The Derby was first run in 1780, a year after the first Oaks.

The Oaks is named after the mansion of Edward Smith-Stanley who first suggested the race.

The Derby is named after Lord Derby and the race was named after tossing a coin with Lord Bunbury. Had the coin fallen the other way we would be celebrating the Investec Bunbury and Americans would enjoy the Kentucky Bunbury instead. How fickle fate can be?

Lord Bunbury achieved some compensation when his Diomed won the first running of the race.

The Oaks can only be contested by fillies although The Derby is open to both colts and fillies. Six fillies have won The Derby over the years, although the last filly to win was Fifinella in 1916. The last filly to take her chance was Cape Verdi in 1998T.

In 1927 The Derby was broadcast on the radio (or wireless as it was then known) for the first time and it was first televised as early as 1932.

It was in 1932 we saw the last Epsom trained winner of The Derby - April The Fifth.

The shortest priced Derby winner was Ladas who was sent off at 2/9 in 1894.

Shergar at 10/11 in 1981 is the most recent odds-on winner.

The most recent odds-on competitor was Entrepreneur, who came fourth at odds of 4/6 in 1997.

Three 100/1 shots have won the contest with Aboyeur in 1913 being the most recent.

The longest price winner in recent times was Snow Knight who came home at 50/1 in 1974.

The fastest Derby winner was Lammtarra who recorded a time of 2' 32.31" in 1995.

Only three letters of the alphabet have not headed the winners name - U, X & Z.

The Derby is broadcast to 193 countries around the world.

On Derby Day racegoers in the grandstands consumed 370 sirloin steaks, 450 lobsters, 700 oysters, 600 dressed crabs, 1,500 plates of lamb rump, 2,500 summer puddings, 6,000 chicken supreme's, 2,300 kilos of potatoes and over 10,000 sandwiches.

On the drinks front 75,528 pints of beer, 21,342 cans of beer, 7,194 bottles of cider, 10,435 bottles of wine, 15,024 glasses of Pimms, 6,901 bottles of Champagne and 14,500 bottles of mineral water were also consumed.

Turning back to The Oaks. the first winner, Bridget, was owned by Lord Derby - what a surprise?

Balanchine in 1994 gave Godolphin their first ever Group One winner.