In order to have a chance at winning the most prestigious horserace in the world Epsom Derby, you need more than just a great champion racehorse. You need a great champion racehorse at the peak of his health and physical conditioning, a great owner with deep pockets, and a great trainer who knows how to prepare the horse for racing.
So how do you find your potential champion racehorse in Epsom Derby ?
Great horses come from great bloodlines. Horses that are descended from multiple Derby winners will have good chances of becoming good racers themselves; however, there is no guarantee that they will become Derby winners. This is because other factors are just as important in determining the future of a horse, such as training and care.
A racehorse with good bloodlines that was not trained well will never amount to anything in racing, no matter how talented he may be. The same goes for an otherwise mediocre horse that was raised by great trainers. Trainers are the people who are in charge of preparing horses for racing, and they contribute just as much to a horse’s performance.
So you have your potential champion racehorse. What next?
You need to find an owner that can afford to buy this horse. Championship-winning Derby horses have gone for prices reaching into the millions of pounds. This is because of the high odds of becoming a winner. This means that you need to find an owner with not only deep pockets, but also someone who has the patience to wait if their horse doesn’t win immediately.
So you have found your potential champion racehorse, and an owner that can afford it. What next?
You need to hire a trainer who knows how to prepare your horse for racing. A poorly-trained racehorse will not be taken seriously in the racing world, and will never amount to anything. This is because training takes up a lot of time, and racers need time off to rest. Therefore, it’s important that you hire someone who can provide constant care.
You have found your potential champion racehorse, an owner who can afford it, and a trainer who has the training to go with it. Now comes the hard part: waiting. It takes years for a racehorse to reach their peak, so you need to be willing to wait at least three or four years before your horse can win races. You also need to have the patience to see your horse go through several poor races.
Horses are animals, and it is difficult for anyone – even experienced trainers – to make accurate predictions about how a racehorse will perform based on their measurements and bloodlines alone. It’s simply not possible, especially since horses frequently get injured while racing. Therefore, it is important that your horse goes through thorough physical examinations at regular intervals, so the trainer will have the opportunity to notice any potential problems.
Training a racehorse takes years of hard work. It’s definitely not something for amateurs, and even veteran trainers must study hard in order to know exactly what they should do to make their horses healthy and able to perform at their peak. Now that you have your potential champion racehorse, an owner who can afford it and a trainer who knows what they’re doing, it’s time to wait for years and hope.
What is Epsom Derby?
The Epsom Derby is annually held on the first Saturday in June at Epsom Downs, Surrey. The “Derby” was first officially run in 1780, handicapping being instituted in 1836. The Derby is a flat race over a distance of one mile and four furlongs. It is restricted to three-year-old thoroughbreds, but can also be won by older horses after they pass the age of four.
It is the most prestigious of all the British Classics and is worth £1,000,000 in prize money to the winner. The Derby Winner’s Victory Parade traditionally takes place on Epsom High Street at 3pm on Derby Day. The field for the race are required to walk around a specially designed track before lining up for the official photograph call and then proceeding through the Parade Ring and onto the track.
History of Epsom Derby!
The Epsom Derby is a horse race. It takes place on the Epsom Downs in England. The first race took place in 1780 and was won by Diomed, owned by Colonel Charles Dennison. He won by half a length.
The first ever running of the Derby was watched by 4,000 people, which included King George III. This year’s race will take place on 7th June 2009 and will be seen by hundreds of thousands of people who are expected to line Epsom Downs. The race is run over 1 mile 4 furlongs.
On the first day of the Epsom Spring Meeting , a new race is introduced – it’s called The Oaks and has been since 1849 . It is run over 1 mile 3 furlongs for three-year-old fillies. The winner wears a garland of Oak leaves.
The Epsom Derby is the second leg of the English Triple Crown . The first was run at Newmarket and the third on the flat at Ascot. The Derby is also known as “The Blue Riband” of racing and it’s one of Britain’s richest horse races with a prize fund of £1 million (2009). The name of the Derby has nothing to do with the colour, but rather a sixteenth century Earl of Derby. He won a race at Epsom so the tradition was born!
It’s not unknown for horses to have their names painted on their sides by jockeys. Legend says that it began when Richard Grosvenor , 2nd Marquess of Westminster, painted his horses white with black spots, but the first official race was won by a colt called Running Rein.
What’s the atmosphere like?
The atmosphere inside Epsom derby is nothing short of amazing. There’s a feeling of anticipation in the air before the race, and it goes up to another level when all horses are out on the track. The best way to experience this would be by being there in person, but if you can’t make it, don’t worry! You can still feel what its like inside with these ten tips.
- It’s not exactly known what time the race starts, but if you’re there early enough, you can see all the horses lining up on the track. Visitors are allowed to walk around the enclosure until about 5 minutes before they make their way to the stalls.
- The start of Derby is nowhere as exciting as when they make their way towards the final straight. These moments are where all anticipation levels skyrocket, and you’ll find yourself cheering with everyone else. Make sure to get a spot on the grandstand in order to properly see them racing past!
- The most common drink in Epsom Derby is champagne. You can see people holding on to champagne flutes and bottles everywhere. If you don’t like the bubbly kind, there is usually a stall or two serving draft beer and other alcoholic concoctions.
- Make sure you get yourself some food before hand! It’s pretty much essential if you want to keep your energy levels up while watching the horses race around the track.
- The best way to get acquainted with people around you (and find friends if you don’t know anyone) is to strike up a conversation with them after watching a few races! It’s not too hard as most of the people have been there for hours before hand, so they want to relive those moments over and over again.
- If you’re lucky enough to be at Epsom Derby on a sunny day, make sure to bring an umbrella! The sun is quite strong for most of the afternoon, so it’s best if you can find shade somewhere around the grandstands or the lawn areas. There are also plenty of stalls selling sun parasols and other things that’ll keep you cool.
- If you want to follow your favorite horse during the race, make sure to look at their rump! That’ll help you identify them from afar. This little tip works even if it’s a dark day.
- Bets are accepted along the enclosure. Most people there are betting for smaller amounts, but it’s still a good idea if you want to get involved as well. It doesn’t hurt to bet on something fun! Plus, it’ll help keep your mind off how much money you could’ve spent on those flutes and parasols.
- You can’t bring anything in with you when you go to Epsom Derby. This includes food, umbrellas, cameras, lighters and other things that are not allowed. Anything considered a weapon or hazardous material will result in an immediate expulsion from the premises, so make sure to leave your knives at home.
- Epsom Derby is one of the main events on the horse racing calendar. While not everyone can go to this event, you can still watch it on TV with your family and friends!