1780 Epsom Derby

First annual running of the Derby horse race on 4 May 1780 on Epsom Downs, Surrey May 2018 Derby Diomed.jpg Diomed by George Stubbs (1724–1806) Epsom Downs 4 May 1780 Diomed 6/4 Sam Arnull R Teasdale Sir Charles Bunbury not known The 1780 Epsom Derby was the inaugural running of The Derby – the horse race which would become the "greatest turf event in the world" and after which more than 140 other horse races, including the famous Kentucky Derby, are named. It took place on 4 May 1780 on Epsom Downs in Surrey, England, and was won by Diomed, owned by Sir Charles Bunbury and ridden by Sam Arnull. Background At the previous year's Epsom May race meeting, Lord Derby had instigated a 1 1/2 mile race for three-year-old fillies, which he had named the Oaks after his nearby estate. His filly Bridget had won the race, and it had been a great success. Accordingly, a post-race celebration was held by Lord Derby, at which it was decided to hold another new race for both colts and fillies the following year. The matter of naming the race was discussed, with the options being naming it after Derby himself or naming it after Sir Charles Bunbury, a member of the Jockey Club, who was Derby's guest at the Oaks. According to legend, the matter was settled in Derby's favour on the toss of a coin, although it seems likely that Bunbury actually deferred to his host. This first Derby was set to be run over only 1 mile, as were the next three. It was not until 1784 that the race was run over its now familiar distance of 1 mile 4 furlongs.Mortimer Onslow Willett 1978 201 Colts were to be allotted a weight of 8 stone, fillies 7 stone 11 lbs, another difference between this first race and subsequent runnings.May 2021 Pre-race form thumb|left|Eclipse, sire of three of the contenders, as painted by George Stubbs (1724–1806) Initially, there were 36 subscribers to the race, 27 of which remained at the forfeit stage. Of these, 9 finally went to post on the day. Among them were three coltsSpitfire is listed as "Mr Walker's filly" in the London report, but as a colt in the 1780 Racing Calendar. A similar situation exists with Polydore. Listed as a colt owned by the Duke of Cumberland in the Racing Calendar, he/she is found as a filly on pedigree lists sired by the unbeaten Eclipse – Boudrow (owned by Eclipse's owner-breeder, the gambler and conman Dennis O'Kelly), Spitfire (owned by a Mr Walker) and Polydore (owned by the Duke Of Cumberland). Also in the field was Diomed, which in his only outing so far had won a 500 guineas sweepstake at the Second Newmarket Spring meeting, carrying 8 stone. He was less auspiciously bred, being by Florizel, but was beginning to be compared to the sire of his rivals, Eclipse. Another representative from the same line was Drone, a colt by Herod who was Florizel's sire and Diomed's grandsire. The field was completed by Diadem, which had been behind Diomed at Newmarket, Wotton, and unnamed colts by Gimcrack and Matchem.May 2018 Diomed's unbeaten form led to him going to post as the 6/4 favourite. The two Eclipse colts, Boudrow and Spitfire, were next in the betting at 4/1 and 7/1 respectively. The Matchem colt, owned by the Duke of Bolton was at 10/1.May 2018 Raceday The first running of the Derby had "nothing like its later glamour and importance."Mortimer Onslow Willett 1978 175 Rather than being the showpiece event it is today, it was sandwiched into a programme that included "cokfights [sic] between the gentlemen of Middlesex and the gentlemen of Wiltshire". In fact, Lord Derby himself was known to prefer cock-fighting to horse racing. Moreover, in those days, the journey from London to Epsom took around 12 to 14 hours over difficult roads.May 2018 All this combined to mean there were few spectators. The day is reported to have a comparatively meagre attendance, probably fewer than 5,000. Also in contrast to today, there were no professional bookmakers, the gentlemen making books among themselves. All in all, it could be said that, "no public interest had yet attached itself to a race destined ultimately to become world famous". There are at least two published notices of the result. One was in the London Evening Post on 6 May 1780 which read thus: Thursday – The Derby Stakes of 50gs each; h. ft. colts and fillies. The last mile of the course. – Sir C. Bunbury's ch c, 1; – Mr O'Kelly's b c 2; – Mr Walker's f, 