Epsom Derby

History

The Stanley family, Earls of Derby, had a long history of horse-racing, and James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby, who gained the Lordship of Mann in 1627, instituted horse-racing on the Langness Peninsula on the Isle of Man, donating a cup for what became known as the "Manx Derby".

The Derby originated at a celebration following the first running of the Oaks Stakes in 1779. A new race was planned, and it was decided that it should be named after either the host of the party, the 12th Earl of Derby, or one of his guests, Sir Charles Bunbury (the Bunbury Cup run at Newmarket would later be named in his honour). According to legend the decision was made by the toss of a coin, but it is probable that Bunbury, the Steward of the Jockey Club, deferred to his host. The inaugural running of the Derby was held on Thursday 4 May 1780. It was won by Diomed, a colt owned by Sir Charles Bunbury, who collected prize money of £1,065 15s. The first four runnings were contested over the last mile of the old Orbicular course , this extended in line with the Oaks to the current distance of 1½ miles in 1784. Lord Derby achieved his first success in the event in 1787, with a horse called Sir Peter Teazle. The 1897 race, which was called the Jubilee Derby in honour of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, was won easily by Galtee More, causing bonfire celebrations all over Ireland. [[File:The Derby 1897.jpg|thumb|Galtee More easily wins the “Jubilee” Derby on 2nd of June 1897]]

The starting point of the race was moved twice during the 19th century. The first move, suggested by Lord George Bentinck, was in 1848, and the second was in 1872. It was discovered in 1991 that the exact length of the race was one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards.

Initially, the Derby was run on a Thursday in late May or early June, depending on when Easter occurred. In 1838 the race was moved to a Wednesday to fit in with the railways' timetables, but still followed the moveable feast of Easter. In the 20th century, the race was run mainly on a Wednesday in late May or early June until 1994, after which it was changed to a Saturday in early June. From 1915 to 1918 (during World War I), it was on a Tuesday, with the race's latest ever date being 31 July 1917. From 1942 to 1945 (during World War II), 1947 to 1950, and in 1953, the race was run on a Saturday. From 1969 to 1994, it was on the first Wednesday in June. From 2003 to at least 2022, it has been on the first Saturday in June, apart from a race on 4 July 2020 without spectators, owing to COVID-19.

The Derby has been run at Epsom in all years except during the world wars; from 1915 to 1918 and from 1940 to 1945, the Derby was run at Newmarket as the 'New Derby'.

With the race's close association with gambling, the most controversial running of the Epsom Derby took place in 1844. The winner, Running Rein, was disqualified on discovery that a four-year-old imposter, a horse by the name Maccabeus, had been substituted in his place as part of a betting coup.

The Derby has inspired many similar events around the world. European variations include the Irish Derby, the Prix du Jockey Club (often known as the "French Derby"), Derby Italiano and the Deutsches Derby. Several races in the United States include the "Derby" name, including the oldest, the Kentucky Derby. Other national equivalents include the Australian Derby, the New Zealand Derby, the Japanese Derby and the Romanian Derby.

In 1931, the Derby became the world's first outdoor sporting event to be televised.

There is a maximum of 20 runners allowed in the race.

Since 1993, the Derby has introduced the option of yearling entry.

Epsom Fair

For many years the Derby was run on a Wednesday or a Thursday and on the day huge crowds would come from London, not only to see the race but to enjoy other entertainment (during some of the 19th century and most of the 20th, Parliament would adjourn to allow members to attend the meeting).

By the time that Charles Dickens visited Epsom Downs to view the race in the 1850s, entertainers such as musicians, clowns, and conjurers plied their trades and entertained the crowds; other forms of entertainment included coconut stalls. The crowded meeting was the subject of a painting by William Powell Frith painted in the 1858 and titled The Derby Day; critics have noted that the foreground of the painting features the entertainment attractions, while the racing is relegated to the margins.

In the 1870s, the steam-driven rides were introduced. They were located at the Tattenham Corner end of the grounds and the fair was on for ten days and entertained hundreds of thousands. During the latter half of the 20th century, Derby Day became less popular and the race was moved from Wednesday to Saturday in 1995 with the hope of reviving high attendance. As the number of people attending the fair dwindled in the face of competition for attention and changing tastes, its length was reduced from 10 days to three or four.

Modern format

Today, the free-admission Hill still provides a festival atmosphere with a fairground in operation on the Friday and Saturday. The walk-in nature of the Hill typically sees Derby attendances exceed 100,000 spectators, making it one of the largest sporting events in the United Kingdom.

Sponsorship

In 2021 and 2022 the race, along with seven other races at the Derby festival, was sponsored by Cazoo. Cazoo declined an option to extend their sponsorship and in April 2023 the bookmaker Betfred agreed a three-year deal to sponsor the Derby and Oaks.

Investec was the previous sponsor of the Derby between 2009 and 2020. The race was previously backed by Ever Ready (1984–94) and Vodafone (1995–2008).

