EPSOM DERBY

Past winners of the Epsom Derby Classic horse race
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Epsom Derby
Photograph of Nijinsky II and Lester Piggott
Nijinsky II and Lester Piggott


About the Epsom Derby
The Derby is a Group 1 horse race for 3 year-old colts and fillies over one mile and four furlongs and 10 yards (2400 Meters) at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey, England. The Epsom Derby is one of the five races for three year olds in England known as The Classics which are the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas both run at Newmarket Racecourse, the St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse, the Oaks and the Derby which are at Epsom Racecourse.

Epsom Derby History
English horse racing in the 17th and 18th Centuries had mainly consisted of long distance races which were run in heats and were for older horses but after the mid 18th Century there was a growing trend to replace this type of race with ones for younger animals with more emphasis on speed.

To trace the origins of the Derby one needs to go back to the latter part of the eighteenth century. At this time Epsom Racecourse was quite a well established venue for horse races.

The 12th Earl of Derby, Edward Smith Stanley (1752-1834), had a country house called The Oaks near Epsom and it was at this house during one of his parties that he, along with Sir Charles Bunbury, devised the beginnings of the two great Epsom Classic races.

In the words of the 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929) who owned the winner of three Derby′s himself with Ladas 1894, Sir Visto 1895 and Cicero 1905, that were spoken almost a century later, "A roystering party at a country house founded two races and named them gratefully after their host and his house, the Derby and the Oaks. Seldom has a carouse had more permanent affect."

The Derby was named after the Earl but there is some doubt thrown on the story that he and Sir Charles Bunbury tossed a coin at the aforementioned party to decide whether the race would be called the "Derby" or the "Bunbury".

In 1779 the Oaks (named after the Earl′s house) a mile and a half race for three year old fillies and in 1780 the Derby a one mile race for both colts and fillies were both first run. From 1780 until 1783 the Derby was run over one mile after which it was upped in distance to one and a half miles.

Nevertheless, it may have been the Derby name that was used to title the race but it was the Bunbury horse Diomed who won the very first Derby on Thursday the 4th of May 1780. This first Derby won by Diomed started in the Parish of Banstead half a mile east of Tattenham Corner and was run over a straight mile and was probably of very little interest other than to those who entered and local people.

The first Royal success in the Epsom Derby was in 1788 when Sir Thomas won for the Prince of Wales, who later became George IV.

It took some forty years or so for the Derby to achieve recognition as the most important race of the year in which it was helped by the greatly increased amount of space given to racing in the newspapers and also by the rapid growth of the railway system.

In 1821 Gustavus became the first grey horse to win the Derby.

Through the 1820′s the popularity of the race grew and huge crowds now massed on the Downs each Derby Day.

In 1830 the Derby was worth £2,800 to the winner, which for the time was a massive sum. To compare, the 2007 Derby won by Authorized (IRE), who was trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam and ridden by Frankie Dettori - Frankie′s first Derby winner - was worth £709,750.00 to connections.

By the middle of the nineteenth century it was custom for Parliament not to sit on Derby Day and the meeting had become more like a carnival with the Downs transformed into a massive fairground when Sanger′s Circus occupied a large area between Tattenham Corner and the winning post.

The first French owned and bred winner of the Derby came in 1865 when Gladiateur "The Avenger of Waterloo" won for owner Count de Lagrange. Gladiateur was trained at Phantom House, Newmarket by Tom Jennings. Gladiateur won that years Triple Crown when winning the 2000 Guineas and St Leger in addition to the Derby. He also won the Grand Prix de Paris and in 1866 won the Ascot Gold Cup.

The first Irish trained winner of the Derby was Orby who won in 1907 ridden by American jockey Johnny Reiff.

Another first for the race followed in 1908 when the 100-1 filly Signorinetta ridden by William Bullock and trained by Chevalier Ginistrelli, became the first winner to be bred, owned and trained by an Italian (although he did actually train in Newmarket). Signorinetta followed her Derby success up with a win in the Oaks only two days later but she never managed to win again.

