When Sea Pigeon ruled the roost and the Moet was flowing at Epsom
Memories of an era with Luca Cumani and Dermot Weld on riders' roll of honour
The Amateur Riders' Derby at Epsom has been an August bank holiday Monday staple for well over 50 years, and to a sector that gets precious few opportunities to compete over the historic Derby course and distance the thrill of winning is no doubt immense.
Ross Birkett, Jamie Codd, Patrick Mullins and Simon Walker are among the top amateurs who have enjoyed that experience in recent years, and 12 months ago the race went to Adrian Maguire's son Finny.
However, while it remains a coveted goal for those qualified to compete in it, few could deny the race has lost much of the lustre it enjoyed during its 39 years of continuous sponsorship from the champagne house Moet & Chandon.
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