Rammie the Ram wins Daffodil Derby

Rammie the Ram, the mascot of Derby County Football Club, stormed to victory by winning the Daffodil Derby last night.

The race saw 27 Football League mascots line up at Southwell racecourse to launch Marie Curie Cancer Care as the Official Charity Partner of The Football League for the 2010/11 season.

Rammie recorded a time of 27.9 seconds over the one furlong race. He was followed by Hartlepool United’s H’Angus the Monkey in second and Leeds United’s Lucas the Kop Kat in third.

Each mascot was raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care to provide care, free of charge, to terminally ill patients in their own homes and in its hospices.

Football League Director of External Affairs Gavin Megaw said: “Many congratulations to Rammie for winning the Daffodil Derby.

“We’d like to thank all the mascots for taking time out to help us launch our partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care.

"It was a fantastic occasion and will hopefully inspire fans across the country to dig deep and help us reach our fundraising target for the season.”

Marie Curie nurse Ann Akrill, from Newark, was at the racecourse on behalf of the charity. She said: “The mascot race was a great way to launch the partnership and I had such a great evening with the Football League mascots who were very sporting indeed.

“The people I nurse every week in their own homes would be proud of the mascots and the Football League for a brilliant start to the season’s fundraising.

“I know Football League fans across the country will play a big part in making this partnership a huge success too and I urge them to get involved in any way they can this season.”

For more information, please log on to http://www.justgiving.com/footballleague2010-11 or to make a £3 donation to Marie Curie Cancer Care text GOAL to 70300.¹

-ENDS-

^{1. Each text will cost £3 plus your standard network messaging rate. Marie Curie Cancer Care will receive at least £2.67 from each donation depending on the network, some networks payout 100 per cent. Please get the bill payer’s permission to donate. For full terms and conditions visit www.football-league.co.uk/mariecurie↩}