Founding of The Oaks & The Derby

Detailed records in the Knowsley archive, relating to the Turf, exist from the early 18th century, during the time of James, the 10th Earl of Derby, including house accounts revealing the expenses paid to jockeys and vets as well as the regular subscriptions to a number of race meetings at Ormskirk and Wallasey and the sale and purchases of horses - all of which indicate a great deal of interest in the sport on the part of the 10th Earl. During this time, the Park at Knowsley appears to have been a venue for horse racing as well.

Amongst the 18th century Earls, it was the 12th Earl who forged the family's indelible association with the Turf. He formalised his passion for horse racing in 1779 when he established The Oaks, which has survived as one of the classic events in the horseracing year. The race, for three-year-old fillies, was named after his Surrey residence in the village of Woodmansterne, and was won for the first time by Lord Derby's filly, Bridget. Bridget carried green and white striped colours and these were striped colours and these were retained until 1788 when Director gained the first success in the 'Black Jacket and White Cap' at Newmarket, which have been the Derby colours ever since.

It was at The Oaks that the idea for The Derby was born. The legend goes that it was during one of the lavish dinner parties, hosted by the 12th Earl, during The Oaks that his guests agreed that Epsom should have a race for three-year-old colts to match The Oaks and would hence also be a race to compare with Yorkshire's successful venture, called after its founder, General Anthony St.Leger, which had been held annually since 1776.

It was the naming of this new race that created a passionate debate. His guests were required to decide whether to name it after their generous host, Lord Derby, or after Sir Charles Bunbury - Lord Derby's friend and an influential figure in the contemporary racing scene. The final decision, so the legend goes, was decided on a toss of a coin . would it be the 'Derby' or the 'Bunbury' Stakes? The drop of the coin was decisive, leading the race, which was destined to become the most famous in the world, to be called 'The Derby'.

Lord Derby never entered a horse in the first Derby (won, incidentally, by Bunbury's colt Diomed), but later in the decade he was to race the legendary Sir Peter Teazle, who won The Derby in 1787. Sir Peter Teazle, a big brown colt of sixteen hands with a large white star on his forehead, was born at Knowsley. After The Derby, he won a string of victories and was one of the most celebrated horses of his day. Lord Derby also had the good fortune to possess, in Sir Peter Teazle, one of the outstanding sires of thoroughbred history. He began at a stud fee of 10 guineas, but his reputation rose to such heights as his progeny went from one triumph to another on the racecourse that the fee was increased progressively until it reached the figure, exceptional for that era, of 30 guineas.

The stud record of Sir Peter Teazle speaks for itself. He produced four winners of The Derby (Sir Harry, Archduke, Ditto and Paris), two of The Oaks (Hermione and Parissot), and four of the St.Leger (Ambrosio, Fyldener, Paulina and Petronius). In his prime he dominated the breeding of high-class horses to a degree that has seldom been equalled. He was responsible for the first and second, Sir Harry and Telegraph, in The Derby of 1798, and five years later all the placed horses in The Derby - Ditto, Sir Oliver and Archduke - were by him. It is no wonder that the stud groom at Knowsley, old Storey, became so conceited at having such a paragon in his care that he replied, when informed that the Prince of Wales was waiting to be shown round the horses: "Well, he can wait till I done my dinner."