One of the most sensational and dramatic Derby′s ever run was the 1913 race. Not only was it tragic when suffragette Miss Emily Davison was killed at Tattenham Corner after bringing down King George V colt Anmer who was ridden by Herbert Jones but also controversial when the favourite Craganour, ridden by Johnny Reiff, was disqualified by the stewards after passing the post first. The stewards on duty that day were Lord Rosebery, Lord Wolverton and Major Eustace Loder who objected to the winner of their own initiative and after some deliberation awarded the race to 100-1 shot Aboyeur. The peculiarities about their decision were that they not only were the objectors but were also the judges (disqualification looked a foregone conclusion). Also Reiff on Craganour was far from being the only offender in a rough race and finally the connections of Aboyeur (who the stewards alleged was jostled) never actually raised an objection themselves. Some people expressed that personal differences between Major Eustace Loder and Bowyer Ismay, owner of Craganour could have been a factor. Any ill feeling between the two could have been as a result of the loss of the ill-fated White Star cruise liner the Titanic on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic. It is believed that Loder knew many on the Titanic who drowned and felt aggrieved against the Ismay family who operated the White Star Shipping Line. The fact is the truth will never be known.

When Mid-day Sun won the 1937 Derby for owner Mrs G B Miller he became the first winner to carry the colours of a woman. Sandsprite who was second, was owned and trained by Mrs Florence Nagle (although her private trainer Hugh Powney held the licence). Separately, it was Mrs Nagle who in 1966 secured a verdict in the Court of Appeal that obliged the Jockey Club to grant trainers licences to women.

Jockeys
Sir Gordon Richards, the 26 time Champion Jockey who rode 4,870 winners only managed to win the Derby once in 1953 on Pinza. It was his 28th and final ride in the Epsom Classic.

A jockey who was more prolific though as a winner of the Epsom Derby was Lester Piggott who won the race a record nine times, with twenty nine years between his first and last victories. Piggott′s winners of the Derby were 1954 Never Say Die, 1957 Crepello, 1960 St Paddy, 1968 Sir Ivor, 1970 Nijinsky II, 1972 Roberto, 1976 Empery, 1977 The Minstrel and 1983 Teenoso.

The youngest winning jockey of the Derby was John Parsons who rode the 1862 winner Caractacus when only sixteen years old whilst the oldest winning jockey was John Forth who was believed to be over 60 years of age when riding and training the 1829 winner Frederick. John Forth also trained The Merry Monarch to win in 1845.

