1997 Epsom Derby
Encyclopedia
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
which took place at Epsom Downs
Epsom Downs Racecourse
Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England. The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course is best known for hosting the Epsom Derby, the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half...
on Saturday June 7, 1997. It was the 218th running of the Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
, and it was won by Benny the Dip
Benny the Dip
Benny the Dip was an American-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1997 by a short head from the future St Leger winner Silver Patriarch....
. The winner was ridden by Willie Ryan
Willie Ryan
Willie Ryan is a flat racing jockey from Ireland who has been based in the United Kingdom for most of his career.Ryan was apprenticed to the trainer Reg Hollinshead and won his first race at Windsor Racecourse in 1982. He was joint British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1985...
and trained by John Gosden
John Gosden
John Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...
. The pre-race favourite Entrepreneur finished fourth.
Race details
- Sponsor: VodafoneVodafoneVodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
- Winner's prize money: £595,250
- Going: Good
- Number of runners: 13
- Winner's time: 2m 35.77s
Full result
| * | Horse | Jockey | Trainer † | SP Starting Prices In horse racing, the starting price is the odds prevailing in the on-course fixed-odds betting market at the time a race begins. The method by which SPs are set for each runner varies in different countries but is generally by consensus of an appointed panel on the basis of their observations of... |
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| 1 | Benny the Dip Benny the Dip Benny the Dip was an American-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1997 by a short head from the future St Leger winner Silver Patriarch.... |
Willie Ryan Willie Ryan Willie Ryan is a flat racing jockey from Ireland who has been based in the United Kingdom for most of his career.Ryan was apprenticed to the trainer Reg Hollinshead and won his first race at Windsor Racecourse in 1982. He was joint British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1985... |
John Gosden John Gosden John Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of... |
11/1 | |
| 2 | shd | Silver Patriarch Silver Patriarch Silver Patriarch was a racehorse, winner of the 1997 St Leger and of seven other races. He was ridden by Pat Eddery in all but three of his races.... |
Pat Eddery Pat Eddery Patrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:... |
John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995.... |
6/1 |
| 3 | 5 | Romanov | John Reid John A. Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid (born August 6, 1955 in Banbridge County Down, Northern Ireland is a retired flat race jockey.Reid served as an apprentice in his native Ireland to Leslie Crawford, before moving to England and joining Verley Bewicke. His first Classic victory came... |
Peter Chapple-Hyam Peter Chapple-Hyam Peter Chapple-Hyam is a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He trained Dr Devious to win the Epsom Derby in 1992 and repeated the feat with Authorized in 2007. He managed two Group One wins in his first season as a trainer in 1991... |
25/1 |
| 4 | 3½ | Entrepreneur | Michael Kinane Michael Kinane Michael J. Kinane is a former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009.... |
Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972... |
4/6 fav |
| 5 | 3 | The Fly | Ray Cochrane Ray Cochrane Ray Cochrane is a retired horse racing jockey and current sports agent.He was the winning jockey in three of the five British Classic Races: the Oaks Stakes, 1,000 Guineas Stakes and Epsom Derby Stakes... |
Barry Hills Barry Hills Barry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more... |
12/1 |
| 6 | 1 | Fahris | Richard Hills | Ben Hanbury | 12/1 |
| 7 | 4 | Symonds Inn | Kieren Fallon Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times.... |
Jimmy FitzGerald | 33/1 |
| 8 | 3½ | Musalsal | Michael Hills | Barry Hills Barry Hills Barry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more... |
40/1 |
| 9 | 5 | Bold Demand | Frankie Dettori Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing... |
Saeed bin Suroor Saeed bin Suroor Saeed bin Suroor , is a horse racing trainer. Formerly a policeman, he took out his training license in 1994 and the following year was appointed as the trainer for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation.... |
20/1 |
| 10 | 12 | Cloudings | Olivier Peslier Olivier Peslier Olivier Peslier is a thoroughbred horse racing jockey.Peslier competes in flat racing mainly in France but travels often around the world for the big international races.... |
André Fabre André Fabre André Fabre is a French thoroughbred horse racing trainer.The son of a diplomat, Fabre graduated from university with a law degree but then decided to pursue a career in thoroughbred horse racing. He began by working in the stables as a groom then as a schooling rider... (FR) |
12/1 |
| 11 | 1¼ | Single Empire | David Harrison | Peter Chapple-Hyam Peter Chapple-Hyam Peter Chapple-Hyam is a Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He trained Dr Devious to win the Epsom Derby in 1992 and repeated the feat with Authorized in 2007. He managed two Group One wins in his first season as a trainer in 1991... |
33/1 |
| 12 | 3½ | Crystal Hearted | Tony McGlone | Henry Candy | 66/1 |
| 13 | 5 | Papua | Gary Carter | Ian Balding Ian Balding Ian Balding emigrated with his family to England in 1945. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Barnard Balding, Sr. and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Kingsclere became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally... |
150/1 |
* The distances between the horses are shown in lengths
Length (horse racing)
A horse length, or simply length, is a unit of measurement that refers to the length of a horse from nose to tail, approximately 8 feet, It is commonly used in Thoroughbred horse racing, where it describes the distance between horses in a race...
or shorter. shd = short-head.
