Vodafone extends backing for Derby

Vodafone’s sponsorship of the Derby meeting has been extended until at least 207 in a new two-year deal.

Having sponsored the Derby since 1995, Vodafone’s link with the race has become one of the most successful recent partnerships in the sport.

Also revealed at Epsom yesterday were the six horses added into the Derby field at the latest entry stage earlier this month at a cost of £8,000 (€11,700).

These are led by the John Hammond-trained Walk In The Park, third in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud last October and reportedly likely to be aimed at the Lingfield Derby Trial.

Also added to the field is the Dermot Weld-trained Society Milliner, a 40-1 shot for the race with Paddy Power, who is entered up at Naas this weekend.

The others are Excusez Moi (trained by Clive Brittain), Gingiefly (John Dunlop), Forward Move (Richard Hannon) and Oakbridge (Alan Jarvis).

Excusez Moi was disappointing when well beaten in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury last weekend, but Brittain said today: “We’ll probably take him to the Dee Stakes now at Chester to teach him some racing manners.

"If that goes well then he could still come here for the Derby and we wouldn’t have wasted our eight grand!”