The Investec Bunbury

By Stephen Dwyer

Investec are a progressive South African bank, they employ over 100 staff in Ireland and became in 2002, the first South African company to list on both the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. One of their Non-Executive Directors, Sir David Prosser, holds a Directorship of Epsom Downs Racecourse Limited. The marketing spin doctors at the bank put this fact down to mere coincidence when it was announced in May of 2009 that Investec would be sponsoring the Derby for the next five years. A happy coincidence it may be, but the racecourse are now better off to the tune of £400,000 over the course of the Investec deal.

When asked about the sponsorship, their UK CEO mentioned “the Derby heritage has some quirky elements that suit our positioning of out of the ordinary”. Interesting that he used the word “heritage”, for the Derby is more than just a horse race over 2,423 metres (1 mile 4 furlongs and 10 yards in old money). Saturday week is the 230th Derby since its inauguration in 1780. This year there is £1.25 million in prize money, 19 runners are declared to go to post.

It was a case of Ladies First as the initial Derby took place as a celebration following the first running of the Oaks (named after the home of Lord Derby) in 1779. The naming of this celebratory race was decided upon a coin toss between Edward Smith-Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby and one of his guests, Sir Charles Bunbury. The Earl won the coin toss and it was Bunbury’s colt, Diomed that won the very first Derby. Bunbury was the Steward of the Jockey Club at the time and collected £1,065 15s as first prize; in 2010 it will top £700,000. Derby did indeed win the race some years later with Sir Peter Teazle so balance was restored to the gentry.

Just 30 minutes from London, the racetrack at Epsom Downs is steeped in legacy. It has seen three 100-1 winners and 13 false starts. The 1913 running would mark the suffragette era as campaigner Emily Davison was fatally injured when she deliberately threw herself in front of Anmer, King George V’s horse, at Tattenham Corner.

Epsom has even had links with Cheltenham. Champion Hurdle winner, Sea Pigeon finished seventh to Morston in the 1973 Epsom Classic. Lester Piggott was 15th on Prince Charlemagne in the 1953 Derby and rode him to victory in the Triumph Hurdle nine months later.

Later this week, the newly renovated, £30 million grandstand will see Aidan O’Brien lead out the two market leaders. The current 2/1 favourite, St. Nicholas Abbey is looking to take the Blue Riband back to Ballydoyle. His stable mate Jan Vermeer has been the subject of a massive gamble and with stable jockey Johnny Murtagh undecided as to which colt he will ride, Jan Vermeer may be a class act to follow on the day. O’Brien is seeking his third win in the race, emulating previous back to back wins in 2001/02 with Galileo and High Chaparral.

Incidentally, Jan Vermeer was named after a Dutch master painter; he created the famous “Girl with a Pearl Earring”. Whether or not another masterpiece is seen in Epsom on June 5th remains to be seen. But as always, we can expect something special.

This race of glory and grandeur, speed and stamina is our heritage. All involved know only too well that the Gods who grant immortality do not remember second place.

That’s why we call it the “Derby”.

By Stephen Dwyer