| Derby | |
| Location | Epsom Downs Racecourse | 
|---|---|
| Date | 4 June 1980 | 
| Winning horse | Henbit | 
| Starting price | 7/1 | 
| Jockey | Willie Carson | 
| Trainer | Dick Hern | 
| Owner | Etti Plesch | 
| Conditions | Firm | 
| 1-2-3 | ||
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| Henbit | Master Willie | Rankin | 
| Also Ran | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4-5-6 | ||
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| Pelerin | Garrido | Hello Gorgeous | 
| 7-8-9 | ||
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| Julius Caesar | Star Way | Saint Jonathon | 
| 10-11-12 | ||
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| Bozovici | Blast Off | Ribo Charter | 
| 13-14-15 | ||
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| Pimpont | Marcello | Tyrnavos | 
| 16-17-18 | ||
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| Running Mill | Water Mill | Prince Spruce | 
| 19-20-21 | ||
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| Noble Shamus | Nikoli | Moomba Masquerade | 
| 22-23-24 | ||
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| Monteverdi | Majestic Star | Braughing | 
The 1980 Epsom Derby was the 201st annual running of the Derby horse race. It took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 4 June 1980.
The race was won by Etti Plesch's American bred Henbit at odds of 7/1. Ridden by Willie Carson and trained at West Ilsley by Dick Hern, Henbit would be the second Derby winner in two years for the trainer/jockey duo. While the winning margin of just three quarters of a length was unremarkable, that Henbit returned with a fractured cannon bone in his off-fore leg, thought to have occurred a furlong and a half from the finish led his trainer to describe him as a "very brave horse".[1] Furthermore, the winning time of 2:34.77 was the fastest since Nijinsky won in 1970.
Race details
- Sponsor: none
 - Winner's prize money: £166,820
 - Going: Fast
 - Number of runners: 24
 - Winner's time: 2 minutes, 34.77 seconds
 
Full result
| Finish | Horse | Bred | Jockey | Trainer | Trained | SP | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Henbit | USA | Willie Carson | Dick Hern | UK | 7/1 | 
| 2nd | Master Willie | GB | Philip Waldron | Henry Candy | UK | 22/1 | 
| 3rd | Rankin | FR | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | UK | 14/1 | 
| 4th | Pelerin | FR | Pat Eddery | Harry Wragg | UK | 18/1 | 
| 5th | Garrido | ITY | Philippe Paquet | François Boutin | FR | 28/1 | 
| 6th | Hello Gorgeous | USA | Joe Mercer | Henry Cecil | UK | 9/1 | 
| 7th | Julius Caesar | FR | Paul Cook | Serge Boullenger | FR | 50/1 | 
| 8th | Nikoli | GB | Christy Roche | Paddy Prendergast | IRE | 4/1 | 
| 9th | Star Way | GB | Yves Saint-Martin | Paul Kelleway | UK | 22/1 | 
| 10th | Water Mill | GB | Tony Murray | Dick Hern | UK | 14/1 | 
| 11th | Moomba Masquerade | GB | Geoff Baxter | Jeremy Hindley | UK | 40/1 | 
| 12th | Tyrnavos | GB | Edward Hide | Bruce Hobbs | UK | 9/1 | 
| 13th | Saint Jonathon | GB | Steve Cauthen | Barry Hills | UK | 33/1 | 
| 14th | Monteverdi | GB | Lester Piggott | Vincent O'Brien | IRE | 8/1 | 
| 15th | Prince Spruce | USA | John Matthias | John Dunlop | UK | 200/1 | 
| 16th | Bozovici | USA | Brian Taylor | Ryan Price | UK | 7/1 | 
| 17th | Braughing | GB | Kipper Lynch | Clive Brittain | UK | 200/1 | 
| 18th | Blast Off | USA | Maurice Philipperon | John Fellows | FR | 66/1 | 
| 19th | Noble Shamus | GB | George McGrath | M Fogarty | IRE | 100/1 | 
| 20th | Ribo Charter | GB | Tommy Carberry | Paul Kelleway | UK | 100/1 | 
| 21st | Running Mill | GB | Tony Kimberley | Michael Stoute | UK | 100/1 | 
| 22nd | Pimpont | FR | Georges Doleuze | Charles Milbank | FR | 40/1 | 
| 23rd | Marcello | FR | Brian Rouse | Clive Brittain | UK | 200/1 | 
| 24th | Majestic Star | GB | John Reid | Gavin Pritchard-Gordon | UK | 33/1 | 
Winner details
Further details of the winner, Henbit:
- Foaled: 28 March 1977, in America
 - Sire: Hawaii; Dam: Chateaucreek (Chateaugay)
 - Owner: Etti Plesch
 - Breeder: Helen Drake Jones
 
Form analysis
Two-year-old races
Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1979:[2][3]
- Blast Off - 2nd in Prix Greffulhe
 - Bozovici - 2nd in Seaton Delaval Stakes
 - Braughing - 3rd in Gimcrack Stakes
 - Hello Gorgeous - 1st in Futurity Stakes, 1st in Royal Lodge Stakes
 - Master Willie - 2nd in Acomb Stakes
 - Moomba Masquerade - 3rd in Futurity Stakes
 - Monteverdi – 1st in National Stakes, 1st in Dewhurst Stakes
 - Noble Shamus – 1st in Railway Stakes, 3rd in National Stakes
 - Rankin - 1st in Solario Stakes
 - Ribo Charter – 3rd in Prix de Condé
 - Star Way - 1st in Chesham Stakes, 2nd in Royal Lodge Stakes, 3rd in Seaton Delaval Stakes
 - Tyrnavos - 2nd in Dewhurst Stakes, 1st in Roberre Trophy Stakes
 - Water Mill - 2nd in Horris Hill Stakes
 
