Horse Racing: Four Blue-chip Firms in Race to Sponsor Derby

Epsom have revealed they are talking to four multinational companies following Emirates Airlines' surprise decision to pull out of the race to replace Vodafone as the sponsor of the Derby.

Stephen Wallis, Epsom's managing director, said yesterday that "by the end of the week, we will have made initial presentations to four companies that would fit our ideal profile for the next Derby sponsor." Emirates, widely thought to be the strong favourite to land the prestigious sponsorship, will not be one of them, having been ruled out shortly after the final running of the Classic under the Vodafone banner last month.

Wallis said one proposal being offered to any potential sponsor is a racing magazine program, commissioned by Epsom and sold to as many as 80 countries around the globe via BBC Worldwide.

"We want to take it beyond the first Saturday in June, and use the heritage and prestige of the Derby to generate a program that will be seen around the world. It would be more about lifestyle and human interest than simply a reprise of the major results over the previous month, it would have the Derby in its title, and also the name of the sponsor."

The Derby is hugely popular as an ante-post betting medium. Within the next few weeks, as the juvenile form comes into focus, it will receive frequent mentions in the media, which will effectively go to waste from a sponsorship point of view.

Epsom wants to find the right partner, however, rather than being rushed into a decision. "We have to persuade a partner to join in with our vision, and then we have to deliver," Wallis said. "I've consistently said that I wanted to have our new partner by Christmas, and that remains the position."

Vodafone was only the Derby's second sponsor when it took over from Ever Ready in 1995. Legend has it that when it became clear a new sponsor was required, the Jockey Club's senior steward simply invited Vodafone's chairman around for a spot of tea, and the deal was concluded in less than an hour.

Six months after Vodafone made the announcement that this year's Derby would be the 13th and last raced under their banner, the search for a replacement continues, while several other leading European races, including the King George at Ascot and the Irish Derby, also looking for new sponsors.

Wallis, though, remains confident that a new deal is only a matter of time. "A number of major races are looking for sponsors, but we firmly believe the Derby is the biggest property of the lot," he said. "It goes beyond racing's normal reach and is right up there with the small band of British sporting occasions that have worldwide appeal. In the last few years, we have really got the Derby back, and the next stage is to give it an even greater profile internationally."

Ron Cox's tip of the day


Apache Dawn 7.55 Newbury

This gelding takes on a better class of opponent than he met at Newcastle last week, but will be hard to beat. Relishing the soft ground, Apache Dawn made all the running to win a seven-furlong handicap by 11 lengths, and the manner in which he pulled away in the latter stages suggests this extra furlong will be no problem. Set to go up 15lb in future handicaps, he looks well in here tonight.