Written by Richard Bevan

You may be interested in winners of the Irish Derby at the Curragh

Epsom Derby Winning Fillies

Epsom Derby Winners

Abbreviations
b bay, br brown, bl black, ch chestnut, gr grey, c colt, f filly
Year Winner Colour / Sex / Year Born Sire - Dam
1780 Diomed ch. c. 1777 Florizel - Sister to Juno
1781 Young Eclipse b. c. 1778 Eclipse - Juno
1782 Assassin b. c. 1779 Sweetbriar - Angelica
1783 Saltram br. c. 1780 Eclipse - Virago
1784 Serjeant b. c. 1781 Eclipse - Aspasia
1785 Aimwell br. c. 1782 Mark Anthony - Sister to Postmaster
1786 Noble b. c. 1783 Highflyer - Brim
1787 Sir Peter Teazle br. c. 1784 Highflyer - Papillon
1788 Sir Thomas ch. c. 1785 Pontac - Sportsmistress
1789 Skyscraper b. c. 1786 Highflyer - Everlasting
1790 Rhadamanthus b. c. 1787 Justice - Flyer
1791 Eager b. c. 1788 Florizel - Daughter of Matchem
1792 John Bull ch. c. 1789 Fortitude - Xantippe
1793 Waxy b. c. 1790 Pot-8-Os - Maria
1794 Daedalus b. c. 1791 Justice - Flyer
1795 Spread Eagle b. c. 1792 Volunteer - Daughter of Highflyer
1796 Didelot b. c. 1793 Trumpator - Daughter of Highflyer
1797 colt by Fidget br. c. 1794 Fidget - Sister to Pharamond
1798 Sir Harry br. c. 1795 Sir Peter Teazle - Matron
1799 Archduke br. c. 1796 Sir Peter Teazle - Horatia
1800 Champion b. c. 1797 Pot-8-Os - Huncamunca
1801 Eleanor b. f. 1798 Whiskey - Young Giantess
1802 Tyrant b. c. 1799 Pot-8-Os - Sea-Fowl
1803 Ditto b. c. 1800 Sir Peter Teazle - Arethusa
1804 Hannibal b. c. 1801 Driver - Fractious
1805 Cardinal Beaufort b. c. 1802 Gohanna - Colibri
1806 Paris br. c. 1803 Sir Peter Teazle - Horatia
1807 Election ch. c. 1804 Gohanna - Chestnut Skim
1808 Pan ch. c. 1805 St. George - Arethusa
1809 Pope b. c. 1806 Waxy - Prunella
1810 Whalebone br. c. 1807 Waxy - Penelope
1811 Phantom b. c. 1808 Walton - Julia
1812 Octavius br. c. 1809 Orville - Marianne
1813 Smolensko bl. c. 1810 Sorcerer - Wowski
1814 Blucher b. c. 1811 Waxy - Pantina
1815 Whisker b. c. 1812 Waxy - Penelope
1816 Prince Leopold b. c. 1813 Hedley - Gramarie
1817 Azor ch. c. 1814 Selim - Zoraida
1818 Sam ch. c. 1815 Scud - Hyale
1819 Tiresias br. c. 1816 Soothsayer - Pledge
1820 Sailor ch. c. 1817 Scud - Goosander
1821 Gustavus gr. c. 1818 Election - Lady Grey
1822 Moses b. c. 1819 Seymour - Daughter of Gohanna
1823 Emilius b. c. 1820 Orville - Emily
1824 Cedric ch. c. 1821 Phantom - Daughter of Walton
1825 Middleton ch. c. 1822 Phantom - Web
1826 Lap-Dog b. c. 1823 Whalebone - Daughter of Canopus
1827 Mameluke b. c. 1824 Partisan - Miss Sophia
1828 Cadland br. c. 1825 Andrew - Sorcery
1829 Frederick b. c. 1826 Little John - Daughter of Phantom
1830 Priam b. c. 1827 Emilius - Cressida
1831 Spaniel b. c. 1828 Whalebone - Daughter of Canopus
1832 St. Giles ch. c. 1829 Tramp - Arcot Lass
1833 Dangerous ch. c. 1830 Tramp - Defiance
1834 Plenipotentiary ch. c. 1831 Emilius - Harriet
1835 Mundig ch. c. 1832 Catton - Emma