The road to Epsom
Early-season appearances in 1980 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:[4][5][6]
- Garrido - 1st in Derby Italiano
 - Hello Gorgeous - 1st in Dante Stakes
 - Henbit - 1st in Guardian Classic Trial, 1st in Chester Vase
 - Julius Caesar - 1st in Prix Noailles
 - Master Willie - 1st in Easter Stakes, 2nd in Dante Stakes
 - Monteverdi – 2nd in Greenham Stakes, 2nd in McCairns Trial Stakes
 - Moomba Masquerade - 2nd in Chester Vase
 - Nikoli - 1st in Irish 2000 Guineas, 1st in McCairns Trial Stakes
 - Pelerin - 1st in Glasgow Stakes
 - Rankin - 2nd in Predominate Stakes
 - Ribo Charter - 2nd in Lingfield Derby Trial
 - Running Mill - 1st in Heath Stakes
 - Saint Jonathon - 1st in Roseberry Stakes
 - Star Way - 2nd in Craven Stakes
 - Tyrnavos - 1st in Craven Stakes
 - Water Mill - 3rd in Dante Stakes
 
Subsequent Group 1 wins
Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.
- Master Willie - Benson and Hedges Gold Cup (1980), Coronation Cup (1981), Eclipse Stakes (1981)
 - Pelerin - Grosser Preis von Baden (1981)
 - Tyrnavos – Irish Derby (1980)
 
Subsequent breeding careers
Leading progeny of participants in the 1980 Epsom Derby.[7][8][9][10][11]
Stallions of Classic winners
Star Way (9th) Exported to New Zealand - Sire of 18 Group One winners[12]
- Shankhill Lass - 1st The Thousand Guineas (1985)
 - Waverley Star - 2nd Cox Plate (1986)
 - Nimue - 1st New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1992)
 - Shoal Creek - Dam of Encosta De Lago
 
Stallions of Group/Grade One winners
Master Willie (2nd)
- Hollywood Dream - 1st Premio Presidente della Repubblica (1996), 1st Deutschland-Preis (1996)
 - Make A Stand - 1st Champion Hurdle (1997)
 - Jungle Gold - 3rd Irish 1000 Guineas (1988)
 - Be My Master - 2nd Derby Italiano (1986
 
Stallions of National Hunt horses
Henbit (1st)
- Kribensis - 1st Champion Hurdle (1990)
 - Sybillin - 2nd Christmas Hurdle (1990)
 
Julius Caesar (7th)
- Soir de Mai - 1st Prix Georges de Talhouët-Roy (1988)
 - Runway Romance - 2nd Anniversary Hurdle (1991)
 
Other Stallions
Tyrnavos (12th) - Dihistan (1st 1986 Hardwicke Stakes), Andrios (2nd 1984 Chesham Stakes), Akaaleel (2nd 1985 Chesham Stakes), Tartamuda (Dam of Tartak)
Hello Gorgeous (6th) - Libertine (3rd 1987 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches), Franco Forte (2nd 1987 Premio Parioli) - later exported to Brazil
Monteverdi (14th)  - Exported to America - Exported to Venevuela - Concert Hall (2nd 1984 National Stakes), Laird Of Montrose (3rd 1985 Middle Park Stakes)
Nikoli (8th) - Exported to America - Exported to Uruguay - Air Display (2nd 1986 Hollywood Derby)
Water Mill (10th) - Exported to Australia - Innocent Lady (Dam of Justice Prevails)
Moomba Masquerade (11th) - Exported to South Africa
Saint Johnathon (13th) - Exported to Australia
Prince Spruce (15th) - Exported to Italy
Blast Off (18th) - Exported to Venezuela
Noble Shamus (19th) - Exported to America
Running Mill (21st) - Exported to Turkey
Marcello (23rd) - Exported to Argentina
References
- ↑ Michael Phillips (5 June 1980). "Henbit's victory leaves a bitter-sweet taste". The Times. p. 12. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
 - ↑ Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 0-900599-31-6.
 - ↑ "Stammtafeln". Galopp Sieger. Galopp Sieger. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
 - ↑ Timeform staff (1981). Racehorses of 1980. Timeform. ISBN 978-0900599316.
 - ↑ Chris Hawkins (4 June 1980). "the breeding, winning distances, going preferances and form of the 24 runners". The Guardian. p. 23. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
 - ↑ "Stammtafeln". Galopp Sieger. Galopp Sieger. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
 - ↑ "Stammtafeln". Galopp Sieger. Galopp Sieger. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
 - ↑ "Profiles Search". Racing Post. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
 - ↑ "Progeny Reports". Pedigree Query. Pedigree Query. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
 - ↑ "Autumn Horses In Training 2007" (PDF). tattersalls.com. Tattersalls. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
 - ↑ "Autumn Horses In Training 2016" (PDF). tattersalls.com. Tattersalls. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
 - ↑ "Top NZ sire Star Way dies, age 31". horsetalk.co.nz. 23 April 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
 
External links
- Colour Chart – Derby 1980
 























