Dettori targets farewell Derby victory on Arrest

Frankie Dettori won his seventh Oaks title on Soul Sister

Frankie Dettori will look to continue his remarkable farewell season when he rides Arrest in the Derby on Saturday.

It means Arrest, trained by John and Thady Gosden, is now favourite for the 244th Derby, with Dettori seeking his third win in the famous race.

The Classic race at Epsom Downs Racecourse will start at 13:30 BST.

It has been moved from its traditional 16:30 time slot to avoid clashing with the FA Cup Final at 15:00.

A field of 14 runners will take part in the race over a distance of one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards.

• Epsom Derby schedule, race times & BBC coverage

A fairytale farewell?

Dettori took 15 attempts to win his first Derby, on Authorized in 2007, before he also triumphed on Golden Horn in 2015.

He comes into his 28th and final Derby in stirring form, having won two of the three British Classic races so far this year - the Oaks, and the 2,000 Guineas last month on Chaldean.

The Italian rode Emily Upjohn to victory in the Coronation Cup on Friday, while he also won the Chester Vase aboard Arrest in May.

Dettori said he "never thought" he would "be able to ride a horse with a great chance to win the Derby" when he announced he was going to retire in December.

"The point about the Derby is that it's only once a year and once it's gone, it's gone," he added.

"It is the most important race. For a jockey, when you start, you want to win the Derby."

The rest of the field

William Buick rode Military Order to victory at Lingfield

Aidan O'Brien, the race's most successful trainer with eight victories, has three contenders, led by Auguste Rodin and also featuring Adelaide River and San Antonio.

White Birch, trained John Murphy, and Jessica Harrington's Leopardstown Derby Trial winner Sprewell are the other Irish hopefuls.

Sir Michael Stoute has one entry in Passenger, ridden by Richard Kingscote, who won on Desert Crown for Stoute's sixth Derby win last year.

Former market leader Military Order, winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial for trainer Charlie Appleby, will be ridden by William Buick.

Dante winner The Foxes is in contention for Andrew Balding, while Charlie Johnston has two entries in Dubai Mile and Dear My Friend.

Ralph Beckett's unbeaten Artistic Star, the Roger Varian-trained King Of Steel and Waipiro for Ed Walker are the other contenders.

Potential protests

The Jockey Club won a High Court injunction last month to prevent animal rights protestors disrupting the Derby Festival.

There was no disruption on Friday, though the Animal Rising group have said they will attempt to cancel or delay the Derby on Saturday.

Animal rights activists delayed the start of the Grand National by getting on to the track at Aintree in April.

Protestors also tried to disrupt the Scottish Grand National the following week.

Animal Rising spokesperson Nathan McGovern said: "We are looking to continue the conversation that we started at the Grand National about our broken relationship with animals and nature.

"On the ground we are looking to cause the cancellation or severe delay of the event so that everyone in the country has this discussion."

Surrey Police said they are planning "robust action" to deal with any disruption and "any criminal activity or risk to public safety will not be tolerated".

"We believe everyone should have the right to peaceful protest and have offered Animal Rising an area near the entrance of Epsom Downs Racecourse to express their views in a law-abiding way," said Jockey Club chief executive Nevin Truesdale.

"However, anyone who attempts to disrupt the race or compromise the safety of horses or humans will be dealt with robustly by our security teams and the police."