1979 Epsom Derby

1979 Epsom Derby

Derby
Location	Epsom Downs Racecourse
Date	6 June 1979
Winning horse	Troy
Starting price	6/1
Jockey	Willie Carson
Trainer	Dick Hern
Owner	Sir Michael Sobell & Lord Weinstock
Conditions	Good
1980 →

Epsom Derby 1979

1-2-3
Troy	Dickens Hill	Northern Baby

Also Ran
4-5-6
Man of Vision	Cracaval	Niniski
7-8-9
Milford	Noelino	Tap On Wood
10-11-12
Son of Love	Two of Diamonds	Accomplice
13-14-15
Saracen Prince	New Berry	Morvetta
16-17-18
Lyphard's Wish	Leodegrance	Laska Floko
19-20-21
Lake City	Hardgreen	Halyudh
Ela-Mana-Mou	Chetinkaya	23 Ran

The 1979 Epsom Derby was the 200th annual running of the Derby horse race. It took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 6 June 1979. With a prize of £153,980 to the winner, the race value was a significant increase on the £98,410 offered the previous year and a record for a race contested in Europe^[1][2]

The winter ante-post market was headed by Tromos who was followed by More Light, Gregorian, Sandy Creek and Troy.^[3] However, only the latter named would line up at Epsom. Dewhurst Stakes winner Tromos picked up a virus after finishing runner up in the Craven Stakes, More Light was decisively beaten in both the Heath Stakes and the Dante Stakes, Gregorian was unraced again after beaten 8¾ lengths in the Ballymoss Stakes while Sandy Creek never returned to the racecourse after his juvenile season. On the day of the race, the market was headed by Guy Harwood's Ela-Mana-Mou who had supplemented his juvenile success in the Royal Lodge Stakes by winning the Heath Stakes by four lengths.^[4] Next in the market was Troy who had won four of his previous five starts including the Vintage Stakes, Sandown Classic Trial and Predominate Stakes. One of three representatives for Dick Hern, who had been attempting to win the race for twenty years, he was the chosen mount of Willie Carson.^[5] Milford and Tap On Wood were the remaining horses in the single digit price range with the former winning his trials at Ascot and Sandown by a combined fifteen lengths, and the latter a surprise 20/1 winner of the 2000 Guineas.^[2]

The pace was set by Henry Cecil's Lyphard's Wish and his lead lasted until a furlong and a half from home when passed by the Irish trained Dickens Hill.Dickens Hill's lead would not last long however as Troy, who had struggled for pace early on and was only in thirteenth place at Tattenham Corner, stormed past for an emphatic victory.^[6] The winning margin of seven lengths was the widest recorded since Manna in 1925. The race was in danger of being marred as a toilet roll was thrown at the runners by a spectator at Tattenham Corner. Yves Saint-Martin, riding Vincent O'Brien's Accomplice, passed the finishing with the paper still attached to his head although he stated that the incident did not cost him the race.^[7]

Race details

• Sponsor: none
• Winner's prize money: £153,980
• Going: Good
• Number of runners: 23
• Winner's time: 2 minutes, 36.59 seconds

Full result

	Dist *	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	SP
1		Troy	Willie Carson	Dick Hern	6-1
2	7	Dickens Hill	Tony Murray	Mick O'Toole	15-1
3	3	Northern Baby	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	66-1
4	¾	Ela-Mana-Mou	Greville Starkey	Guy Harwood	9-2f
5	2	Lyphard's Wish	Joe Mercer	Henry Cecil	11-1
6	shd	Hardgreen	Paul Cook	Michael Stoute	25-1
7	hd	Man Of Vision	Bruce Raymond	Michael Jarvis	33-1
8		Cracaval	Bill Shoemaker	Barry Hills	22-1
9		Niniski	John Reid	Dick Hern	80-1
10		Milford	Lester Piggott	Dick Hern	15-2
11		Noelino	Christy Roche	Paddy Prendergast	12-1
12		Tap On Wood	Steve Cauthen	Barry Hills	15-2
13		Morvetta	Geoff Baxter	Denys Smith	500-1
14		Two Of Diamonds	Ernie Johnson	Barry Hills	25-1
15		Son Of Love	Alain Lequeux	Robert Collet	200-1
16		Lake City	Brian Taylor	Ryan Price	50-1
17		New Berry	Pat Eddery	Peter Walwyn	25-1
18		Chetinkaya	Brian Rouse	Philip Mitchell	500-1
19		Accomplice	Yves Saint-Martin	Vincent O'Brien	50-1
20		Leodegrance	Philip Waldron	Toby Balding	500-1
21		Halyudh	Geoff Lewis	Scobie Breasley	200-1
22		Laska Floko	Edward Hide	Clive Brittain	40-1
Ref		Saracen Prince	Kipper Lynch	Paul Kelleway	500-1

Winner details

Further details of the winner, Troy:

• Foaled: 25 March 1976, in Ireland
• Sire: Petingo; Dam: La Milo (Hornbeam)
• Owner: Sir Michael Sobell & Lord Weinstock
• Breeder: Ballymacoll Stud

Form analysis

Two-year-old races

Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1978:^[8]

The road to Epsom

Early-season appearances in 1979 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:^[2]

Subsequent Group 1 wins

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

Subsequent breeding careers

Leading progeny of participants in the 1979 Epsom Derby.^[9][10][11]

Sires of Classic winners

Sires of Group/Grade One winners

Sires of National Hunt horses

Other Stallions

References

External links

• Colour Chart – Derby 1979
• [1] - 1979 Derby Stakes

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