† Trainers are based in Great Britain unless indicated.
Winner's details
Further details of the winner, Benny the DipBenny the Dip
Benny the Dip was an American-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred race horse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1997 by a short head from the future St Leger winner Silver Patriarch....
:
- Foaled: March 25, 1994 in KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, USAUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Sire: Silver Hawk; Dam: Rascal Rascal (Ack AckAck Ack (horse)Ack Ack was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. He raced with success at age two to four, scoring wins in the important 1969 Withers Stakes and Arlington Classic. In 1971 at age five, Ack Ack blossomed into the year's most dominant horse...
) - Owner: Landon Knight and Claiborne FarmClaiborne FarmClaiborne Farm is a thoroughbred Horse breeding operation in near Paris, Kentucky. It was established in 1910, by Arthur B. Hancock, owner of Ellerslie Farm in Albemarle County, Virginia, and has been operated by members of his family ever since.-Owners:...
- Breeder: Landon Knight
- Rating in 1997 International ClassificationsWorld Thoroughbred Racehorse RankingsThe World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings are compiled by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities , an organization established in 2003 with headquarters in Paris, France made up of members from around the world....
: 126
Two-year-old races
Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1996.- Benny the Dip – 1st Royal Lodge StakesRoyal Lodge StakesThe Royal Lodge Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September....
, 3rd Racing Post TrophyRacing Post TrophyThe Racing Post Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.... - Silver Patriarch – 1st Zetland StakesZetland StakesThe Zetland Stakes is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.The event was formerly...
- Fahris – 2nd Silver Tankard StakesSilver Tankard StakesThe Silver Tankard Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Pontefract over a distance of 1 mile and 4 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October....
- Symonds Inn – 2nd Acomb StakesAcomb StakesThe Acomb Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at York over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....
, 3rd Silver Tankard StakesSilver Tankard StakesThe Silver Tankard Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Pontefract over a distance of 1 mile and 4 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.... - Papua – 5th Racing Post TrophyRacing Post TrophyThe Racing Post Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October....
The road to Epsom
Early-season appearances in 1997 and trial racesTrial races for the Epsom Derby
Trial races for the Epsom Derby are horse races during April and May which are contested by three-year-olds likely to run in the Epsom Derby in early June....
prior to running in the Derby.
- Benny the Dip – 2nd Sandown Classic TrialSandown Classic TrialThe Sandown Classic Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April.The event was established in 1953, and it...
, 1st Dante StakesDante StakesThe Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.... - Silver Patriarch – 3rd Sandown Classic TrialSandown Classic TrialThe Sandown Classic Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April.The event was established in 1953, and it...
, 1st Lingfield Derby TrialLingfield Derby TrialThe Lingfield Derby Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Lingfield Park over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 106 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.The event was established in 1932, and... - Romanov – 3rd Irish 2,000 Guineas
- Entrepreneur – 1st 2,000 Guineas
- Fahris – 1st Feilden StakesFeilden StakesThe Feilden Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong , and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid April....
- Symonds Inn – 1st Glasgow StakesGlasgow StakesThe Glasgow Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Hamilton Park over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 16 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July....
- Mulsalsal – 3rd Dante StakesDante StakesThe Dante Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 88 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
- Cloudings – 1st Prix de Courcelles, 1st Prix LupinPrix LupinThe Prix Lupin was a Group 1 flat horse race in France which was open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It was run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 metres , and it was scheduled to take place each year in May....
- Single Empire – 1st Derby ItalianoDerby ItalianoThe Derby Italiano is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Capannelle over a distance of 2,200 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
- Crystal Hearted – 5th Easter StakesEaster StakesThe Easter Stakes was a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain which was open to three-year-old Thoroughbred colts and geldings. It was run at Kempton Park over a distance of 1 mile , and it was scheduled to take place each year, usually on the Saturday of Easter weekend in March or April.The...
, 1st Dee StakesDee StakesThe Dee Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Chester over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 75 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.... - Papua – 3rd Easter StakesEaster StakesThe Easter Stakes was a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain which was open to three-year-old Thoroughbred colts and geldings. It was run at Kempton Park over a distance of 1 mile , and it was scheduled to take place each year, usually on the Saturday of Easter weekend in March or April.The...
, 2nd Blue Riband Trial StakesBlue Riband Trial StakesThe Investec Derby Trial, formerly known as the Blue Riband Trial Stakes, is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds...
, 4th Lingfield Derby TrialLingfield Derby TrialThe Lingfield Derby Trial is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Lingfield Park over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 106 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.The event was established in 1932, and...
Subsequent Group 1 wins
Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.- Silver Patriarch – St. LegerSt. Leger StakesThe St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.Established in 1776, the St. Leger...
(1997), Coronation CupCoronation CupThe Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
(1998), Gran Premio del Jockey ClubGran Premio del Jockey ClubThe Gran Premio del Jockey Club is a Group 1 flat horse race in Italy which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at San Siro, Milan, over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.Past winners of the event include Tenerani and...
(1998) - Single Empire – San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (1999)