Finish of the Derby Epsom

The present work depicts the home stretch of the June 1962 Derby at Epsom Downs Racecourse, England, which has been referred to as the most dramatic Epsom Derby of all time. “There were 26 runners in the 1962 Derby Stakes…Six furlongs from home, where the course went downhill and bent to the left in preparation for Tattenham Corner, the pile-up occurred. With hindsight, it was obvious that horses at the front, like Romancero, were falling back at this stage of the race, whereas horses at the back, like the favourite Heathersett, were picking up pace and closing as a bunch…The result was a crowded collision.” (A. Ward, Horse Racing’s Strangest Tales, London, 2017, n.p.) Seven jockeys came off their horses, including the favorite, and the ultimate winner of the day was Larkspur, ridden by Neville Sellwood—a 22-1 choice owned by Mr. Raymond Guest, trained by M. Vincent O’Brien and bred by Philip A Love Ltd.