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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 * 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: 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
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.
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 CharmPersifleur (10th) - Minor jumps winners in FranceSadjiyd (8th) - Exported to Saudi ArabiaLegal Bid (14th) - Exported to Canada - Exported to GermanyAlwasmi (18th) - Exported to Canada - Exported to Germany - Exported to Italy
References
External links Colour Chart – Derby 1987