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I’m sure we all have our favourite Derbys (like ATR this morning, Steve Taylor bumbling along memory lane but most of that was before my time).
1994 – The first Derby I watched, I was nearly 9 years old. I can’t forget Erhaab’s turn of foot inside the final two furlongs, and he cut down class horses like Mr Baileys, Colonel Collins and Kings Theatre down easily. Good stuff even though I was cheering Frankie and Linney Head on!
1995 – A bit of a bugger Frankie got caught on the line on Tamure (I really thought Tamure was going to win the Derby) but Lammtarra was an exceptional horse and it was unbelievable how he managed to win first time out that year. That race reminds me of the hot summer that year.
2000 – The first time I ever went to a Flat meeting, and it was hot. I remember getting off the train at Tattenham Corner, walking down a little bit and seeing the downs below me and the Grandstand shimmering in the heat haze….amazing. Seeing Sinndar and Sakhee thunder past me was a sight I’ll never forget and as I was standing right by the winning post I got a photo of them passing the line.
I went to the 2001 and 2002 Derbys but all I remember was being freezing cold (espec 2001) and last year was marred by the death of Coshocton.
I didn’t see the 1986 Derby as I was only 11 months old, but didn’t Dancing Brave come off a slow pace? Surely when the pace is that slow it’s best to be a little further up the field even on a doubtful stayer. Had there been a faster pace maybe Dancing Brave would have just got there. Agonising to watch even for me….must have been worse at the time.
My fav.derby for all the wrong reasons was Secreto beating El Gran Senior. Vincent was so certain that he invited the one after whom his horse was called(Senior Louren I believe his name was) to come over from the U.S. for the race. The commentator said to watch money being minted as El Gran Senior moved gracefully to the front.Pat Eddery was so confident that he forgot to win the race.David O’Brien Vincent’s son trained the winner ,Secreto, in a photo finish and effectively shut down the O’Brien- Sangster operation They needed another Derby winner to cover expences. Mrs O’Brien with her husband and son met the Queen and did not know whether to laugh or cry. David gave up the training the following year because of the pressure. What a story!
<br>ian
thank god for some common sense much better than the unfair and unfounded cristiscm handed out to starkey
some race readrers described dancing brave as wandering on the camber like a drunk but still insisted that starkey was the problem
it was however an exceptional ride given to sharastini by swinburn
<br>dark knight
i agree with you that ra and bc day and my favorite day king george day at ascot is better overall
i never used to like the course but it has been much improved of late but as with another thread mesh started its the poor quality supporting cards that take much away from it in my opinion and probably others if they revamped the cards then i think the day (s) would be much better
a very good race but ruined by the race planners
<br>Last time I went to the Derby was in 1969. Took my place in a stand beyond the winning post, which is now the owners and trainers bar. The Queen and the Royal party used to walk up the course to visit the paddock, which was then about a furlong past the line on the far side of the course.
As she passed in front of us, the crowd gave three cheers (it was a more deferential world in 1969), then as quiet descended again, a loud Cockney voice from the back of the stand called out –
"What are you all cheering for, she’s betting with our money"
Even the old Duke of Norfolk cracked a smile and the Queen Mum looked as if she was going to wet herself.
Alan
Far from the best Derby but I dont think I got so excited by a race when I had no loyalities or money involved. Benny The Dip’s victory over Silver Patriarch was surely a classic. I think everyone neutral was urging the grey on simply because he was a grey. Fantastic race.
Don’t remind me of that one Aidan. That was my least favourite Derby of all time!
I think my favourite was the 2000 Derby won by Sinndar. A lot of good horses in that race.
<br>
This one is easy, Lammtarra’s win in 1995. I was working in Ladbrokes, my first job, and had backed Lammtarra at 33/1 ante-post. A phenomenal burst in the last 2 furlongs landed the win.
I love watching the footage of Troy, I was only a baby at the time but visually he was a spectacular winner. He looked like he could gallop all day and night the way he devoured the final furlong.
i think the most exciting that Ive seen have not been close finishes. Nashwan devouring the ground between 2f and 1f, adn erhaab win. This was more to do with the mister baileys ride, kicked clear, and watch teh posse come after him. Like a western…fantastic stuff.
Galileo was classy on that day…
I can remember trying to skip school early in 1977 and racing around to my nans , as she only lived around the corner, to watch The Minstrel winning thats years Derby. Sadly my nan passed away recently and watching the race won’t be the same for me, as she use to love it. <br>Other notable wins for me were Reference Point , who was extra special ;) and Shahrastani beating Dancing Brave, even now, I can watch the video for this race thinking that Greville will get up on the line, but oh no, not again!!!<br>
(Edited by Mully at 4:02 pm on June 5, 2003)
Having had a schoolgirl crush on Walter Swinburn, i’ll not hear a bad word said against him.<br>I particularly liked his win on Shahrastani. The fact that i had tipped the horse to win before he won theDante made it all the sweeter.<br>I would have been mortified if Dancing Brave had got up to win.  After all, post race interviews with Greville Starkey were never a reason to rush home from school; once you had seen the barking dog impression there was little to keep a young girls’ interest. WR Swinburn on the other hand used to send my heart racing…
PS. Ian – from your story, it sounds to me as though Mr Swinburn was pulling your leg a little… <br>Or were you the reason he rode the miler Doyoun in the manner he did in the 1988 Derby?
The Minstrel beating Hot Grove. Skipped school to watch it, a gloriously sunny day (and we don’t get a lot of these up here!). A fantastic race, Piggott and Carson at their peak, two brave horses. Everything a race should be.
I was nearly sacked because of the 1989 Derby. Still run on a Wednesday at that time, I made an excuse about going to see a client, but drove a half mile up the road to the nearest bookmakers and watched the race in there. Unbeknown to me, I was spotted and hauled up in front of my boss on my return. Backed Cacoethes too so it was bad day all round.
The best finish was 1997, as Aidan has said.
Best from a betting point of view was Slip Anchor. I had my biggest bet at that time on him, and listened to it down the telephone with my partner holding the receiver up to the TV.
(Edited by Bilko at 6:19 pm on June 5, 2003)
Pocket Rocket – I guess you were heartbroken after the endless waiting for Walter’s voice to break.
my fav has to be lammtarra’s win, i had written about him winning ( ridden by myself of course!! ) in the essay part of my english GCSE a few weeks before the race was run and i cant help feeling that whoever marked it must have invested a few quid as i had done flip all coursework all year as i had been off playing golf all over the place instead of going to school!! i can remember going back and my english teacher being amazed that i’d passed!! <br>another good one was high rise’s win, i remember seeing him win the derby trial at Lingfield and pestering my dad for ages to back him ante post for me!! <br>also love watching the footage of Lester winning, how many suspensions would he have picked up under todays rules and regulations!! i fancy a few days for excessive use of the stick may have been in order!! his ride on the minstral sticks in my mind the most….
i can’t believe nobody has mentioned Generous, what ever happened to Alan Munro??
I also backed High Rise at Lingfield (we ended up at the Pimms tent for the rest of the day) and followed it up at Epsom. Luca Cumani’s horse did get quite a beating from the jockeys whip at Epsom though and would not have won without it but it spolit the day a bit as it is not good to watch. <br>Overall Lester Piggot of course is THE MAIN man but the year when Lamtarra won he was a ‘greeter’ at the V.I.P. tent by the parade ring. <br>A sad sight but anything for a few bob.<br>I have Brian Boru this year @10s on betfair.
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