Edwin Piper (1888 - 1951) was a British

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

, who won the

1913 Epsom Derby The 1913 Epsom Derby, sometimes referred to as "The Suffragette Derby", was a horse racing, horse race which took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom Downs on 4 June 1913. It was the 134th running of the Epsom Derby, Derby. The race was won, c ...

, also known as the "Suffragette Derby" due to the death of suffragette

Emily Davison Emily Wilding Davison (11 October 1872 – 8 June 1913) was an English suffragette who fought for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, votes for women in Britain in the early twentieth century. A member of the Women's Social and Polit ...

during the race, on

Aboyeur Aboyeur (1910–circa 1917) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. In a career that lasted from 1912 to 1913 he ran seven times and won two races. In June 1913 Aboyeur won Epsom Derby, The Derby at record ...

Racing career

Piper began riding in the show ring and started his racing career as apprentice to H. D. Bates in 1905. He was not a fashionable jockey of the time and prior to the Derby win for which he is noted, his big race successes were limited, although he did win the Great Jubilee Handicap at Kempton Park in 1908, weighing out at 6st 12, and the

Chester Vase The Chester Vase is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 63 yards () at ...

. Victory in the 1913 Derby was a surprise. Not only was Aboyeur a big outsider, he was not Piper's intended mount for the race. Piper only came to ride him after the horse he was supposed to ride, Knight's Key, was scratched. The race outcome itself can also be considered fortunate. Piper took an early lead in the race and maintained it into the straight. As challengers came forward, the favourite, Craganour, bumped Aboyeur, who then hampered the horses on his inside as he veered towards the rail. In response, Piper raised his whip to Aboyeur with his left hand, causing the horse to hang back to the right, bumping Craganour. After repeated bumps between the two throughout the closing stages, Craganour crossed the line first in a blanket finish with other horses. In the subsequent enquiry, Piper expected to be reprimanded by the stewards. Instead, it was Craganour that was disqualified for interference, leaving Aboyeur as the winner. Following the Derby win, Piper also won the

Ascot Stakes The Ascot Stakes is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 metres), a ...

on Rivoli, trained by Richard Wootton. In 1911, he won 43 of his 380 races and 48 of 470 in 1913. However, he won few races following the start of World War I and dropped out of racing. He died in Epsom in 1951.

Major wins

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

Derby Stakes The Derby Stakes, more commonly known as the Derby and sometimes referred to as the Epsom Derby, is a Group races, Group 1 flat Horse racing, horse race in England open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts and Filly, fillies. It is run at Ep ...

– ''Aboyeur'' (1913)

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Piper, Edwin 1888 births 1951 deaths English jockeys Sportspeople from Exeter

Racing career

Major wins

See also

References

Bibliography