Dan Kidby, one of the founders of the protest group Animal Rising, said on Friday that its members will still attempt to stop the Derby being run at Epsom on 3 June, despite an injunction granted to the Jockey Club at the High Court which could make protesters liable for damages, fines and even imprisonment for causing disruption at the two-day Derby Festival next week.
Activists from Animal Rising caused a 15-minute delay to last month’s Grand National at Aintree after a handful of protesters scaled a fence and got onto the track, while the group has also staged actions at Ayr and Doncaster in recent weeks.
Epsom on Derby day, however, is potentially a more obvious target for disruption as the public can watch the race for free from the Hill enclosure in the middle of the course. There is also little significant fencing around much of the one-and-a-half mile course.
Sir Anthony Mann, who heard the Jockey Club’s application on Friday, said as he granted the injunction that he had heard “clear evidence of potential deliberate disruption to the race meeting” by members of Animal Rising, including “announcements of the intention to cause disruption” on the group’s website. He also noted that there was “plenty of theoretical scope for protesters who wish to disrupt the meeting to have access to areas of the course where that disruption could take place”.
As a result, Mann added, there was “a fear that they will invade areas where horses are or will be, with danger to equine and human life and limb. Horses that participate in the Derby are young and inexperienced, and can be twitchy, nervous and hyped-up before the event. They may react by backing into members of the public or throwing their riders.
“There is also a potential financial risk if the meeting is disrupted, if there is no race or the race is postponed. It is attended by tens of thousands and broadcast to millions, and its reputation will hardly be enhanced if there is disruption by protesters or anyone else.”
Epsom will be required to post notices every 50 metres around the outside of the Derby course – about 50 in all – to warn potential protesters that the injunction is in place, and forestall any future defence that an individual was unaware of the order.
Nevin Truesdale, the Jockey Club’s chief executive, said after Friday’s hearing that its “number one priority will always be to ensure that the safety of all our equine and human participants, racegoers, officials and employees is not compromised.”
Truesdale added: “We will never tolerate a repeat of the illegal disruption we saw at Aintree on Grand National day and we welcome today’s high court ruling, which provides us with an additional layer of security to combat the threat of such dangerous and reckless behaviour.
“I urge Animal Rising to abandon any plans to breach security at The Derby Festival and respect the legitimate right of the thousands of people who will join us at Epsom Downs and the millions of people watching at home and around the world to enjoy the sport they love uninterrupted.”
Kidby, however, who is the only potential protester identified by name in an order that also applies to any “person or persons unknown”, said that Animal Rising would not call off its attempt to stop the Epsom Classic.
“Animal Rising remain committed to standing up for horses,” Kidby said. “In my view, injunctions are a way for large companies to buy private laws, and an unjust law that is not democratic and denies the right to a jury is not a law.
“We’re a non-violent movement and as part of that commitment, we will not be going onto the track when there is any danger to ourselves, to horses or to jockeys. It will be in between races and we’ve made that explicitly clear throughout, both to the Jockey Club and the general public, and to our supporters.”
Scotsman can make trip to Ireland pay
Just one of the 10 runners in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday has a previous Group One win to its name, but the second, third and fourth horses home in the English equivalent at Newmarket are all in the field to chase what is probably their last chance of a Classic success.
Royal Scotsman, third at Newmarket, was not among the original entries but his connections paid €50,000 (£43,400) for a supplementary entry earlier this week, in the hope that he enjoys more luck in running on the Curragh than he did on the Rowley Mile.
Having clipped heels in the early stages, Royal Scotsman pulled hard and was then short of running room at a vital stage around two furlongs out, before finishing strongly to get within half a length of Hi Royal, the runner-up.
Donnacha O’Brien’s Proud And Regal, who took the Group One Criterium International on heavy ground in October, is an interesting new rival, but the drop back to a mile may not be ideal and with just a little more luck in the run, Royal Scotsman (3.40) is a fair bet at around 2-1 to break his Group One duck at the third attempt.
Haydock 1.15 Auld Toon Loon has made steady progress in three runs this season and will not need much more to get a first win on the board here.
Goodwood 1.30 Having made a mockery of his opening mark of 99 with a nine-length win last July, the unbeaten Francesco Clemente looks more than ready for Listed company.
Haydock 1.50 The punters may well home in on Carzola as he looks for a four-timer with Frankie Dettori aboard, but Law Of The Sea has similar claims after an eye-catching run in the Chester Cup.
Goodwood 2.05 A return to front-running tactics brought the best out of Dark Thirty at York last week and he is a fair price to follow up at around 7-1.
Haydock 2.25 James McHenry conceded first run over track and trip last time but still got up to win and a 7lb rise may not be enough to end his streak.
Haydock 1.15 Auld Toon Loon 1.50 Law Of The Sea 2.25 James McHenry (nap) 3.00 Little Big Bear 3.30 Dramatised 4.10 William Dewhirst 4.45 Royal Pleasure
Goodwood 1.30 Francesco Clemente 2.05 Dark Thirty 2.35 Indispensable 3.10 Sir Rumi 3.45 Malka 4.20 Good Morals 4.55 Ferrous
York 1.35 Another Investment 2.10 The Line 2.40 Mondammej (nb) 3.15 Mimikyu 3.50 Concert Boy 4.25 Maximilian Caesar 5.00 Titan Rock
Cartmel 1.40 Moon D’Orange 2.15 Magical Maggie 2.45 Ballynagran 3.20 Gold Link 3.55 Touch Kick 4.30 Go Another One 5.05 Mary Cassatt
Chester 2.20 Alkasib 2.55 Havanarama 3.35 Mukha Magic 4.05 Red Mirage 4.40 Absolutelyflawless 5.15 Perfect Play 5.45 The Nu Form Way
Salisbury 5.35 Serried Ranks 6.10 Estate 6.40 Leadenhall 7.10 Rohaan 7.40 Lady Rascal 8.10 Graham 8.40 Claritudo
Ffos Las 5.55 Splashing Wave 6.25 Hardy Boy 6.55 Feel The Pinch 7.25 Gavin 7.55 Nikhi 8.25 Tre A Peni 8.55 Whatawit
York 2.40 Several runners were in opposition over course and distance at the Dante meeting and Mondammej could find the minor improvement he needs off a 2lb lower mark.
Haydock 3.00 Going and trip were both against Little Big Bear in the 2,000 Guineas but he should be hard to beat back at six furlongs on better ground.
York 3.15 The return to Group Three company should be enough to get Mimikyu back into the winner’s enclosure.
Haydock 3.30 Dramatised, last season’s lightning-fast Queen Mary winner, gets all the allowances as a three-year-old filly and can make a winning start to the campaign.
