1985 Epsom Derby
| Derby | |
| Location | Epsom Downs Racecourse |
|---|---|
| Date | 5 June 1985 |
| Winning horse | Slip Anchor |
| SP | 9/4 Fav |
| Jockey | Steve Cauthen |
| Trainer | Henry Cecil |
| Owner | John Scott-Ellis, 9th Baron Howard de Walden |
| Conditions | Good |
The 1985 Epsom Derby (known as the Ever Ready Derby for sponsorship reasons) was the 206th annual running of the Derby horse race. It took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 5 June 1985.
The race was won by Lord Howard de Walden's Slip Anchor, at odds of 9/4 ridden by jockey Steve Cauthen and trained at Newmarket by Henry Cecil. The win was a first success in the race for owner, trainer and jockey. Cauthen became the first man to ride the winners of both the Kentucky Derby and the Epsom Derby.
Race details
- Sponsor: Ever Ready
- Winner's prize money: £204,160
- Going: Good
- Number of runners: 14
- Winner's time: 2 minutes, 36.23 seconds
Full result
| Dist * | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | SP | |
| 1 | Slip Anchor | Steve Cauthen | Henry Cecil | 9-4 | |
| 2 | 7 | Law Society | Pat Eddery | Vincent O'Brien (IRE) | 5-1 |
| 3 | 6 | Damister | Yves Saint-Martin | Jeremy Tree | 16-1 |
| 4 | hd | Supreme Leader | Philip Robinson | Clive Brittain | 10-1 |
| 5 | 4 | Lanfranco | Cash Asmussen | Henry Cecil | 14-1 |
| 6 | 7 | Reach | Richard Quinn | Paul Cole | 33-1 |
| 7 | ¾ | Theatrical | Lester Piggott | Dermot Weld (IRE) | 10-1 |
| 8 | nk | Phardante | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | 40-1 |
| 9 | 8 | Royal Harmony | Michael Hills | Barry Hills | 40-1 |
| 10 | 6 | Snow Plant | Gabriel Curran | Kevin Prendergast (IRE) | 100-1 |
| 11 | 4 | Petoski | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | 33-1 |
| 12 | 7 | Seurat | Eric Legrix | Patrick-Louis Biancone (FR) | 33-1 |
| 13 | Shadeed | Walter Swinburn | Michael Stoute | 7-2 | |
| 14 | Main Reason | Philip Waldron | Paul Cole | 200-1 |
Winner details
Further details of the winner, Slip Anchor:
- Foaled: 15 April 1982, in United Kingdom
- Sire: Shirley Heights; Dam: Sayonara (Birkhahn)
- Owner: Lord Howard de Walden
- Breeder: Lord Howard de Walden
Form analysis
Two-year-old races
Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1984:[1]
- Damister - 1st in Somerville Tattersall Stakes, 2nd in William Hill Futurity
- Lanfranco - 1st in William Hill Futurity
- Law Society – 1st in Anglesey Stakes, 1st in National Stakes, 2nd in Dewhurst Stakes
- Petoski - 1st in Lanson Champagne Stakes, 3rd in Champagne Stakes
- Reach - 1st in Royal Lodge Stakes
- Royal Harmony - 2nd in Acomb Stakes, 3rd in Royal Lodge Stakes
The road to Epsom
Early-season appearances in 1985 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:[2]
- Damister – 2nd in Craven Stakes, 1st in Sandown Classic Trial, 1st in Dante Stakes
- Lanfranco - 1st in Predominate Stakes
- Law Society – 1st in Chester Vase
- Petoski – 2nd in Sandown Classic Trial, 2nd in Chester Vase
- Phardante - 2nd in Predominate Stakes
- Reach – 3rd in Dante Stakes
- Seurat - 1st in Prix Jean de Chaudenay
- Shadeed – 1st in Craven Stakes, 1st in 2,000 Guineas Stakes
- Slip Anchor - 1st in Heathorn Stakes, 1st in Lingfield Derby Trial
- Supreme Leader – 3rd in 2,000 Guineas Stakes
- Theatrical – 1st in Ballysax Stakes, 1st in Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial
Subsequent Group 1 wins
Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.
- Petoski – King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1985)
- Law Society – Irish Derby (1985)
- Theatrical – Hialeah Turf Cup Handicap (1987), Man o' War Stakes (1987), Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (1987), Breeders' Cup Turf (1987)