1781 Epsom Derby

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1781 Epsom Derby
Derby
Location Epsom Downs
Date24 May 1781
Winning horse Young Eclipse
Starting price 10/1
Jockey Charles Hindley
Trainer not known
Owner Dennis O'Kelly
Conditions not known

The 1781 Epsom Derby was the second running of The Derby - the horse race known as the "greatest turf event in the world". [1] It took place on 24 May 1781 on Epsom Downs in Surrey, England, and was won by Young Eclipse, owned by gambler Dennis O'Kelly and ridden by Charles Hindley.

Contents

The previous year, Lord Derby had instigated a race at Epsom Racecourse for three-year-old horses, the name of which had been decided on a coin toss between Derby and Sir Charles Bunbury, a member of the Jockey Club (although it may have been that Bunbury deferred to Derby, who was his host at the time). [2] The race was over 1 mile (although in 1784 that would be increased to 1 mile 4 furlongs, the distance it has been ever since). [3]

The 1780 race had been won by Bunbury's horse Diomed, which was the favourite, beating Boudrow, owned by Dennis O'Kelly. In this second running of the race, it was O'Kelly who had the winner, Young Eclipse, another colt by the pre-eminent sire of the day, Eclipse. He beat Sir John Lade's Crop who was much the more fancied of the runners, going off 5/4 favourite.

Race details

Full result

Horse [lower-alpha 1] JockeyTrainerOwner SP
1 Young Eclipse Charles Hindley not known Dennis O'Kelly 10/1
2Cropnot knownnot known Sir John Lade 5/4 fav
3Prince of Orangenot knownnot known Lord Clermont not known
alsoArbutusnot knownnot known Lord Clermont not known
alsoSeducernot knownnot knownMr Walkernot known
alsoScarfnot knownnot known Lord Milsingtown (sic) not known
alsoAlphonsonot knownnot known Duke of Cumberland not known
alsoDorilasnot knownnot knownGeneral Smithnot known
also bay colt by Sweetwilliamnot knownnot known Duke of Queensberry not known
also bay filly by Herod not knownnot knownMr Kingsmannot known
alsocolt by Metaphysiciannot knownnot knownMr Douglasnot known
alsoProspectnot knownnot knownC Davers or Danvernot known
alsoShagnot knownnot known Lord Craven not known
alsoCauliflowernot knownnot knownMr Sulshnot known
alsoKing William [lower-alpha 2] not knownnot known Lord Derby not known

Winner details

Further details of the winner, Young Eclipse:

Notes

  1. Sources disagree about exact line-up and finishing positions [4] [5]
  2. Not listed in Turf Register [5] only in other sources [4]

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References

  1. "One Hundred and Fifty Years Ago: Famous Personages". Kalgoorlie Miner. Kalgoorlie, Australia. 20 May 1933. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  2. "The Epsom Derby uncovered". BBC Sport. 2 June 2001. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  3. Mortimer, Onslow & Willett 1978, p. 201.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "The Derby 1781". Greyhound Derby. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Pick & Johnson 1822, p. 470.

Bibliography