2012 Epsom Derby to start Diamond Jubilee celebrations
The 2012 Investec Derby festival (1-2 June) marks the start of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. BBC Sport will provide viewers with live coverage of all the action from this historic and prestigious meeting - both on and off the track - on TV, HD, radio and online.
As well as top flight racing action with The Investec Oaks on Friday and The Investec Derby on Saturday, the event will have an extra special focus this year as as Derby Day is the first event of Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend celebrations.
BBC coverage will broadcast live the Queen’s arrival on Saturday in front of more than 130,000 racegoers, plus a series of short films featuring leading jockeys, trainers and industry figures talking about the Queen’s passion for and involvement in racing, which will go out throughout the two programmes.
Clare Balding presents, with expert analyst coming from four-time Derby winner Willie Carson (who is also Epsom’s Guest of Honour) and riding legend Mick Fitzgerald. Race commentary will come from Jim McGrath.
Reporters Rishi Persad and Sonali Shah will be out and about around Epsom bring the viewer a flavour of the atmosphere on Diamond Jubilee weekend, while John Parrott brings news from the betting ring.
Television coverage of The 2012 Derby Festival will commence on Friday 1 June at 1.30pm with The Oaks at 4.05pm on BBC Two and the BBC HD Channel. Coverage on Saturday 2 June will start at 12.50pm on BBC One and BBC One HD, with The Derby due off at 4.00pm.
A special edition of Football Focus will come live from Epsom, Saturday 12.10pm on BBC One.
On Thursday 31 May on BBC Radio 5 live, Clare Balding presents a special programme about the Queen and racing from the Royal Box at Epsom: All the Queen’s Horses is live from 9.30pm - 10.30pm. On Friday 1 June on Radio 5 live there will be commentary of all the key races throughout the day, then on Saturday 2 June Eleanor Oldroyd presents 5 live Sport live from Epsom Downs racecourse on, joined by 5 live’s racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght and ex-jockey Jason Weaver, one of only seven men to have ridden 200 winners in a single Flat season. John Hunt and Luke Harvey will have commentary of the big race at 4.00pm.
The BBC Sport website will have live video coverage for UK users of all Epsom races featured on BBC television as well as previews, reports and features from the meeting. The site also features a pin-stickers’ guide to the big race and up-to-the-minute results. Correspondents Cornelius Lysaght (@CorneliusRacing) and Frank Keogh (@HonestFrank) will provide live updates from the course on Twitter.
