In its second year, the Investec Derby draw for stall positions in Britain’s premier Classic and richest race, the £1.625 million Investec Derby, took place in the historic winners enclosure in front of the Queen’s Stand.
Drawing the allocations were Michael Hills (stalls), Derby winner in 1996 on Shaamit, and Willie Carson (horses) who took the prize four times with Troy (1979), Henbit (1980), Nashwan (1989), and Erhaab (1994).
The ceremony was hosted live on Racing TV by Tom Stanley.
Carson commented after the draw ceremony: “Low numbers are the ones that have to do that bit of extra work early on. It is not as bad as when they put the stalls on the inside of the track, but it is still a little bit steeper in the first furlong and a half on the inside.
“They always put the stalls down on the inside rail in my day.
“Telecaster (trained by Hughie Morrison), was drawn 2… there has never ever been a winner out of stall 2. That was a bad call from me. Hughie will be spitting blood. But history is there to be made.
“It all depends on the horse. If you are riding a horse that wants to be up there, you want to be drawn high. If you are on a horse that is going to be held up, a lower draw doesn’t matter because you are there and you just accept where you are.
“Broome (drawn 8) was always my long-term one, because I knew that he would stay a mile and a half. That is the most important thing in a horse that is going to win the Derby.
“The Chester winner, Sir Dragonet (drawn 13), although it was soft ground, it was the manner of his win (Dee Stakes, 1m 4½ furlongs) that caught the eye.
“He sat last – did they go too fast? I don’t think so. He gave the impression that he was a horse that was improving at a very quick rate when he came through to win. So I think Sir Dragonet might be the one.
“It is down to the human factor then, they have made your mind up for you having the stalls in the middle, if you are drawn in the middle. If you are drawn high, you can stay or go, the same if you are drawn low.
“Nobody ever takes a pull in the Derby, you either push or accept where you are.”
