The Greatest Flat Race in the World
The Derby has been run at Epsom since 1780, when the 12th Earl of Derby gave his name to a race for three-year-old colts over a mile and a half. It was the second Classic – The Oaks, named after his nearby estate, had been staged the year before. Within a generation the Derby had become the most important horse race in England, and it has held that status for nearly 250 years.
The course itself is part of the spectacle. Epsom's left-handed horseshoe runs uphill for the first half-mile, sweeps around Tattenham Corner on a pronounced camber, then drops sharply into a three-and-a-half-furlong straight with a slight rise at the finish. It is the most demanding mile and a half in flat racing – a true test of balance, stamina, and temperament. Horses that cannot handle the gradients or the camber do not win Derbies.
Two Days, Two Classics
The modern Derby Festival runs over two days in early June. Friday is Oaks Day – the fillies' Classic, first run in 1779. Saturday is Derby Day, the main event, which regularly draws over 100,000 spectators. The Queen's Stand and Duchess's Stand offer fine dining and hospitality packages, while the open Downs on the far side of the course remain free to attend – a tradition that dates back to the race's earliest days, when Londoners would pile onto coaches and carts for the journey south.
Famous Derbies
Every generation has its Derby. Diomed won the first in 1780. In 1913, suffragette Emily Davison was fatally injured when she stepped in front of King George V's horse Anmer at Tattenham Corner. Nijinsky, ridden by Lester Piggott, won in 1970 to complete the Triple Crown – the last horse to do so. Shergar won by ten lengths in 1981, the widest margin in Derby history. Frankel's sire Galileo won in 2001 and went on to become the most influential stallion of the 21st century.
For Surrey residents, the Derby is a local fixture as much as a national event. The Downs are fifteen minutes from Leatherhead, twenty from Guildford. It is one of the few occasions in English sport where you can walk onto a world-class racecourse without paying a penny – or spend several thousand on a private box. That range is part of its enduring appeal.
