A lunchtime Derby is a one-off but why must we wait every year to find out who will run?

I’m not quite sure but thought I heard someone say the Derby was being run at a funny time this year because of a football match. Never mind. I’m sure we’ll all get over it, what with the FA Cup final and the Classic having successfully avoided one another on 141 previous and consecutive occasions. 

Suffice to say the Jockey Club having moved the Derby to 1.30pm is not a sign of some new decline in popularity of racing, nor conclusive proof football has wrested the upper hand in the fight for Britain’s sporting affections. 

To casually steal from Peter Bromley’s memorable call of Shergar’s Epsom triumph, those ships sailed so long ago, you need a telescope to see them.