1987 Epsom Derby

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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.

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
* 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: 26 February 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

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.

Sires of Classic winners
Reference Point (1st) Groom Dancer (7th) Ascot Knight (11th) - Exported to Canada
 * 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 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)
 * 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) Bellotto (3rd) - Exported to Australia Ajdal (9th)
 * 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)
 * 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)
 * 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