The race was won by the Aga Khan's Shergar, at odds of 10/11 ridden by the nineteen-year-old jockey Walter Swinburn and trained at Newmarket, Suffolk by Michael Stoute.
The winning margin of ten lengths was the largest in the history of the race.
1 Lydian was scratched at the start after refusing to enter the stalls.
[1] Further details of the winner, Shergar: Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 1980:[2] Early-season appearances in 1981 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:[3] Group 1 / Grade I victories after running in the Derby.
[4][5][6] Robellino (14th) Shergar (1st) Al Nasr (17th) Kalaglow (13th) Glint of Gold (2nd) Sheer Grit (6th) Riberetto (8th) Sunley Builds (9th) Kind Of Hush (16th) – Itsabrahma (2nd Prix de la Forêt 1991), Osario (3rd Prix de la Forêt 1991)Silver Season (7th) – Great grandsire of 2007 Lancashire Oaks winner Turbo LinnChurch Parade (5th) – Exported to New Zealand, produced 1988 New Zealand 2000 Guineas runner up TestamentScintillating Air (3rd) – Exported to India