Kiplingcotes Derby 2012
Kiplingcotes Derby is reputedly the oldest flat-race in the UK, with origins in the Sixteenth Century and firm records dating back to 1618. Entrants turn up on the day ; it's open to horses "of all ages" and jockeys weighing under 10 stone must carry weights according to the rules. The course covers four miles, steep in places and often muddy. The winner has to be in it for the glory -- the way the prize money is allocated means that the runner-up, whose prize is made up of the entry fees on the day, often gets a bigger cash prize than the winner who receives a fixed sum of £50. The day begins with speeches and a weigh-in at the finishing post; riders make their way slowly to the start of the race from this point and then race back.
For further information on this and other British calendar customs, visit http://www.calendarcustoms.com/
