mick Appleby’s Royal Ascot and Goodwood star who was supplemented for the race following the latter of those triumphs.

Highfield Princess winning the Coolmore Nunthorpe 12 months ago
Highfield Princess winning the Coolmore Nunthorpe 12 months ago (Mike Egerton/PA)

Derby said: “In the Coolmore Nunthorpe Highfield Princess is a real local favourite, she’s trained 10 or 12 miles from the track and she won it last year as part of a hat-trick of Group Ones.

“The interesting addition is the two-year-old Big Evs, with a huge weight advantage, who tries to be the first two-year-old since Kingsgate Native in 2007 to overhaul his elders.

“It looks a really interesting race with lots of Yorkshire strength as well as the rest of fastest horses in the country.”

The final day of the meeting is the home of the valuable City of York Stakes and the namesake of the fixture, the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap, a wide-open contest held on what will likely be a final visit to York for the retiring great of the game that is Frankie Dettori – who also happens to be last year’s winner.

“We’ve got the Sky Bet City of York Stakes as well for £500,000, it is the most valuable Group Two and we’re really trying everything to see if that can be upgraded to Group One status,” said Derby.

Frankie Dettori after winning the Sky Bet Ebor aboard Trawlerman last year
Frankie Dettori after winning the Sky Bet Ebor aboard Trawlerman last year (Mike Egerton/PA)

“The Sky Bet Ebor is really open, as you’d expect for such a high value, highly-rated handicap. Twenty-two runners and each you could make a case for!

“It’s Britain’s richest Flat handicap and it looks really interesting as to whether Real Dream for Sir Michael Stoute can make amends for us all missing out on poor Desert Crown – that would be an amazing end to the week.

“It will also probably be Frankie Dettori’s last raceday at York so we’ll be looking forward to celebrating that. There’s a great deal to look forward to.”



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