1781 Epsom Derby
# 1781 Epsom Derby

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).

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 15
* Winner's time: not known

## Full result

| | Horse | 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 William | 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
