Multiple Arrests But Derby Off On Time 

Thirty-one protesters were arrested at Epsom on Saturday for attempting to disrupt the Derby, including 12 in the grounds, 11 during early-morning raids on residential addresses, and another eight in a vehicle close to Epsom. 

A male protestor from the pressure group Animal Rising was rapidly apprehended after breaking onto the Epsom track near the two-furlong marker shortly after the Derby runners had jumped from the stalls, while a woman was handcuffed on the ground after attempting to jump the fence from the grandstand side while the race was still in progress. 

A spokesman for Surrey Police said, “We can confirm that 31 people have been arrested in connection with planned criminal activity at the Epsom Derby Festival this afternoon.

“Eleven people were arrested at addresses in Mitcham and Byfleet in the early hours, following warrants based on intelligence received ahead of the Epsom Derby Festival. A further eight people were arrested after their vehicle was stopped on Canons Lane in Burgh Heath at around 10.20am this morning. All were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance and remain in police custody.

“A total of 12 people have been arrested within the Epsom Downs racecourse since the event began this morning, also in connection with planned criminal activity. One man was arrested after he ran onto the racetrack after a race had started. He was quickly removed by event security and police officers, meaning the race was not disrupted.”

Chief Superintendent Clive Davies added, “Our officers and event security responded quickly and decisively after a man ran on to the racetrack after a race had begun.

“We will not tolerate criminal behaviour which puts lives in danger, including those of the animals, jockeys, security staff and our officers.”

Eight days prior to the Derby, the Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs Racecourse among its portfolio of 15 tracks in Britain, was granted a High Court injunction to outlaw intentionally disruptive behaviour during the two-day race meeting, which was conducted amid significantly heightened security and an enhanced police presence. In the lead-up to the Derby, the protest group Animal Rising had publicly threatened to halt or delay the race. The protesters had been offered a place near the entrance to the racecourse to conduct a peaceful protest.

“Our security teams and the police acted swiftly and decisively to remove an Animal Rising protester who entered the racetrack after the Derby had started and while the race was being run,” said Nevin Truesdale, chief executive of The Jockey Club.

“This reckless and illegal behaviour which threatened the safety of our equine and human athletes is a breach of the High Court injunction which The Jockey Club obtained last week and prohibits trespass. The court order provides a clear route to prosecution, fines and even the threat of prison for Contempt of Court and we will now take steps to enforce that.”

He continued, “Animal Rising have repeatedly stated that they would not attempt to disrupt any races while in progress and we utterly condemn their deplorable and mindless actions today.

“The Derby was first run in 1780 and has continued despite two world wars, the COVID pandemic, and a number of other extreme challenges. That the 244th running of the race was able to take place on time today is testament to the determination of everyone to stage one of British sport's most iconic and loved events.”

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Multiple Arrests in Pre-Dawn Raids on Derby Day

Police acting on intelligence received in connection to potential disruption at the Derby at Epsom have arrested 19 people in pre-dawn raids on Saturday.

According to Surrey Police,11 people were arrested at addresses in Mitcham and Byfleet in the early hours of the morning following warrants being issued.

A further eight people were arrested after a vehicle was stopped in Burgh Heath, close to Epsom Downs, at about 10.20am.

The arrests were made on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance and the 19 people remain in police custody.

Last Friday, the Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs Racecourse among its portfolio of 15 tracks in Britain, was granted a High Court injunction to outlaw intentionally disruptive behaviour during the two-day Derby meeting, which is being conducted amid significantly heightened security and an enhanced police presence. In the lead-up to the Derby, the protest group Animal Rising had publicly threatened to halt or delay the race, which this year is being run at the earlier time of 1.30pm to avoid a clash with the FA Cup final.

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Two Grooms at Saratoga Arrested for Felony Cocaine Possession

Two licensed grooms were arrested Thursday on felony charges of cocaine possession and intent to sell after a police investigation of the Saratoga Race Course backstretch.

The Saratoga Springs Police Department's Special Investigations Unit–who worked in tandem with the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office and New York Racing Association (NYRA) security–arrested Jose Hidalgo, 59, and Guadalupe Montesdecoa-Aguilar, 36, for possession of
over 200 grams of cocaine.

