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Epsom eyes 2012 Derby switch7th January 2010
The 2012 Epsom Derby could be moved from its scheduled Saturday slot to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Lord Mandelson has announced workers will get an extra day off on Tuesday 5 June to mark the monarch's 60 years on the throne. He said the late May bank holiday would be switched to Monday 4 June as part of the four-day weekend celebrations.
Epsom managing director Rupert Trevelyan today said that changing the Derby date was a possibility.
"All I can say is we are discussing things. We haven't ruled anything in or out," he said.
"It's a big opportunity and the Queen has a close bond with the Derby."
The Queen attended the famous Epsom meeting in her coronation year of 1953, when legendary jockey Sir Gordon Richards dashed her dream of winning the Derby.
Richards finally landed the blue riband of horse racing at the 28th attempt - just days after he had been knighted.
The 26-time champion won the 1953 Derby aboard Pinza, beating the Queen's horse Aureole into second, at the height of Her Majesty's coronation celebrations.
At that time, the Derby held in its traditional slot of the first Wednesday in June.
But in recent years the race has taken place on a Saturday in an effort to reach a wider international audience.
Trevelyan said the Queen, who owns a string of racehorses, attends the Derby every year in a private capacity.
"At this stage we're only a couple of days in since Lord Mandelson made his announcement," he added.
"We've had initial discussions and have a little bit of time before we make a decision and there are lots of people we need to talk to. The first people to contact are the Queen's connections because she may well have plans already, then there's race planning issues as well.
"We are proud of our connection with the Queen and believe recent runnings of the Derby have reaffirmed its place as the greatest Flat race in the world."
The Royal Family has a long association with horse racing and Epsom racecourse.
In her Silver Jubilee year of 1977, the Queen's filly Dunfermline won the Oaks under Willie Carson.
The Queen came to the throne on 6 February 1952 and her Coronation took place on 2 June 1953. As part of her diamond jubilee celebrations, the Queen has granted Royal borough status to Greenwich in London, which is where her granddaughter Zara Phillips will go for equestrian gold at the 2012 Olympic Games.
The Queen is a regular at the Epsom Derby