A world-famous racing town, an inspiring place to train - but where are all the horses?
In the third part of a week-long series, Lewis Porteous visits the home of the Derby
Watching a small number of Jim Boyle's string working on the gallops in Epsom, barely a furlong away from the starting point of the Derby and with the racecourse grandstand as the backdrop, it is hard to think of a more inspiring place to train thoroughbreds.
In fact, you'd think trainers would be queuing up for the pleasure – but the four horses who make up Boyle's third lot at 8.30am are the only racehorses in sight.
At its peak, when Epsom was churning out everything from Classic winners to Grand National stars, close to 600 horses called the host of the Derby home at any one time. On a sun-kissed Thursday in 2023, it is clear times have changed.
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Copy- It was once the headquarters of British racing - why now are horses conspicuously absent and signs of racing barely detectable?
- 'It's the best training centre in the world but it's quiet these days - you could fire a cannon and you wouldn't hit a horse'
- Racing history everywhere you look and a giant Tesco for John Gosden to get his beer - but really Newmarket is all about the Heath
- 'He drove them through the middle of Malton on long reins, ten or 12 of them - it didn't go down well with the townsfolk'
- 'Some pubs in Lambourn thought they didn't need the racing trade. Huge error. They will not survive'
- It was once the headquarters of British racing - why now are horses conspicuously absent and signs of racing barely detectable?
- 'It's the best training centre in the world but it's quiet these days - you could fire a cannon and you wouldn't hit a horse'
- Racing history everywhere you look and a giant Tesco for John Gosden to get his beer - but really Newmarket is all about the Heath
- 'He drove them through the middle of Malton on long reins, ten or 12 of them - it didn't go down well with the townsfolk'
- 'Some pubs in Lambourn thought they didn't need the racing trade. Huge error. They will not survive'