Chapman a Derby doubt

THE big question in the build-up to this year’s Derby is whether the Epsom directors, who include Clare Balding, will let ITV racing maverick Matt Chapman conduct the trophy presentation after demanding a change last year following his irreverent ‘ Here’s Johnny G’ welcome to winning Oaks trainer John Gosden.

The Jockey Club, who control Aintree and Epsom, had no problems with Chapman presenting the National ceremony, during which he kept mainly to script apart from calling winning jockey Davy Russell ‘one of the dudes’ and fourth-placed owner JP McManus ‘legendary.’

Balding, who is understood to be Chapman’s chief critic on the Epsom board, hosted both National and Derby ceremonies when she fronted racing for Channel 4.

ONE major negative with the 5.15pm start for Grand National jockeys, many of them only riding in that race, is that they have to be at Aintree in time for a stewards’ briefing at noon — or face a ban — and then have to hang around for five hours. Bryony Frost said she spent the time twiddling her thumbs and drinking a lot of tea. However, the charismatic jockey was relaxed enough to do an interview for an Irish racing documentary minutes before leaving the weighing room.

LIVERPOOL’S rundown Adelphi Hotel has long lost its grandeur — it used to be the place to stay for the National — yet that did not stop them raising the price of a room to £318.50 on the eve of the race from £111.50 the night before.