Jockey Club granted injunction to help prevent Derby protesters

The Jockey Club has been granted a High Court injunction against Animal Rising protesters who plan to disrupt the Betfred Derby at Epsom next weekend.

The application was lodged by the Jockey Club, who own Epsom Downs alongside many other high-profile tracks, as they felt the organisation had made it "explicitly clear" that they intended to breach security at the Surrey racecourse to stage a disruptive protest.

Word of their plans came after disruption to the Grand National at Aintree in April, when the race was delayed by just over 10 minutes after demonstrators made their way onto the track and had to be removed by police.

Officials at the Jockey Club feared the Epsom protest would endanger participants, racegoers and horses - although they state they do not dismiss the right to peaceful protest and have offered Animal Rising an area near the entrance of the racecourse specifically for this purpose on Derby day, 3 June.

The injunction granted by High Court judge Anthony Mann prohibits individuals from entering onto the racetrack and carrying out other acts with the intention and/or effect of disrupting the races.

Such acts include intentionally causing objects to enter the racetrack, entering the parade ring, entering and/or remaining on the horses' route to the parade ring and to the racetrack without authorisation, and intentionally endangering any person at Epsom Downs racecourse during the two-day Derby Festival.

Individuals acting in breach of the court order could be subject to proceedings for contempt of court, which may lead to a fine and/or imprisonment.

The Jockey Club's chief executive, Nevin Truesdale, said: "Our number one priority will always be to ensure that the safety of all our equine and human participants