2004 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 5, 2004. It was the 225th 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 the pre-race joint favourite North Light
North Light
North Light is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse, and active sire, bred in Ireland but trained in the United Kingdom. He is best known as the winner of the Epsom Derby in 2004. He currently stands at the Adena Springs Stud in Aurora, Ontario, Canada.-Background:North Light was bred in Ireland by...
. The winner was ridden by Kieren Fallon
Kieren Fallon
Kieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times....
and trained by Sir 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...
. The other joint favourite Snow Ridge finished seventh.
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: £788,220
- Going: Good
- Number of runners: 14
- Winner's time: 2m 33.72s
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 | North Light North Light North Light is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse, and active sire, bred in Ireland but trained in the United Kingdom. He is best known as the winner of the Epsom Derby in 2004. He currently stands at the Adena Springs Stud in Aurora, Ontario, Canada.-Background:North Light was bred in Ireland by... |
Kieren Fallon Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times.... |
Sir 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... |
7/2 jf | |
| 2 | 1½ | Rule of Law | Kerrin McEvoy | 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 |
| 3 | hd | Let the Lion Roar | Michael Kinane Michael Kinane Michael J. Kinane is a former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009.... |
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.... |
14/1 |
| 4 | hd | Percussionist | Kevin Darley Kevin Darley Kevin Darley is a retired jockey, and a co-president of the Jockeys' Association of Great Britain... |
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... |
7/1 |
| 5 | 3 | Salford City | Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh is a Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world... |
David Elsworth David Elsworth David Elsworth is a horse trainer living in the United Kingdom. He is perhaps best known for being the trainer of Desert Orchid, 1988 Grand National winner Rhyme 'n' Reason and 1990 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Barnbrook Again - just three horses amongst a host of top-class performers over... |
8/1 |
| 6 | 1½ | American Post | Richard Hughes Richard Hughes (jockey) Richard Hughes is an Irish flat jockey who most commonly rides in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. His main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon who is also his father in law andfrom 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by... |
Criquette Head-Maarek Criquette Head-Maarek Christiane "Criquette" Head is considered to be the leading female racehorse trainer in the world.Known as Criquette, she was born into the Thoroughbred horse racing business... (FR) |
13/2 |
| 7 | 1¾ | Snow Ridge | 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.... |
7/2 jf |
| 8 | hd | Hazyview | Eddie Ahern Eddie Ahern Eddie Ahern is an Irish professional jockey.In 1997 he became champion apprentice in Ireland., Ahern has won 1084 races. In 2007 Ahern won the Hayes Golden Button Challenge. In December 2007 Ahern was banned from racing for 3 months for a whip offence... |
Neville Callaghan | 40/1 |
| 9 | 1½ | Pukka | Darryll Holland Darryll Holland Darryll Paul Holland is a United Kingdom flat racing jockey who has ridden for trainers such as Luca Cumani, Geoff Wragg, and Mark Johnston.... |
Luca Cumani Luca Cumani Luca M. Cumani is an Italian thoroughbred horse trainer. He has trained at Bedford House Stables in Newmarket, England since 1976... |
10/1 |
| 10 | 2½ | Gatwick | Richard Quinn | Mick Channon Mick Channon Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:... |
16/1 |
| 11 | nk | Massif Centrale | Dane O'Neill | David Elsworth David Elsworth David Elsworth is a horse trainer living in the United Kingdom. He is perhaps best known for being the trainer of Desert Orchid, 1988 Grand National winner Rhyme 'n' Reason and 1990 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Barnbrook Again - just three horses amongst a host of top-class performers over... |
100/1 |
| 12 | 19 | Coming Again | 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... |
80/1 |
| 13 | 1¼ | Elshadi | Martin Dwyer Martin Dwyer Martin Dwyer is an English Derby winning flat racing jockey having won the 2006 Vodafone Derby upon Sir Percy. This was his second classic success after winning the Epsom Oaks aboard Casual Look in 2003... |
Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning Marcus Tregoning is a horse racing jockey who worked in an apprenticeship under Dick Hern. Tregoning began training horses by himself in the year 1997, originally starting with 50 horses.-Notable Races and Wins:... |
25/1 |
| 14 | 7 | Meath | Jamie Spencer Jamie Spencer Jamie Spencer is an Irish flat racing jockey currently riding in the UK. He has been champion jockey in both Ireland and Britain and has won four classics, two in each country. Spencer is widely regarded as one of the best, and most naturally talented, UK-based jockeys - despite not having a... |
Aidan O'Brien Aidan O'Brien Aidan Patrick O'Brien is an Irish horse racing trainer. Since 1996, he has been the private trainer at Ballydoyle Stables near Cashel in County Tipperary for John Magnier and his Coolmore Stud associates.... (IRE) |
16/1 |
* 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. hd = head; nk = neck.
