Epsom was originally prepared by boiling down mineral waters which sprung at Epsom. The town's market is built on the pond that existed in the Middle Ages. Within the centuries-old boundaries is Epsom Downs Racecourse which features two of the five English Classic horse races; "The Derby" and "The Oaks", which were first run in 1780 and 1779 respectively. On 4 June 1913, Emily Davison, a militant women's suffrage activist, stepped in front of King George V's horse running in the Derby, sustaining fatal injuries. The British Prime Minister and first chairman of the London County Council, Lord Rosebery, was sent
Trial races for the Epsom Derby Trial races for the Epsom Derby Trial races for the Epsom Derby are horse races during April and May which are contested by three-year-olds likely to run in The Derby in early June. Most Derby runners appear in at least one race in the weeks before the event, although some, such as the winners Lammtarra and Shaamit, may arrive at Epsom with no previous run as a three-year-old. The leading trial of recent years has been the Dante Stakes, which has been contested by seven subsequent winners of the Derby in the last twenty-four years. The following table shows any