3; – Sir Evelyn's br c, 4. The other in the 1780 Racing Calendar gave the full result. Diomed had won as the betting market had predicted, followed by the two Eclipse colts, Boudrow and Spitfire. The field trailed back to the Duke of Bolton's colt by Matchem.May 2018 Aftermath The victory proved to be the high water mark of Diomed's racing career. Although he went unbeaten through his seven three-year-old races, at four he proved more than beatable. He was beaten for the first time in the Nottingham Stakes by Fortitude owned by Lord Grosvenor, a race he was fully expected to win. Boudrow also got his revenge, beating Diomed in a 300 guineas match race at Newmarket. Diomed was in fact to win only once more before being put out to stud, where after initial problems he became tremendously successful, especially in the United States where he founded many important families. He died aged 31. Boudrow's owner, Dennis O'Kelly, would not have to wait long for his first Derby win, Young Eclipse triumphing the following year. Meanwhile the race itself "fairly caught hold on the public imagination." It became the premier British classic and many of the world's top championship races were named after it.May 2021 Race details Winner's prize money: £1,065 15sMortimer Onslow Willett 1978 175 Going: not known Number of runners: 9 Winner's time: not known Full result HorseApart from the first three, horse names are not given in the 1780 Racing Calendar report of the result, but they are available elsewhere Jockey Trainer Owner Starting price 1 Diomed Sam Arnull R Teasdale Sir Charles Bunbury 6/4 fav 2 Boudrow (or Boudron or Budroo) not known not known Dennis O'Kelly 4/1 3 Spitfire not known not known Mr Walker 7/1 4 Wotton not known not known Sir Frederick Evelyn not known 5 Drone not known not known Mr Panton not known 6 Polydore not known not known Duke Of Cumberland not known 7 Diadem not known not known M. Sulfh not known 8 Grey colt by Gimcrack not known not known Mr Dolmo not known 9 Colt by Matchem not known not known Duke of Bolton 10/1 Winner details Further details of the winner, Diomed: Foaled: 1777 Sire: Florizel Dam: Mare (1763) by Spectator Owner: Sir Charles Bunbury Breeder: Hon. Richard Vernon of Newmarket Notes References 2 https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2001/epsom_derby/1347923.stm The Epsom Derby uncovered BBC Sport 2 June 2001 29 April 2013 http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/Derby.html The Derby Epsom & Ewell History Explorer 28 April 2013 http://epsomdowns.co.uk/racing/derby-history Derby History Epsom Racecourse 29 April 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130420205919/http://www.epsomdowns.co.uk/racing/derby-history 20 April 2013 dead One Hundred and Fifty Years Ago: Famous Personages http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article94872128?searchTerm=diomed%20derby&searchLimits= Kalgoorlie Miner Kalgoorlie, Australia 20 May 1933 29 April 2013 The First Derby http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW18880727.2.83&srpos=5&e=-------10--1----0sam+arnull-- Otago Witness Otago, New Zealand 27 July 1888 28 April 2013 Concerning The Derby http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW18930720.2.140&srpos=22&e=-------10--21----0diomed-- Otago Witness Otago, New Zealand 20 July 1893 31 28 April 2013 http://www.pedigreequery.com/polydore2 Polydore pedigree Pedigree Online Thoroughbred Database 28 April 2013 http://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/Diomed.html Portraits: Diomed Thoroughbred Heritage 28 April 2013 The Blue Riband of the Turf http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article34503373?searchTerm=diomed%20derby&searchLimits= Western Argus Kalgoorlie, Australia 26 August 1930 29 April 2013 Now and Then http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38381194?searchTerm=diomed%20derby&searchLimits= Western Mail Perth 26 July 1928 31 28 April 2013 The World's Greatest Classic http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article38893995?searchTerm=diomed%20derby&searchLimits= Western Mail Perth 26 May 1932 31 28 April 2013 Bibliography Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Racing Mortimer Roger Onslow Richard Willett Peter 1978 Macdonald and Jane's London 0-354-08536-0 Epsom Derby 1780 Category:18th century in Surrey Category:1780s in British sport