1987 Epsom Derby
The 1987 Epsom Derby was a horse race which took place at Epsom Downs on Wednesday 3 June 1987. It was the 208th running of the Derby, and it was won by the pre-race favourite Reference Point. The winner was ridden by Steve Cauthen and trained by Henry Cecil.[1][2]
Derby | |
Location | Epsom Downs Racecourse |
---|---|
Date | 3 June 1987 |
Winning horse | Reference Point |
Starting price | 6/4f |
Jockey | Steve Cauthen |
Trainer | Henry Cecil |
Owner | Louis Freedman |
Race details
- Sponsor: Ever Ready
- Winner's prize money: £282,025
- Going: Good
- Number of runners: 19
- Winner's time: 2m 33.90s
Full result
* | Horse | Jockey | Trainer † | SP | |
1 | Reference Point | Steve Cauthen | Henry Cecil | 6/4 fav | |
2 | 1½ | Most Welcome | Paul Eddery | Geoff Wragg | 33/1 |
3 | shd | Bellotto | Pat Eddery | Jeremy Tree | 11/1 |
4 | 2 | Sir Harry Lewis | John Reid | Barry Hills | 66/1 |
5 | ½ | Entitled | Cash Asmussen | Vincent O'Brien (IRE) | 11/1 |
6 | nk | Mountain Kingdom | Michael Roberts | Clive Brittain | 33/1 |
7 | 1 | Groom Dancer | Dominique Boeuf | Tony Clout (FR) | 16/1 |
8 | nk | Sadjiyd | Yves Saint-Martin | Alain de Royer-Dupré (FR) | 11/2 |
9 | 1 | Ajdal | Ray Cochrane | Michael Stoute | 25/1 |
10 | 1½ | Persifleur | Tony Cruz | Patrick Biancone (FR) | 33/1 |
11 | ¾ | Ascot Knight | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute | 25/1 |
12 | 3 | Love the Groom | Willie Carson | John Dunlop | 33/1 |
13 | 1 | Ibn Bey | Richard Quinn | Paul Cole | 40/1 |
14 | 1 | Legal Bid | Tony Ives | Henry Cecil | 8/1 |
15 | 4 | Gulf King | Paul Cook | Paul Kelleway | 100/1 |
16 | 6 | Water Boatman | Brian Rouse | Barry Hills | 150/1 |
17 | 2½ | Angara Abyss | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | 100/1 |
18 | 5 | Alwasmi | Richard Hills | Harry Thomson Jones | 150/1 |
19 | 8 | Romantic Prince | Willie Ryan | Chris Wall | 150/1 |
* The distances between the horses are shown in lengths or shorter. shd = short-head; nk = neck.
† Trainers are based in Great Britain unless indicated.
Winner's details
Further details of the winner, Reference Point:
- Foaled: February 26, 1984, in Great Britain
- Sire: Mill Reef; Dam: Home on the Range (Habitat)
- Owner: Louis Freedman
- Breeder: Louis Freedman
- Rating in 1987 International Classifications: 135
Form analysis
Two-year-old races
Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1986.
- Reference Point – 1st Futurity Stakes
- Most Welcome – 5th Middle Park Stakes
- Bellotto – 1st Acomb Stakes
- Groom Dancer – 1st Prix Herod, 8th Prix de la Salamandre, 1st Prix de Condé, 3rd Critérium de Saint-Cloud
- Ajdal – 1st Dewhurst Stakes
- Love the Groom – 3rd Futurity Stakes
- Gulf King – 8th Chesham Stakes, 6th Prix de la Salamandre, 1st Beresford Stakes
The road to Epsom
Early-season appearances in 1987 and trial races prior to running in the Derby.
- Reference Point – 1st Dante Stakes
- Most Welcome – 3rd Craven Stakes, 13th 2,000 Guineas (finished 3rd, placed last)
- Bellotto – 3rd Greenham Stakes, 2nd 2,000 Guineas
- Sir Harry Lewis – 1st Dee Stakes
- Entitled – 2nd Irish 2,000 Guineas
- Mountain Kingdom – 3rd Easter Stakes, 2nd Lingfield Derby Trial
- Groom Dancer – 1st Prix Omnium II, 1st Prix de Guiche, 1st Prix Lupin
- Sadjiyd – 1st Prix Noailles, 1st Prix Hocquart
- Ajdal – 1st Craven Stakes, 4th 2,000 Guineas (finished 5th, placed 4th), Irish 2,000 Guineas (finished 3rd, disqualified)
- Persifleur – 1st Prix Greffulhe, 3rd Dante Stakes
- Ascot Knight – 2nd Dante Stakes
- Love the Groom – 4th Craven Stakes
- Ibn Bey – 5th Lingfield Derby Trial, 1st Predominate Stakes
- Legal Bid – 1st Feilden Stakes, 1st Lingfield Derby Trial
- Gulf King – 6th Craven Stakes, 1st Sandown Classic Trial, 5th Dante Stakes
- Water Boatman – 3rd Feilden Stakes, 6th Lingfield Derby Trial, 2nd Gallinule Stakes
- Alwasmi – 2nd Predominate Stakes
- Romantic Prince – 4th Dante Stakes
Subsequent Group 1 wins
Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.
