Bjorn Nielsen: Alastair Down meets a man born into oppression eyeing Derby glory
Since ducks first decided that webbed feet were the future, the Derby was run on the first Wednesday in June. But there are indeed no certainties in racing and in 1995 it was switched to Saturday.
Next weekend our greatest race will finally hove into view on Saturday, July 4. At this rate by the year 2220 it could form part of the run-up to Christmas with racegoers welcomed into Epsom by a chorus of O Come, All Ye Faithful.
And on Saturday one of the most ardently faithful of Derby devotees will be on hand when Bjorn Nielsen, owner of favourite English King,
returns to Epsom, the town that was his physical home as a teenager and has been his spiritual home every breath-drawing day since.
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Copy- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard
- 'You can see why people end up struggling - when you're trying to pay the electric bill, losing one ride can be massive'
- 'I've never paid six figures for a horse and never will - I learned pretty quickly you're only one phone call away from f*** all'
- 'I’ve trained some fabulous horses, worked with some excellent riders - maybe I have brought a little bit of talent to the table as well'
- ‘When you’re in the moment and you’re starved, you’re ready to explode - everything built up and I just lost my s**t’
- 'He must have his breakfast earlier than Willie does' - Patrick Mullins goes behind enemy lines at Gordon Elliott's yard