The second favourite for the £1.5m Betfred Derby will have a new jockey on his back at Epsom.
Callum Shepherd has ridden the James Fanshawe-trained Ambiente Friendly in both his starts this year and was in the saddle when the colt won the Lingfield Derby Trial by four and a half lengths.
It was widely assumed he would keep the mount in the June 1 Classic but owners The Gredley Family have had a change of heart.
They have denied 26-year-old Shepherd his first appearance in the race and chosen 50-year-old Robert Havlin, second jockey to John and Thady Gosden who rode Audience to a shock victory in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
Havlin has ridden over 1,300 winners but is regularly overlooked for the Gosden stable runners in the biggest races, having worked for years as Frankie Dettori’s understudy.
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Tim Gredley, speaking to the Racing Post, said: "It's a big call to make but we wanted to have more experience on the day.
"Dad [Bill Gredley] and I have had a chat with Callum and there has been no falling out. He's ridden us plenty of winners but we thought Rab Havlin had more experience of a big occasion like the Derby which will be a big day for all of us.”
Havlin has had only two rides in the Derby and has not ridden in the race since 2019 when finishing seventh on Humanitarian. His other ride was tenth.
IHe said: "It was a lovely surprise to pick the ride up and obviously I’ve got a lot of sympathy for Callum, I’ve been in that situation myself, as have plenty of other people,” said Havlin.
Ambiente Friendly is out on his own in the William Hill Lingfield Derby Trial (PA)“Unfortunately in this game it happens from the top to the bottom and somebody’s good luck is always someone else’s bad luck.
“My main interest now is to find out as much about the horse as possible before next Saturday.
“He’s a lovely horse, you can feel he’s got class about him. He takes hold of the bit, I know he runs in a ring bit, but it’s handy in a race of this nature because you can get a position.
“His profile is good, he’s ultra-progressive. He obviously needed the run in the Feilden (when fourth) like every Newmarket horse did at that meeting, but you’d have to be impressed with the way he came down the hill, cornered and then picked up when asked at Lingfield.
“He ticks a lot of boxes, he has less questions to answer than some, he ticked nearly every box in one day. He’s lightly-raced, a late-maturing type and his best days are still in front of him.”
Shepherd said he was "very disappointed" but had no further comment to make.
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