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History of Epsom
The town of Epsom first became famous for its natural mineral water when a local farmer, Henry Wicker, took his cattle up to a watering hole on the Downs in 1618. The alleged healing properties of the water brought crowds from London who wanted to escape the squalor in return for the country air.

1661 saw the first recorded race meeting to be held on the Downs and the tradition continued until the summer of 1780 when one of today's greatest sporting spectacles was established.

Edward Smith Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby, organised a race for himself and his friends to race their three-year-old fillies over one and a half miles. He named it the Oaks after his estate. The race became so successful that the following year a new race was added for colts and fillies.

The title of the race was decided after the Earl of Derby and Sir Charles Bunbury (a leading racing figure of the day and friend of the Earl's) flipped a coin and so begun the inaugural running of the 'Derby'. Incidentally this was won by Sir Charles Bunbury's horse Diomed.

The contest was held over a mile with the starting point in a straight line beyond the current five-furlong marker. Tattenham Corner was not introduced until 1784 when the course was extended to its current distance of a mile- and-a-half.

In 1913 suffragette Emily Davison threw herself in front of King George V's horse Anmer, bringing him down. Davison's skull was fractured and she died four days later. Meanwhile, first past the post Craganour was disqualified and 100/1 runner-up Aboyeur is awarded the race.

Lammtarra sets a new record time in 1995 of 2 minutes 31.31 seconds, beating Mahmoud’s 2 minutes 33.8 seconds, hand-timed in 1936. In the same year Derby is switched permanently from Wednesday to Saturday.

2006 saw a multi-horse finish rivalling that of 1913 as the closest ever. In a four-way photo, Sir Percy beats Dragon Dancer, Dylan Thomas and Hala Bek a short-head, a head and a short-head.


Dress Code

Queen's Stand Derby Day
Either black or grey Morning Dress with a top hat, service dress or full national costume is traditional and obligatory for gentlemen on Derby Day. Ladies are asked to wear formal day dress, or a trouser suit, with a hat or substantial fascinator.

Queen's Stand Ladies Day
Gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket, collar and tie. Ladies do not have to wear a hat but the majority do. Jeans, sports shorts, denim or trainers are not acceptable.

Queen's Stand other days
Jackets and trousers with a collared shirt are encouraged. Smart denim* is acceptable. For the avoidance of doubt, sportswear and trainers are not permitted in the Queen's Stand.

Grandstand Hospitality Areas Derby Festival
Gentlemen are asked to wear a jacket, collar and tie. Ladies do not have to wear a hat but the majority do.

Grandstand Hospitality Areas all days
Jackets and trousers with a collared shirt are encouraged. Smart denim* is acceptable.

Grandstand - both days of Derby Festival
Many people in the Grandstand like to dress up for the Derby Festival. Smart denim* is acceptable. No trainers, sportswear, sleeveless vests or bare tops.

Grandstand other days
Smart shorts, smart jeans and trainers are accepted, but no sleeveless vests or bare tops.

Hospitality Marquees at Derby Festival
Dress codes vary depending on the hospitality facility. See details of the different areas and their dress codes in the 'Raceday Hospitality' section

*Smart denim must not have tears or rips
 

Latest 2010 Derby News

A total of 388 entries have been received for the 2010 Derby, details of which are revealed today.

The Classic will be run at Epsom Downs on Saturday, June 5, 2010,with a prize fund of at least £1,250,000.

The combination of owners Sue Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor have 72 entries between them, with all but four of these with champion trainer Aidan O’Brien. The Coolmore team have enjoyed victories with Galileo (2001) and High Chaparral (2002) and are invariably well-represented in the Derby every year. Their entries include the 650,000 guineas Montjeu colt who jointly topped the Tattersalls October Sale and a US$2 million Storm Cat colt bought at Saratoga in August.

Coolmore’s great rival, Godolphin, is responsible for a total of 31 entries, including a US$1 million Kingmambo colt, while Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, successful with Nashwan (1989) and Erhaab (1994), has 35 representatives at the initial entry stage.

There are 25 entries from the Aga Khan, the most successful current owner in the Derby who has gained four victories courtesy of Shergar (1981), Shahrastani (1986), Kahyasi (1988) and Sinndar (2000). All of the Aga Khan’s 25 entries are trained in either Ireland or France (split between Alain de Royer Durpe, Jean Claude Rouget and John Oxx) and include an Azamour half-brother to this year’s outstanding filly Zarkava.

Other owners with entries who have won the Classic in the past are Ballymacoll Stud (North Light 2004, three entries), Saeed Suhail (2003 Kris Kin, six entries) and the Royal Ascot Racing Club (2005 Motivator, one entry).

The Derby is the only Classic in which the Queen has not seen her colours carried to victory, although her Aureole only found Pinza too good in the coronation year of 1953 and she has three entries for 2010.

Prolific-spending Australian owner Nathan Tinkler has entered the 770,000 euros Galileo colt who topped the Deauville August Sale, while other expensive purchases include a 500,000 guineas owned by Sir Robert Ogden.

No filly has won the Derby since Fifinella landed the wartime substitute at Newmarket in 1916 while the last to triumph at Epsom Downs was Tagalie in 1912. There are five fillies entered for the 2010 renewal, including daughters of the high-class performers Mezzo Soprano, Petrushka, Zahrat Dubai and Zibilene, all of whom hail from the Maktoum family’s Godolphin operation.

Could the crowds at Epsom Downs on Derby Day 2010 be ringing to the cries of ‘Waterloo’ or ‘Mama Mia’? That is certainly a possibility, as former Abba member Benny Andersson has an entry. Trained by John Dunlop, the Montjeu colt was a 650,000 guineas purchase at Tattersalls in October.

Andrew Cooper, Director of Racing at Epsom Downs, commented: “In recent years the general trend has been for owners to make fewer entries at the yearling stage for the Derby and the figure of 388 for 2010 is down against the 474 received for the 2009 renewal.

“It would appear that this year some smaller owners have decided not to enter their yearlings at historic levels, happy in the knowledge that if they have a horse good enough then a Derby entry can be made in April of his or her three-year-old career. We saw a record 13 horses enter the Derby at that stage this year, when the fee is £8,000 compared to £325 at the yearling stage

”Yearling entry remains the most cost-effective way of entering the Derby and we would like to thank all the owners and trainers who have supported the premier Classic in this way for 2010.”

The cost of an initial entry at the yearling stage was £325, with the next forfeit stage on March 2, 2010, when connections pay an additional £1,000 to remain engaged. There is another confirmation stage on May 21, 2010, when a payment of £3,000 is required with a final payment of £2,500 at the five-day confirmation stage. The are two other options to enter a horse in the 2010 Derby. The first is to pay £8,000 at the second entry stage on April 6, 2010, followed by £10,000 on May 21, 2010 and £2,500 at the five-day confirmation stage. The final method of entry is to pay the supplementary entry fee of £75,000 on May 31, 2010.

Andrew Cooper continued: “The Derby entry system is reviewed internally on an annual basis. It has three fundamental objectives – to assist in ensuring that the race remains the most valuable Classic in Europe, to ensure that the opportunity exists for the best horses of their generation to compete, however late their development into Classic contenders, and to enable smaller owners to buy into the “Derby dream” at a comparatively low price.

“One can only judge the success of the system against these criteria once all stages, including the supplementary entry in race week itself, have taken place. The system will be kept under review going forward but has served Epsom and the race well for many years.”

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