This was run on Saturday 4th June 1949 and the winner was bred by Mr William Hill and trained by George Colling at Newmarket. There were 32 runners from an initial entry of 417. The winner won by a head with a head between second and third. The winners time was 2 mins 42 secs. The winner won a first prize of £14,245, (The equivalent of £478,500 in today's terms based on Bank of England inflation calculator).

THE DERBY 1949

GN1907.JPG (8122 bytes)

GN1908.JPG (8001 bytes)

GN1910.JPG (7999 bytes)

GN1911.JPG (7976 bytes)

GN1914.JPG (11652 bytes)

The British Pathe website and bank of film clips provide excellent coverage of the Epsom Derby. The link below is a 5 minute 38 second clip of the Derby.http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-derby/query/epsom+derby

NIMBUS SR 2012

Pos. Horse Jockey Owner
1 NIMBUS E.(Charlie) Elliott Mrs Marion Glenister
2 AMOUR DRAKE W. (Rae) Johnstone Monsieur Leon Volterra
3 SWALLOW TAIL Doug Smith Lord Derby
4 ROYAL FOREST Gordon Richards Major R. Macdonald-Buchanan
Also BARNES PARK W.Cook Mr H.Lane
Also NORMANTON M.Moloney Mr F.W.Dennis
Also JAI HIND C.Smirke HH Maharaja of Baroda
Also GRANI T.Burns Mr J.S.Barrington
Also MARCO POLO II T.Gosling Mr P.Beatty
Also HIGHLANDER III M.Lollierou Monsieur M. Bernier
Also SCOTTISH MERIDIAN E.Smith Mr T.H.Bletsoe
Also TARGUI R.Poincelet Monsieur M.Boussac
Also XERXES W.T.Evans Colonel G.C.Buxton
Also BUTTON BOY C.Bentick Mr J.F.Duff
Also COURIER T.Lowrey Mr J.E.Ferguson
Also BIG WIG A.P.Taylor Mr E.H.Hammond
Also HAPPY MICK T.Hawcroft Mr W.Hutchinson
Also PRIONIUM F.Lane Mrs A.Johnston
Also HINDOSTAN W.Nevett HH Aga Khan
Also IRAN P.Blanc Prince Aly Khan
Also ENVER PASHA W.Carr Mrs J.D.Kyle
Also LE TROUBADOUR F.Emanuelli Mr J.Luttmer
Also CONSERVATIVE W.Rickaby Mr J.V.Rank
Also GADES J.Doyasbere Mr R.B.Strassburger
Also BOISSON J.Marshall Mr G.A.Tachmindmi
Also LORD DRAKE K.Gethin Mr Jack Hylton
Also ROYAL EMPIRE M.Beary Mr Jack Hylton
Also VAL DRAKE C.Bouillon Monsieur L.Volterra
Also MON CHATELAIN S.Wragg Mr O.J.Jackson
Also BROWN ROVER E.Britt Mr William Woodward
Also WILLOUGHTON Cliff Richards Mr H.F.Hartley
Also NEAPOLITAN STAR Frankie Durr Miss H.Groves
  Betting Tote (10p unit) Win 76p Places 30p 38p 60p
9/2 Royal Forest

7/1 Nimbus
10/1 Amour Drake
100/9 Hindostan
100/8 Swallow Tail
100/7 Brown Rover
100/6 Val Drake
20/1 Scottish Meridian
22/1 Barnes Park
25/1 Jai Hind
28/1 Gades
28/1 Courier
33/1 Xerxes
33/1 Targui
66/1 Grani
66/1 Willhoughton
66/1 Conservative
66/1 Royal Empire
100/1 Mon Chatelain
100/1 Neapolitan Star
100/1 Boisson
100/1 Lord Drake
100/1 Le Troubador
100/1 Enver Pasha
100/1 Prionium
100/1 Iran
100/1 Happy Mick
100/1 Big Wig
100/1 Button Boy
100/1 Highlander III
100/1 Marco Polo II
100/1 Normanton
  Over-Round 114%
The photos above show Nimbus, winner of the 1949 Derby, and the first photo-finish of the Epsom Derby. I am grateful to Mike Pledge and his uncle for the scan of the horseshoe (now in his possession) worn at Epsom by Derby third Swallow Tail.