1836 Bay Middleton b. c. 1833 Sultan - Cobweb
1837 Phosphorus b. c. 1834 Lamplighter - mare by Rubens
1838 Amato br. c. 1835 Velocipede - Jane Shore
1839 Bloomsbury b. c. 1836 Mulatto - Arcot Lass
1840 Little Wonder b. c. 1837 Muley - Lacerta
1841 Coronation b. c. 1838 Sir Hercules - Ruby
1842 Attila ch. c. 1839 Colwick - Progress
1843 Cotherstone b. c. 1840 Touchstone - Emma
1844 Orlando b. c. 1841 Touchstone - Vulture
1845 The Merry Monarch b. c. 1842 Slane - The Margravine
1846 Pyrrhus the First ch. c. 1843 Epirus - Fortress
1847 Cossack ch. c. 1844 Hetman Platoff - Joannina
1848 Surplice b. c. 1845 Touchstone - Crucifix
1849 The Flying Dutchman br. c. 1846 Bay Middleton - Barbelle
1850 Voltigeur br. c. 1847 Voltaire - Martha Lynn
1851 Teddington ch. c. 1848 Orlando - Miss Twickenham
1852 Daniel O'Rourke ch. c. 1849 Birdcatcher - Forget-Me-Not
1853 West Australian b. c. 1850 Melbourne - Mowerina
1854 Andover b. c. 1851 Bay Middleton - Daughter of Defence
1855 Wild Dayrell br. c. 1852 Ion - Ellen Middleton
1856 Ellington br. c. 1853 The Flying Dutchman - Ellerdale
1857 Blink Bonny b. f. 1854 Melbourne - Queen Mary
1858 Beadsman br. c. 1855 Weatherbit - Mendicant
1859 Musjid br. c. 1856 Newminster - Peggy
1860 Thormanby ch. c. 1857 Windhound - Alice Hawthorn
1861 Kettledrum ch. c. 1858 Rataplan - Hybla
1862 Caractacus b. c. 1859 Kingston - Defenceless
1863 Macaroni b. c. 1860 Sweetmeat - Jocose
1864 Blair Athol ch. c. 1861 Stockwell - Blink Bonny
1865 Gladiateur b. c. 1862 Monarque - Miss Gladiator
1866 Lord Lyon b. c. 1863 Stockwell - Paradigm
1867 Hermit ch. c. 1864 Newminster - Seclusion
1868 Blue Gown b. c. 1865 Beadsman - Bas Bleu
1869 Pretender b. c. 1866 Adventurer - Ferina
1870 Kingcraft b. c. 1867 King Tom - Woodcraft
1871 Favonius ch. c. 1868 Parmesan - Zephyr
1872 Cremorne b. c. 1869 Parmesan - Rigolboche
1873 Doncaster ch. c. 1870 Stockwell - Marigold
1874 George Frederick ch. c. 1871 Marsyas - The Princess of Wales
1875 Galopin b. c. 1872 Vedette - Flying Duchess
1876 Kisber b. c. 1873 Buccaneer - Mineral
1877 Silvio b. c. 1874 Blair Athol - Silverhair
1878 Sefton b. c. 1875 Speculum - Lady Sefton
1879 Sir Bevys br. c. 1876 Favonius - Lady Langden
1880 Bend Or ch. c. 1877 Doncaster - Rouge Rose
1881 Iroquois br. c. 1878 Leamington - Maggie B. B.
1882 Shotover ch. f. 1879 Hermit - Stray Shot
1883 St. Blaise ch. c. 1880 Hermit - Fusee
1884 (tie) St. Gatien b. c. 1881 The Rover - St. Editha
1884 (tie) Harvester br. c. 1881 Sterling - Wheatear
1885 Melton b. c. 1882 Master Kildare - Violet Melrose
1886 Ormonde b. c. 1883 Bend Or - Lily Agnes
1887 Merry Hampton b. c. 1884 Hampton - Doll Tearsheet
1888 Ayrshire b. c. 1885 Hampton - Atalanta
1889 Donovan b. c. 1886 Galopin - Mowerina
1890 Sainfoin ch. c. 1887 Springfield - Sanda
1891 Common br. c. 1888 Isonomy - Thistle
1892 Sir Hugo ch. c. 1889 Wisdom - Manoeuvre
