1981 Epsom Derby

1981 Epsom Derby
Derby
Location Epsom Downs Racecourse
Date 3 June 1982
Winning horse Shergar
SP 10/11 Fav
Jockey Walter Swinburn
Trainer Michael Stoute
Owner Aga Khan IV
Conditions Dead

The 1981 Epsom Derby was the 202nd annual running of the Derby horse race. It took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 3 June 1981.

The race was won by the Aga Khan's Shergar, at odds of 10/11 ridden by the nineteen-year-old jockey Walter Swinburn and trained at Newmarket, Suffolk by Michael Stoute. The winning margin of ten lengths was the widest in the history of the race. The winning time of 2:44.21 was the slowest since 1946.

Race details

Full result

Dist * Horse Jockey Trainer SP
1 Shergar Walter Swinburn Michael Stoute 10-11
2 10 Glint of Gold John Matthias Ian Balding 13-1
3 2 Scintillating Air Geoff Baxter Bruce Hobbs 50-1
4 2 Shotgun Lester Piggott Chris Thornton 7-1
5 4 Church Parade Willie Carson Dick Hern 25-1
6 Sheer Grit Joe Mercer Clive Brittain 28-1
7 1 Silver Season Ernie Johnson Clive Brittain 100-1
8 hd Riberetto Pat Eddery Ron Boss 22-1
9 4 Sunley Builds Philip Waldron Gavin Hunter 200-1
10 3 Kings General Brian Taylor Guy Harwood 150-1
11 shd Sass John Reid Paul Kelleway 500-1
12 4 Krug Bruce Raymond Stan Mellor 66-1
13 3 Kalaglow Greville Starkey Guy Harwood 11-1
14 2 Robellino Paul Cook Ian Balding 28-1
15 6 Golden Brigadier Paul Bradwell Clive Brittain 150-1
16 ½ Kind of Hush Steve Cauthen Barry Hills 25-1
17 20 Al Nasr Alfred Gibert Andre Fabre (FR) 16-1
18 ¾ Waverley Hall Bryn Crossley Rod Simpson 1000-1
DNS Lydian Freddy Head Criquette Head

Winner details

Further details of the winner, Shergar:

Form analysis

Two-year-old races

Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1980:[2]

The road to Epsom

Early-season appearances in 1981 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:[3]

Subsequent Group 1 wins

Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.

References

  1. Baerlein, Richard (1984). Shergar and the Aga Khan's Thoroughbred Empire. London: Michael Joseph. ISBN 0718121767.
  2. Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 0-900-59931-6.
  3. Timeform staff (1982). Racehorses of 1981. Timeform. ISBN 0-900-59933-2.