Popular culture

• The 1952 drama film Derby Day, directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Michael Wilding and Anna Neagle, is set entirely around the Derby.
• Other films which centre on the Derby are Wings of the Morning, notably, the first British technicolor film; The March Hare; and the most accurate of the quartet Esther Waters, directed by Ian Dalrymple and starring Kathleen Ryan and Dirk Bogarde, this dramatically set around the Derbys of 1881 and 1885.
• Howard Brenton's 1997 play Epsom Downs is set on Derby Day 1977.
• The Derby is also the setting for the series 2 finale of BBC television's Peaky Blinders.
• The Derby race features as a plot in a stage show in the film Yankee Doodle Dandy. |}

Records

Leading jockey (9 wins)

• Lester Piggott – Never Say Die (1954), Crepello (1957), St. Paddy (1960), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), Empery (1976), The Minstrel (1977), Teenoso (1983)

Leading [[Horse trainer|trainer]] (11 wins)

• Aidan O'Brien – Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012), Ruler of the World (2013), Australia (2014), Wings of Eagles (2017), Anthony Van Dyck (2019), Serpentine (2020), Auguste Rodin (2023), City Of Troy (2024), Lambourn (2025)

Leading owner (12 wins): (includes part ownership)

• Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor – Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Pour Moi (2011), Camelot (2012), Ruler Of The World (2013), Australia (2014), Wings of Eagles (2017), Anthony Van Dyck (2019), Serpentine (2020), Auguste Rodin (2023), City Of Troy (2024),Lambourn (2025)

Leading sire (5 wins)

• Galileo – New Approach (2008), Ruler of the World (2013), Australia (2014), Anthony Van Dyck (2019), Serpentine (2020)

Dams of two winners

• Flyer (Rhadamanthus and Daedalus)
• Highflyer mare, known as Eagle's Dam, (Didelot and Spread Eagle)
• Horatia (Archduke and Paris)
• Arethusa (Ditto and Pan)
• Penelope (Whalebone and Whisker)
• Canopus mare (Lap-dog and Spaniel)
• Arcot Lass (St. Giles and Bloomsbury)
• Emma (Mündig and Cotherstone)
• Perdita II (Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee)
• Morganette (Galtee More and Ard Patrick)
• Windmill Girl (Blakeney and Morston)
• Urban Sea (Galileo and Sea the Stars)

Other records

• Fastest winning time (at Epsom) – 2m 31.33s, Workforce (2010)
• Widest winning margin – 10 lengths, Shergar (1981)
• Longest odds winners – Jeddah (1898), Signorinetta (1908), Aboyeur (1913), 100/1
• Shortest odds winner – Ladas (1894), 2/9
• Most runners – 34 (1862)
• Fewest runners – 4 (1794)

Winners

Winning distances are shown in lengths or shorter (dh = dead-heat; shd = short-head; hd = head; snk = short-neck; nk = neck).

References

49. Kevin McCarthy and Michael Church's 17 page Academic Essay, "Where did the first Derby start from?" Available on www.michaelchurchracingbooks.com

References

1. "The Derby at Epsom". The Jockey Club.
2. Church, Michael ''The Derby Stakes, 1780-2013'' (Raceform, 2016, {{ISBN. 978-1910498927, p.12)
3. "Crowds flock to Epsom for Derby Day". BBC News.
4. "BBC Worldwide Offers International TV Rights to Epsom Derby". Sportcal.
5. ''Mona Miscellany'' Second Series, Volume 21 pp183-187, The Manx Society (1873), [http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol21/p183.htm] {{Webarchive. link. (4 March 2016)
6. (2 June 2001). "The Epsom Derby uncovered". BBC Sport.
7. "The Derby Festival".
8. "The Epsom Derby".
9. (9 June 2020). "31 July 1917 – The latest ever Epsom Derby day".
10. Byles, Tony. (2011). "In Search of Running Rein: The Amazing Fraud of the 1844 Derby". Apex Publishing Ltd.
11. Baird, Iain Logie. (1 April 2021). "Televising the Derby (1931)". Bairdtelevision.com.
12. "Epsom Derby Runners 2023 – Favourites, Contenders, Longshots & Much More".
13. "Derby entry rules changed to allow 'more flexibility for owners and trainers'".
14. Telegraph View. (3 June 2011). "Epsom Derby: Spirits up on the Downs". The Telegraph.
15. (1902). "The Victoria history of the county of Surrey". A. Constable.
16. (24 July 1880). "English and Foreign". Otago Witness.
17. Crane, Helen. (4 June 2009). "Century of tradition lost as Epsom Derby Fair scrapped". Newsquest.
18. Payne, Christiana. (July 2001). "A Day at the Races". Science Museum.
19. [https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/epsom/events-tickets/epsom-derby/plan-your-day/enclosures/the-hill/ The Hill] {{Webarchive. link. (1 June 2022 . ''The Jockey Club''. Retrieved 2 June 2022.)
20. link. (2 June 2022 . ''iNews''. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2022.)
21. (1 April 2021). "Car retailer Cazoo unveiled as headline Derby festival sponsor". Racing Post.
22. (27 March 2023). "Talking Horses: Derby must avoid bookmaker backing for good of racing". The Guardian.
23. (11 April 2023). "'The Derby remains the greatest Flat race in the world' - Betfred to sponsor Epsom Classics in three-year deal". Racing Post.
24. (5 May 2009). "Bankers ride to the rescue of Derby". The Independent.
25. Racetrack Sires 2009, June/August 2009, p.54
26. "1992 Epsom Derby Result".
27. "1993 Epsom Derby Result".
28. "1994 Epsom Derby Result".
29. "1995 Epsom Derby Result".
30. "1996 Epsom Derby Result".
31. "1997 Epsom Derby Result".
32. "1998 Epsom Derby Result".
33. "1999 Epsom Derby Result".
34. "2000 Epsom Derby Result".
35. "2001 Epsom Derby Result".
36. "2002 Epsom Derby Result".
37. "2003 Epsom Derby Result".
38. "2004 Epsom Derby Result".
39. "2005 Epsom Derby Result".
40. "2006 Epsom Derby Result".
41. "2007 Epsom Derby Result".
42. "2008 Epsom Derby Result".
43. "2009 Epsom Derby Result".
44. "2010 Epsom Derby Result".
45. "2011 Epsom Derby Result".
46. "2012 Epsom Derby Result".
47. "2013 Epsom Derby Result".
48. "2014 Epsom Derby Result".
49. "2015 Epsom Derby Result".
50. "2016 Epsom Derby Result".
51. "2017 Epsom Derby Result".