1781 Epsom Derby

April 2022 Derby Epsom Downs 24 May 1781 Young Eclipse 10/1 Charles Hindley not known Dennis O'Kelly 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". 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. 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). 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).Mortimer Onslow Willett 1978 201 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 Winner's prize money: £1,312 10s Going: not known Number of runners: 14 or 15Pick Johnson 1822 470 Winner's time: not known Full result HorseSources disagree about exact line-up and finishing positionsPick Johnson 1822 470 Jockey Trainer Owner SP 1 Young Eclipse Charles Hindley not known Dennis O'Kelly 10/1 2 Crop not known not known Sir John Lade 5/4 fav 3 Prince of Orange not known not known Lord Clermont not known also Arbutus not known not known Lord Clermont not known also Seducer not known not known Mr Walker not known also Scarf not known not known Lord Milsingtown (sic) not known also Alphonso not known not known Duke of Cumberland not known also Dorilas not known not known General Smith not known also bay colt by Sweetwilliam not known not known Duke of Queensberry not known also bay filly by Herod not known not known Mr Kingsman not known also colt by Metaphysician not known not known Mr Douglas not known also Prospect not known not known C Davers or Danver not known also Shag not known not known Lord Craven not known also Cauliflower not known not known Mr Sulsh not known also King WilliamNot listed in Turf RegisterPick Johnson 1822 470 only in other sources not known not known Lord Derby not known Winner details Further details of the winner, Young Eclipse: Foaled: 1778 Sire: Eclipse Dam: Juno by Spectator Owner: Dennis O'Kelly Breeder: Dennis O'Kelly 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.greyhoundderby.com/Derby1781.html Greyhound Derby The Derby 1781 11 October 2017 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 Bibliography Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Racing Mortimer Roger Onslow Richard Willett Peter 1978 Macdonald and Jane's London 0-354-08536-0 Pick Willam Johnson R. Winners &c. The Turf Register, and Sportsman & Breeder's Stud-book 1822 3 https://play.google.com/books/reader?printsec=frontcover&output=reader&id=x_EIAAAAQAAJ&pg=GBS.PP5 Epsom Derby 1781 Category:18th century in Surrey Category:1780s in British sport