Epsom officials play down equine disease worry

Epsom officials expressed their confidence that the Vodafone Derby meeting would be unaffected by an outbreak of a highly-infectious equine disease nearby when they played host to several Classic candidates at the track this morning.

After two cases of strangles disease were confirmed at a livery stable just yards from the racecourse, Epsom supremo Stephen Wallis was forced to call off today’s inaugural ‘Breakfast With The Stars’ gala.