The Derby has an identity crisis - but we could fix it by finding a backbone and standing up to the bullies
We should give the Epsom Classic a fixed start time and stick to it - regardless of football
I've been thinking about bullies this week and the best way to cope with them. Football may not intend it but, from racing's perspective, it has a bullying presence, its sheer size putting other sports in the shade. When it shifts its limbs, others end up with black eyes.
Racing has got into the habit of running away from potential contact, the latest example being Saturday's Derby, which was brought forward an hour to 3.30pm because England had a World Cup qualifier at 5pm. It's the second time in three years the Derby has been moved out of football's way, Auguste Rodin's race having been started at 1.30pm because that year's FA Cup Final kicked off early at 3pm.
Now here we are, worrying about attendance figures and the great race's loss of status in the eyes of the British public. Clearly there are a lot of factors at play, but I'm afraid our willingness to shove the race around is not helping.
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Published on inChris Cook
Last updated
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