History of the Epsom Derby

Nigel Cooper

June 2003

Were it not for the result of a coin toss between two English gents more than 200 years ago, British horse racing enthusiasts would now be looking forward to the Epsom Bunbury each June. Since that flip of the coin the world famous horse race has seen its share of triumph and tragedy. This is the story of the Epsom Derby.

Late in the 18th Century, two men, Sir Charles Bunbury and Lord Derby, sat admiring Epsom Downs. Both were horse racing enthusiasts and, as they enjoyed the stunning location, they realised the unusual contours of the landscape would make a wonderful racecourse. Derby and Bunbury were not men to let a good idea go to waste and, in 1779, the first flat race (a horse race without jumps), named The Oaks after Lord Derby's estate, was run at Epsom.

The Oaks covered 1.5 miles (1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards) and was restricted to three-year-old fillies (young females). But Lord Derby and Sir Bunbury also wanted a flat race that would include colts (young males). By maintaining the age constraint, but allowing horses of both sexes to enter, the men thought they could find the best racehorse of every generation. Excited, they decided to flip a coin – the winner would name the new race.

First race

Sir Charles was perhaps placated for his loss of the toss by the fact that his horse, Diomed, won the first of the Epsom Derbys in 1780. The first four Derbys were run over a mile, but soon it fell into line with the Oaks and was raced over a mile and a half – as it still is today.

The race became a national institution, although for some time it remained, along with horse racing in general, a sport primarily enjoyed by the upper classes. Well-bred horses were expensive and, perhaps more importantly, they were money earners. This was not a sport for the people, it was for royalty, the nobility and the wealthy. But by the mid-18th century, interest amongst the wider public had increased and horse racing became a part of popular British culture. The Derby's popularity was such that it ran uninterrupted during both world wars. Today it is still well-loved, held annually on the first Saturday in June.

Tragedy

In 1913, a young woman named Emily Davison attended the Derby. She wasn't there as a spectator however, she was there as an feminism activist. A keen suffragette, Emily dedicated her life to fighting the oppression of women – arguing for the right to vote and equality in law.

To gain publicity, Emily tried to grab the bridle of Anmer, King George V's horse, as it raced past her. Horrifically, she was trampled by the horse, suffering a severely fractured skull. She died without regaining consciousness. Although the suffragettes mourned her loss, they also applauded her bravery. The general public weren't so compassionate though and seemed more concerned with the fate of the horse and jockey, though neither turned out to be seriously hurt.

Emily's actions spurred many more women to act and, in 1918, parliament enfranchised women over the age of 30, eventually lowering the voting age to 21 in 1928, giving women complete political equality with men. Emily's sacrifice also had a big affect on the Derby itself – her legendary action had made the race more famous than ever.

Shergar

Of the horses, perhaps the most infamous is Shergar. In 1981, Shergar won the Epsom Derby by a remarkable 10 lengths – the biggest margin ever seen in the race's history. Despite this outstanding achievement, he is probably best remembered for another reason – his 1983 disappearance from Aga Khan's stud farm in Ireland.

The kidnap made front-page news worldwide and before long, conspiracy theories began to circulate. Bogus ransom demands were received on more than one occasion and the kidnappers were said to have left photos of the horse in a hotel as proof that the champion stud was still alive. It was even suggested the IRA had taken the horse and shot him, but to this day, no proof exists as to what really happened.

Although we may never know Shergar's fate, his sporting legacy lives on. His unparalleled Derby win was named in the Observer's 100 Most Memorable Sporting Moments of the 20th Century and a race, the Shergar Cup, first held at Goodwood in 1999, was named after him.

Triumphs

There have been many other spectacular Derby winners, including the memorable 1970 victor, Nijinsky, ridden by Lester Piggott. Piggott is the most successful jockey to win the Derby, with an unparalleled 9 victories to his name – the only other jockey to win more than three times is Willie Carson.

It is one of the highest tests in racing for both horse and rider due to its horseshoe-shaped course, filled with changeable gradients. This unique layout has seen many spectacular wins, garnering acclaim for jockeys and horses alike.

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Websites

Epsom Downs Racecourse
www.epsomderby.co.uk/website/index.html
Official site for the Epsom Downs racecourse.

British Horse Racing Board (BHB)
www.bhb.co.uk
In addition to a 'discover racing' guide for novices, this site has a range of useful information, including a searchable fixture list, industry links and news releases from BHB. You can also find out about racehorse ownership opportunities and BHB's graduate training programme.

The Racing World
www.theracingworld.co.uk/
A_Great_Day_Out.shtml
Find out all you need to know about British horse racing, from the Vodaphone Derby to the Cheltenham Cup.

The British Thoroughbred
www.thebritishthoroughbred.co.uk
Learn more about the ancient art of horse breeding here from the British Bloodstock Marketing Group (BBMG), a group committed to promoting the success, quality and choice of British bloodstock sales and breeding worldwide.

Discover Racing
www.discover-racing.com
Everything you need to know about horse racing, from placing bets to understanding the terminology.

The Jockey Club
www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/jockeyclub
Official site of the Jockey Club, with information on all the UK's horse racing events.

Horse Matters
www.horsematters.net/styles/racing.htm
Everything about horses, from their evolution to the origins of each type of horse race.

Racing Welfare
www.racingwelfare.co.uk
Home of the racing charity for the horse racing workforce, from stable hands to jockeys.

Books

	Horse Racing's Strangest Races: Extraordinary but true stories from 150 Years of racing history by Andrew Ward (Robson Books, 2000) A sideways look at horse racing that recounts many of the strangest moments and incidents from the last 150 years of the sport's history. Get this book
	Great Racehorses by Julian Wilson (Little, Brown, 1998) Charts the rise of the racehorse and the great horse breeders of the past and present. Get this book
	The Derby: The official book of the world's greatest race by Alastair Burnet (Michael O'Mara, 1993) Tells the history of the world's greatest flat race – the horses, the jockeys, the day itself. Here is the colour and pageantry of the most important day in the horse racing calendar. Get this book

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