John Whitaker has the chance of a record-breaking fifth win in the DFS Derby, formerly the British Jumping Derby, when he competes with his course specialist, Lactic 2, and a new ride, Give Me Remus, at Hickstead this weekend. The event, regarded as the Grand National of showjumping with its stamina-sapping 16 fences, takes place on Sunday and offers a £40,000 first prize.

With several noted Derby pairings in the field, including William Funnell with Cortaflex Mondriaan, the winners last year, and Ben Maher with his 2005 winner, Alfredo II, Whitaker, 51, is circumspect about his chances. “Lactic’s my main hope but it depends on how he’s going on the day,” he said. “He’s fit and fresh and he’s been round the course several times, which is a bonus with this type of course.”.

The 16 fences, which have remained unchanged since the maiden running of the event in 1961, include the notorious Devil’s Dyke, the most difficult jump on the course, and the Derby Bank, with its 10ft 6in drop. Whitaker, who first won in 1983 on the legendary Ryan’s Son, normally prepares by practising over replicas of these fences – built at his Yorkshire home – but the recent floods have put paid to that this year. “The fields are under water; it’s too wet to get on them,” he said.

Although not as seasoned a campaigner as Lactic 2, who has been placed in the event three times, Give Me Remus is an enviable chance ride. Last year, when ridden by Maher, he was joint fourth at his first attempt. Whitaker, who was asked to ride him in the event by his owner, Louise Minder-man, sat on him for the first time only ten days ago – but that is no bar to success. Three years ago, Whitaker gained his fourth win in the event on Buddy Bunn, a horse he took over from the injured Funnell at 24 hours’ notice.

Other leading contenders include Whitaker’s niece, Ellen Whitaker, Britain’s leading female rider, who competes with Locarno, on which she was runner-up to her uncle in 2004 at her first attempt, and Robert Smith with Jerry Maguire, who were joint fourth last year.

Despite the rainfall of the past week, the organisers are confident that the main arena will be in pristine condition.

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