How many jockeys have won both The English Darby and The Irish Sweepstakes and in what years?

Question

We have The Triple Crown of Racing:

The Kentucky Derby

The Preakness

The Belmont Stakes

You folks across the Big Pond have two we don't hear a lot about.

Answer 1

Just for your info, the term Triple Crown was first used in the UK to refer to the Guineas, Derby and St Leger, so I'm afraid you took the term from us ;-)

Very few horses contest all 3 races these days as they are of such varying distances - 1 mile, 1 mile and a half and 1 mile and 3/4.

Your question refers to the English and Irish Derbies.  Many horses have won both races over the years including:

1970 - Nijinksy

1975 - Grundy - ridden by Pat Eddery both times

1977 - The Minstrel - ridden by Lester Piggott both times

1978 - Shirley Heights - ridden by Greville Starkey both times

1979 - Troy - ridden by Willie Carson both times

1981 - Shergar

1986 - Shahrastani - ridden by Walter Swinburn both times

1988 - Kahyasi - ridden by Ray Cochrane both times

1991 - Generous - ridden by Alan Munro both times

1993 - Commander in Chief

2000 - Sindaar - ridden by Johnny Murtagh both times

2001 - Galileo - ridden by Mick Kinane both times

2002 - High Chaparral

Google any one of these horses and you will be able to read about any one of the best horses to grace the turf.

Just for info, Lester Piggott did NOT ride Nijinsky when he won the Irish Derby, he was ridden by Liam Ward.

EDIT - my answer tells you the most recent jockeys to win both the English and Irish Derbies in the samer year.  If I have not put a jockey's name next to the horse then it means he was ridden by different jockeys for each race.

Plenty of jockeys have probably won the two races in the same year, riding different horses, but I have listed those that managed the double on the same horse.  Obviously you can only run in the Derby once as the race is open to 3 year olds only!

Answer 2

In the UK we have 5 classics they are in order:

The 2,000 guineas - for three year old colts (1 mile) - May

The 1,000 guineas - for three year old fillies (1 mile) - May

The Derby - 3yo colts run over one mile and a half - June

The Oaks -3yo fillies run over one mile and a half - June

The St Leger - 3yo colts and fillies over 1m 6f (+) - September

The St. Leger being the final classic of the year and for both colts and fillies is the UK version of the Triple Crown and  so if a colt wins the 2,000 guineas, the Derby and the St. Leger he has won the Triple Crown and likewise for a filly having won the 1,000 guineas and the Oaks.

A very difficult feat to achieve and I believe in 150 years only 15 horses have achieved it.

I know that Nijinsky did this in 1970 ridden by our greatest legend Lester Piggott, and Nijinsky was champion 2 year old of England and Ireland in 1969.

Hope this helps for starters. x