Derby Day was hit by an unfortunate withdrawal on Friday afternoon. Niels Petersen has confirmed to GalopSport that the unbeaten ante-post favourite Lord Of The Moon is not on the transport from Øvrevoll to Klampenborg. “He suffered a bruised heel on Tuesday. It is nothing serious, and something he will get over fairly quickly, but not quickly enough for him to run tomorrow,” Niels explains.
“We have of course done what we could, and not least played for time since the problem arose on Tuesday, but this morning we had to throw in the towel.”
The withdrawal of Lord Of The Moon (Sea The Moon) also means that Carlos Lopez is without a ride in the Bucherer Danish Derby, and so 2026 will not be the year the Chilean jockey equals Ole Larsen’s record for most Derby victories.
Nor will this be the year Karin Salling writes herself into history as the most successful owner in the Danish Derby, and Queen Rouge will not become the first Derby winner to produce a Derby winner since Dronning Wilhemina 98 years ago.
“It is an empty feeling in every possible way, and our whole team travels to Klampenborg today with bowed heads. We have a big Derby Day ahead of us, but Lord Of The Moon was of course a big part of it, and I am both disappointed and sad on Karin Salling’s behalf,” Niels Petersen states.
GalopSport has been in contact with Bet25’s Head of Odds & Risk, Morten Havskov Olsen, who confirms that all fixed-odds bets on Lord Of The Moon with Bet25 will be refunded.
Niels Petersen has two further non-runners on Derby Day: Huntington in the two-year-old Maiden Series and Sporty in the Bet25 Larch Ærespræmie.
In addition, Jan-Erik Neuroth has scratched Thunder Sea from the Elkær Stutteri Fawzia Stakes.