† Trainers are based in Great Britain unless indicated.
Winner's details
Further details of the winner, North LightNorth Light
North Light is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse, and active sire, bred in Ireland but trained in the United Kingdom. He is best known as the winner of the Epsom Derby in 2004. He currently stands at the Adena Springs Stud in Aurora, Ontario, Canada.-Background:North Light was bred in Ireland by...
:
- Foaled: March 1, 2001 in IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
- Sire: DanehillDanehill (horse)Danehill was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in the United States. During his phenomenal stud career Danehill became a champion sire on both sides of the Equator...
; Dam: Sought Out (Rainbow QuestRainbow Quest (horse)Rainbow Quest was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and Champion broodmare sire. Bred in Kentucky by British businessman, Alan Clore, he was a descendant of the great Nearco through both his dam, I Will Follow, and his Champion sire, Blushing Groom....
) - Owner: Ballymacoll Stud
- Breeder: Ballymacoll Stud Farm Ltd
- Rating in 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse RankingsThe 2004 World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings was the inaugural edition of the World Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings. It is an assessment of racehorses which was issued by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities in January 2005...
: 122
Two-year-old races
Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 2003.- Rule of Law – 1st 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 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.... - Let the Lion Roar – 2nd Haynes, Hanson and Clark StakesHaynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions StakesThe Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
- American Post – 1st Prix Jean-Luc LagardèrePrix Jean-Luc LagardèreThe Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.It is the oldest and most prestigious race in France...
, 1st 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.... - Snow Ridge – 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....
, 9th Dewhurst StakesDewhurst StakesThe Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.The event was established in 1875, and it... - Elshadi – 1st Haynes, Hanson and Clark StakesHaynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions StakesThe Haynes, Hanson and Clark Conditions Stakes is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
, 4th Autumn StakesAutumn Stakes (Great Britain)The Autumn Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at on the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October....
The road to Epsom
Early-season appearances in 2004 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.
- North Light – 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....
- Rule of Law – 2nd 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....
- Let the Lion Roar – 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....
- Percussionist – 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...
- Salford City – 1st Greenham StakesGreenham StakesThe Greenham Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Newbury over a distance of 7 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April....
, 6th 2,000 Guineas - American Post – 1st Prix Omnium IIPrix Omnium IIThe Prix Omnium II is a Listed flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late March or early April....
, 1st Prix de FontainebleauPrix de FontainebleauThe Prix de Fontainebleau is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.-History:...
, 1st Poule d'Essai des PoulainsPoule d'Essai des PoulainsThe Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sometimes referred to as the French 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts... - Snow Ridge – 2nd 2,000 Guineas
- Hazyview – 1st Newmarket StakesNewmarket StakesThe Newmarket Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. 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 April or early May.At present, the event...
, 2nd 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...
, 1st Fairway StakesFairway StakesThe Fairway 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 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May.... - Gatwick – 1st Haydock Silver Bowl
- Meath – 2nd Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial Stakes, 2nd Amethyst StakesAmethyst StakesThe Amethyst Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
, 1st Gallinule StakesGallinule StakesThe Gallinule Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Ireland open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at the Curragh over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
Subsequent Group 1 wins
Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.- Rule of Law – 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...
(2004)