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
Generous (horse) Generous (horse) Generous (8 February 1988 – 15 January 2013) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1991 won both the Epsom and the Irish Derby. As a two-year-old he won three of his six races, most notably the Dewhurst Stakes as a 50/1 outsider. He finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas on his three-year-old debut, but showed vastly improved form when moved up to longer distances in summer. In a period of seven weeks he won the Derby by five lengths, the Irish Derby by three lengths and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes by a