- Reference Point – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1987), St. Leger (1987)
- Sir Harry Lewis – Irish Derby (1987)
- Ajdal – July Cup (1987), William Hill Sprint Championship (1987)
- Ibn Bey – Gran Premio d'Italia (1987), Preis von Europa (1989), Deutschland-Preis (1990), Irish St. Leger (1990)
Subsequent breeding careers
Leading progeny of participants in the 1987 Epsom Derby.[3][4][5][6][7]
Sires of Classic winners
Reference Point (1st)
- Ivyanna - 1st Oaks d'Italia (1992) - Dam of Snowflake (2nd Nassau Stakes 2001)
- Hill of Snow - Dam of Preseli (1st Moyglare Stud Stakes 1999) and Snowfire (2nd 1000 Guineas Stakes 2002)
- Sand Reef - 2nd Prix Jean de Chaudenay (1995)
- Racing Blue - 3rd Deutsches St. Leger (1993)
Groom Dancer (7th)
- Groom Tesse - 1st Derby Italiano (2004)
- Pursuit Of Love - 3rd 2000 Guineas Stakes (1992)
- Le Balafre - 1st Prix Jean Prat (1993)
- Lord Of Men - 1st Prix de la Salamandre (1995)
Ascot Knight (11th) - Exported to Canada
- Bahamian Knight - 1st Derby Italiano (1996)
- Influent - 1st Man o' War Stakes (1997)
- Plenty Of Sugar - 2nd Coaching Club American Oaks (1994)
- Ladies' Day - Dam of He's No Pie Eater (1st Rosehill Guineas, 1st Chipping Norton Stakes 2007)
Sires of Group/Grade One winners
Most Welcome (2nd)
- Arctic Owl - 1st Irish St. Leger (2000)
- Suances - 1st Prix Jean Prat (2000)
- Star - Dam of Pastoral Pursuits and Goodricke
- Kissair - 1st Triumph Hurdle (1995)
Bellotto (3rd) - Exported to Australia
- Bullwinkle - 1st South Australian Derby (1994)
- My Brightia - 1st Crown Oaks (1996)
- Littorio - 1st The BMW (2010)
- Clang - Dam of Calaway Gal (1st Golden Slipper Stakes 2002), Clangalang (1st Australian Derby 2003) and Black Piranha (1st Stradbroke Handicap 2009,2010)
Ajdal (9th)
- Cezanne - 1st Irish Champion Stakes (1994)
- Garah - 3rd Temple Stakes 1993 - Dam of Olden Times (1st Prix Jean Prat 2001) and Festoso (3rd Cheveley Park Stakes 2007)
- Avila - Dam of Dilshaan and Darrfonah (2nd Prix Marcel Boussac 2006)
- Homage - Dam of Mark Of Esteem
Sires of National Hunt horses
Sir Harry Lewis (3rd)
- Mighty Man - 1st Long Walk Hurdle (2006)
- Diamond Harry - 1st Hennessy Gold Cup (2010)
- Harry Topper - 1st Denman Chase (2014)
- Unowhatimeanharry - 1st Champion Stayers Hurdle (2017, 2019)
Other Stallions
Love The Groom (12th) - Exported to Italy - Maktub (thrice placed in Italian Group One contests)
Ibn Bey (13th) - Exported to Japan - Damsire of Big Grass (3rd February Stakes 2007)
Entitled (5th) - Minor flat and jumps winners - Damsire of River Charm
Persifleur (10th) - Minor jumps winners in France
Sadjiyd (8th) - Exported to Saudi Arabia
Legal Bid (14th) - Exported to Canada - Exported to Germany
Alwasmi (18th) - Exported to Canada - Exported to Germany - Exported to Italy
References
- Derby Days. Tempus. 2004. p. 117. ISBN 0-7524-3202-8.
- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1988. Aesculus Press. 1988. p. 59. ISBN 0-9509338-8-0.
- "Stammtafeln". Galopp Sieger. Galopp Sieger. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- "Profiles Search". Racing Post. Racing Post. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- "Progeny Reports". Pedigree Query. Pedigree Query. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- "Fiche Etalon - Persifleur". france-galop.com. France Galop. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- "Ascot Knight Dead". bloodhorse.com. Bloodhorse. Retrieved April 20, 2020.