According to the Times-Union, the employees have worked for trainer Charlton Baker, who is not implicated in any criminal activity.
Hidalgo and Montesdecoa-Aguilar have been arraigned in Saratoga Springs City Court and held without bail, according to police.

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Police Raid Rossi Stables In Marseille

The stables of Group 1-winning trainers Frederic, Cedric and Charley Rossi were subjected to police raids in Marseille on Tuesday morning, according to a report by Le Parisien newspaper. Charley Rossi and his wife, the jockey Jessica Marcialis, are reported to have been arrested at the Calas training centre. It is believed that Frederic and Cedric Rossi were also taken away by police.

The four are reportedly among a larger group of around 15 people from the Marseille and Paris regions, including at least one vet, to have been detained by police as part of an ongoing investigation into equine doping and race fixing.

French racing and bloodstock daily Jour de Galop (JDG) has reported that a judicial investigation has been opened and quotes the deputy prosecutor at the Aix-en-Provence prosecutor's office, Olivier Poulet, as saying that a 10-month investigation led to Tuesday's arrests and police search of the training centre.

“The two offences are organised cheating (for rigged horse races) and the administration of doping substances to horses participating in races,” Poulet told the JDG. “For this type of offence, police custody can last four days. The presentation before the judge of those in police custody is scheduled for next Thursday. At this point, we cannot divulge their identity.”

JDG also reports that a number of horses and their documentation have been seized by police from all three stables. The Charley Rossi-trained Droit De Parole (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}) was withdrawn from Tuesday's Quinté at Chantilly.

The Rossi family has long been at the forefront of racing in the south of France. Frederic's father Henri Rossi was a leading jockey before becoming a trainer. Frederic and his elder brother Jacques both followed in his footsteps. Jacques, who is no longer training, is president of the Societe Hippique de Marseille, which oversees racing at the two local courses of Borely and Pont-de-Vivaux as well as the Calas training centre, which is home to 27 trainers. Jacques is the father of Cedric and Charley Rossi.

The family has gained wider prominence in world racing in recent years. In 2020, Frederic Rossi, who also has a satellite stable in Chantilly, trained his first Classic winner, the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches victrix Dream And Do (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), as well as G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}). The Arc meeting of 2020 proved a highly successful one for the family, as Charley Rossi landed the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac with Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), handing Jessica Marcialis a memorable first Group 1 win in the saddle. Third in that same race was Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), trained by his brother, who would go on to star on the same weekend this year when winning the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Italian-born Marcialis is the sister of former Chantilly trainer Andrea Marcialis, who in March was banned from racing until 2025 having been found guilty of a number of charges including medication violations and running a training operation under the name of another trainer.

On Saturday, Rougir topped the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale in Deauville when sold to White Birch Farm and Coolmore's MV Magnier at a record-breaking €3 million. Shortly before that, the 2-year-old Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), also trained by Cedric Rossi, fetched €2 million and will race on in America for Lael Stable.

Dream And Do has not raced since her Classic success but was sold privately last year to Katsumi Yoshida of Japan's Northern Farm. Tiger Tanaka went through the ring at last week's Tattersalls December Mares' Sale, selling for 450,000gns.

Sealiway was switched from the stable of Frederic to Cedric Rossi this summer and went on to run fifth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe before winning the G1 QIPCO Champion S. He remains in training and may be aimed at the Saudi Cup in February.

French racing's governing body France Galop released a statement on Tuesday afternoon which read, “France Galop is following very closely the development of the ongoing investigations made public today and has no comments to make at this stage.

“France Galop has the responsibility of ensuring the regularity of races. In this context, it cooperates closely and regularly with the racing centres and the sports division of the National Police.

“The fight against doping is an absolute priority for the racing industry, which devotes an annual budget of €10 million euros to [this cause]. Thus, the equine sector carries out nearly 30,000 anti-doping tests per year, at the races, for horses in and out of training, and in the breeding sector.”

Frederic Rossi is currently lying in fifth in the French trainers' table for 2021 with 94 winners, and Cedric Rossi is in tenth place.

None of the horses in question are known to have tested positive for any banned substance.

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