Investec Derby: Five great horses to have won the famous race

Sea-Bird (1965)

The French trained Sea-Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest racehorses ever seen. As a three-year-old, he won all five starts including a very strong renewal of the Derby for which 22 went to post.

Sea-Bird raced on the outside behind the leaders until the turn into the straight and then moved up to take the lead with his jockey sitting motionless.

The colt never came off the bridle to score by two lengths from Meadow Court, and the runner-up went on to win the Irish Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Galileo (2001)

Produced a stunning performance when effortlessly beating 2,000 Guineas winner Golan by 3 1/2 lengths to provide Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien with his first winner in the race. Went on to land the Irish equivalent and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot.

Galileo has since become a legend at stud, siring a prolific number of top class racehorses including Derby winners New Approach, Ruler of the World and Australia – plus the highest rated horse of all time, the mighty Frankel.

Nijinksy (1970)

The last horse to claim the Triple Crown, winning the 2,000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger in 1970.

Lester Piggott formed an outstanding relationship with the Vincent O’Brien trained colt, and produced him to perfection to show a blistering turn of foot and land the Derby in a then record 2m 34.88s.

Nijinksy won going away at the line by 2 1/2 lengths from French trained colt Gyr and went on to land the Irish Derby and King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes before capturing the St Leger.

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