1893 Isinglass b. c. 1890 Isonomy - Deadlock
1894 Ladas b. c. 1891 Hampton - Illuminata
1895 Sir Visto b. c. 1892 Barcaldine - Vista
1896 Persimmon b. c. 1893 St. Simon - Perdita
1897 Galtee More b. c. 1894 Kendal - Morganette
1898 Jeddah ch. c. 1895 Janissary - Pilgrimage
1899 Flying Fox b. c. 1896 Orme - Vampire
1900 Diamond Jubilee b. c. 1897 St. Simon - Perdita
1901 Volodyovski b. c. 1898 Florizel II - La Reine
1902 Ard Patrick br. c. 1899 St. Florian - Morganette
1903 Rock Sand br. c. 1900 Sainfoin - Roquebrune
1904 St. Amant b. c. 1901 St. Frusquin - Lady Loverule
1905 Cicero ch. c. 1902 Cyllene - Gas
1906 Spearmint b. c. 1903 Carbine - Maid of the Mint
1907 Orby ch. c. 1904 Orme - Rhoda B.
1908 Signorinetta b. f. 1905 Chaleureux - Signorina
1909 Minoru br. c. 1906 Cyllene - Mother Siegal
1910 Lemberg b. c. 1907 Cyllene - Galicia
1911 Sunstar br. c. 1908 Sundridge - Doris
1912 Tagalie gr. f. 1909 Cyllene - Tagale
1913 Aboyeur b. c. 1910 Desmond - Pawky
1914 Durbar b. c. 1911 Rabelais - Armenia
1915 Pommern b. c. 1912 Polymelus - Merry Agnes
1916 Fifinella ch. f. 1913 Polymelus - Silver Fowl
1917 Gay Crusader b. c. 1914 Bayardo - Gay Laura
1918 Gainsborough b. c. 1915 Bayardo - Rosedrop
1919 Grand Parade bl. c. 1916 Orby - Grand Geraldine
1920 Spion Kop b. c. 1917 Spearmint - Hammerkop
1921 Humorist ch. c. 1918 Polymelus - Jest
1922 Captain Cuttle ch. c. 1919 Hurry On - Bella Vista
1923 Papyrus br. c. 1920 Tracery - Miss Matty
1924 Sansovino b. c. 1921 Swynford - Gondolette
1925 Manna b. c. 1922 Phalaris - Waffles
1926 Coronach ch. c. 1923 Hurry On - Wet Kiss
1927 Call Boy ch. c. 1924 Hurry On - Comedienne
1928 Felstead b. c. 1925 Spion Kop - Felkington
1929 Trigo b. c. 1926 Blandford - Athasi
1930 Blenheim br. c. 1927 Blandford - Malva
1931 Cameronian b. c. 1928 Pharos - Una Cameron
1932 April the Fifth br. c. 1929 Craig An Eran - Sold Again
1933 Hyperion ch. c. 1930 Gainsborough - Selene
1934 Windsor Lad b. c. 1931 Blandford - Resplendent
1935 Bahram b. c. 1932 Blandford - Friar's Daughter
1936 Mahmoud gr. c. 1933 Blenheim - Mah Mahal
1937 Mid-Day Sun b. c. 1934 Solario - Bridge of Allan
1938 Bois Roussel br. c. 1935 Vatout - Plucky Liege
1939 Blue Peter ch. c. 1936 Fairway - Fancy Free
1940 Pont L'Eveque b. c. 1937 Barneveldt - Ponteba
1941 Owen Tudor br. c. 1938 Hyperion - Mary Tudor
1942 Watling Street b. c. 1939 Fairway - Ranai
1943 Straight Deal b. c. 1940 Solario - Good Deal
1944 Ocean Swell b. c. 1941 Blue Peter - Jiffy
1945 Dante br. c. 1942 Nearco - Rosy Legend
1946 Airborne gr. c. 1943 Precipitation - Bouquet
1947 Pearl Diver b. c. 1944 Vatellor - Pearl Cap
1948 My Love b. c. 1945 Vatellor - For My Love
1949 Nimbus b. c. 1946 Nearco - Kong
1950 Galcador ch. c. 1947 Djebel - Pharyva
1951 Arctic Prince br. c. 1948 Prince Chevalier - Arctic Sun
1952 Tulyar br. c. 1949 Tehran - Neocracy
1953 Pinza b. c. 1950 Chanteur - Pasqua
