Start time of Derby brought forward to avoid a clash with FA Cup final

Start time of the Derby brought forward to 1.30pm in a bid to avoid a clash with the FA Cup final…  Epsom owners agree move with ITV broadcasting both events on June 3

• Derby will start earlier than planned to avoid clashing with the FA Cup final 
• Metropolitan Police deemed the FA Cup final at Wembley to be high-risk
• Kick off for Manchester City’s clash with Man United moved to 3pm 

Epsom has switched the start of the Betfred Derby to 1.30pm on June 3 to avoid a clash with the FA Cup final.

The 244th running of the most important Classic of the Flat season had been scheduled for 4.30pm but it will now be the second race on the card.

Mail Sport revealed earlier this week that changes would be needed after the Metropolitan Police deemed the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United to be high-risk. 

Consequently, the kick-off was moved from 4.30pm to 3pm.

With ITV broadcasting both sporting spectacles, Jockey Club Racecourses, the owners of Epsom, agreed to alter the Derby start to ensure it retained its slot on ITV1.

Racing coverage will begin at 12.30pm with coverage of the FA Cup final starting at 2.15pm, after which its racing content will be switched to ITV4.

The Derby at Epsom will start earlier than planned to avoid clashing with the FA Cup final

The earliest time the Derby has been run in recent years was 2.15pm in 1996, when the race clashed with England’s first game of the European Championship.

James Crespi, general manager of Epsom, said: ‘In order to give fans of both horseracing and football the opportunity to enjoy the Derby and the FA Cup final and to maximise the publicity and exposure of these two iconic sporting occasions, which will both be broadcast live on ITV1, we have made changes to our usual schedule.’

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