Whether it was the White City bends being too flat (no track had more dogs KO’d at the first bend), the Wimbledon bias against trap one, the bends being too wide at Towcester or the traps/banking at Nottingham, there is no such thing as a ‘fault free’ Derby course – writes Floyd Amphlett.
As was reported last week, the Colwick Park venue has responded to complaints about its starting traps – real or imagined – and quietly behind the scenes have been tweaking the banking on the bends.
This isn’t the sort of change that will be immediately obvious to anyone but the purist – or the wide runner going into the bend at just short of 40 mph. But even the slightest shift in the camber – gravity and track preparation will inevitably erode it – will affect the centrifugal force . That in turn alters the balance and running action of the wide runners who attempt to offset their longer route by taking the bends at a higher speed.
The gentle increase in the Nottingham banking has been taking place over several weeks with Jimmy Fenwick, handler of ante post favourite Ice On Fire, among those to notice the difference.
He said: “Dilly Dilly has been there three times and I have noticed the difference each time we have been there. It has certainly help her negotiate the bends. Correct banking is vital with Sheffield a great example; they have comparatively little trouble at the bends.”
We have done our best to emphasise the changes in the two photos below. The top photo was taken this week. The lower shot was taken by Steve Nash during last year’s Derby. The clue is to compare the height of the outside rail against the grass banking. We believe there is a noticeable difference.