1954 Never Say Die ch. c. 1951 Nasrullah - Singing Grass
1955 Phil Drake b. c. 1952 Admiral Drake - Philippa
1956 Lavandin b. c. 1953 Verso - Lavande
1957 Crepello ch. c. 1954 Donatello - Crepuscule
1958 Hard Ridden b. c. 1955 Hard Sauce - Toute Belle
1959 Parthia br. c. 1956 Persian Gulf - Lightning
1960 St. Paddy b. c. 1957 Aureole - Edie Kelly
1961 Psidium ch. c. 1958 Pardal - Dinarella
1962 Larkspur ch. c. 1959 Never Say Die - Skylarking
1963 Relko b. c. 1960 Tanerko - Relance
1964 Santa Claus b. c. 1961 Chamossaire - Aunt Clara
1965 Sea-Bird II ch. c. 1962 Dan Cupid - Sicalade
1966 Charlottown b. c. 1963 Charlottesville - Meld
1967 Royal Palace b. c. 1964 Ballymoss - Crystal Palace
1968 Sir Ivor b. c. 1965 Sir Gaylord - Attica
1969 Blakeney b. c. 1966 Hethersett - Windmill Girl
1970 Nijinsky II b. c. 1967 Northern Dancer - Flaming Page
1971 Mill Reef b. c. 1968 Never Bend - Milan Mill
1972 Roberto b. c. 1969 Hail To Reason - Bramalea
1973 Morston ch. c. 1970 Ragusa - Windmill Girl
1974 Snow Knight ch. c. 1971 Firestreak - Snow Blossom
1975 Grundy ch. c. 1972 Great Nephew - Word From Lundy
1976 Empery b. c. 1973 Vaguely Noble - Pamplona
1977 The Minstrel ch. c. 1974 Northern Dancer - Fleur
1978 Shirley Heights b. c. 1975 Mill Reef - Hardiemma
1979 Troy b. c. 1976 Petingo - La Milo
1980 Henbit b. c. 1977 Hawaii - Chateaucreek
1981 Shergar b. c. 1978 Great Nephew - Sharmeen
1982 Golden Fleece b. c. 1979 Nijinsky - Exotic Treat
1983 Teenoso b. c. 1980 Youth - Furioso
1984 Secreto b. c. 1981 Northern Dancer - Betty's Secret
1985 Slip Anchor b. c. 1982 Shirley Heights - Sayonara
1986 Shahrastani ch. c. 1983 Nijinsky - Shademah
1987 Reference Point b. c. 1984 Mill Reef - Home on the Range
1988 Kahyasi b. c. 1985 Ile de Bourbon - Kadissya
1989 Nashwan ch. c. 1986 Blushing Groom - Height of Fashion
1990 Quest For Fame b./br. c. 1987 Rainbow Quest - Aryenne
1991 Generous (IRE) ch. c. 1988 Caerleon - Doff the Derby
1992 Dr. Devious ch. c. 1989 Ahonoora - Rose of Jericho
1993 Commander in Chief br. c. 1990 Dancing Brave - Slightly Dangerous
1994 Erhaab br. c. 1991 Chief's Crown - Histoire
1995 Lammtarra ch. c. 1992 Nijinsky - Snow Bride
1996 Shaamit b. c. 1993 Mtoto - Shamoose
1997 Benny the Dip b/br. c. 1994 Silver Hawk - Rascal Rascal
1998 High Rise b. c. 1995 High Estate - High Tern
1999 Oath b. c. 1996 Fairy King - Sheer Audacity
2000 Sinndar b.c. 1997 Grand Lodge - Sinnatara
2001 Galileo (IRE) b.c. 1998 Sadler's Wells - Urban Sea by Miswaki
2002 High Chaparral (IRE) b.c. 1999 Sadler's Wells - Kasora by Darshaan
2003 Kris Kin (USA) ch.c. 2000 Kris S (USA) - Angel In My Heart (FR)
2004 North Light(IRE) b.c. 2001 Danehill (USA) - Sought Out (IRE)
2005 Motivator b.c. 2002 Montjeu (IRE) - Out West (USA)
2006 Sir Percy b.c. 2003 Mark Of Esteem (IRE) - Percy's Lass
2007 Authorized b.c. 2004 Montjeu(IRE) - Funsie(FR)




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