Goodwood Derby

The Goodwood Derby, launched 78 years after the more famous Epsom Derby, was run over a mile and a half of the Gratwicke Course for colts carrying 8st 10lbs and fillies carrying 8st 7lbs. The race conditions imposed penalties, up to a maximum of 10lb, for winners of prestigious races; the Epsom Derby winner and second to carry 10lb and 7lb extra respectively, the Oaks winner and second to carry 6lb and 4 lb respectively, the winner of the 2000 Guineas, 1000 Guineas or Stockbridge Derby to carry 5lb extra.
Early history:- The inaugural running of the Goodwood version of the Derby was on Wednesday 28th July 1858 when Lord Ribblesdale’s The Happy Land beat Compromise and Telegram into second and third.
Goodwood Derby 1860 Group 1 1 mile 4 furlongs
Pos. Horse Jockey Age/weight Owner
1 NORTHERN LIGHT Custance John Osborne snr 3-8st 7lbs Mr James Merry 1/5 fav
2 EBONY J Daley 3-8st 10lbs Mr Gratwicke 16/1
3 ST JAMES L Snowden 3-8st 7lbs Mr J H C Wyndham 16/1
This race took place on Wednesday 25th July 1860 and was a subscription race of 25 sovereigns each for 3-y-o carrying 8st 10lbs, fillies 8st 7lbs, with various penalties for Classic winners. There were 18 subscribers, and it was valued at 300 sovereigns (equivalent to £36,000 in 2021). Northern Light and Ebony were both unplaced in the Epsom Derby behind THORMANBY (SR 2032). Over round 105%