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Interview of Hazar Imam after the win by Harzand at Epsom Derby

2016-06-04

Reporter: I am joined by His Highness the Aga Khan. Your Highness, many congratulations, your sixth Irish Derby win.

Aga Khan: it is a wonderful occasion and I want to thank all the team that is behind this effort to produce excellent horses year after year.

Reporter: Does that mean that your win in the sixth Irish Derby – all began with Shergar back in the early 80’s

The Aga Khan homebred Harzand moved to the lead in mid-stretch of the Investec Epsom Derby (Eng-I) and fought off a challenge from Us Army Ranger to win the 1 1/2-mile classic June 4 at Epsom Downs.

Jockey Pat Smullen picked up his first Epsom Derby win after delivering a well-timed move, opening a clear advantage when passing Idaho in midstretch, and then fending off runner-up Us Army Ranger, the 7-2 favorite, for a 1 1/2-length victory in the £1,545,000 ($2.25 million) classic, the most lucrative race ever run in Great Britain.

Shergar returns in triumph after the Derby at Epsom on June 3, 1981 (PA) (PA Archive). Shergar’s victory in the Derby remains one of the most iconic of all Classic victoriese. His winning margin of 10 lengths is a record and stamped Shergar as a middle-distance horse of the highest quality. At the start of the season, Shergar was 33-1 in the ante-post market on the Derby, but went off the 10-11 favourite after winning Sandown’s Classic Trial and the Chester Vase very easily. With his young rider Walter Swinburn in the saddle, the opposition was routed in spectacular fashion.

Hazar Imam with Shergar after the historic win on this day at the Epsom Derby

On February 1, 1983, TV-am launched on British TV screens. It was a fortnight behind the BBC’s ground-breaking Breakfast Time and the public had already shown themselves to be unsure about watching a news programme whilst eating their Cornflakes.

During those early days it looked like there was not enough interest to justify one televised breakfast show, let alone two.

Hazar Imam interviewed at Epsom Derby 2018