Bireme was a chestnut mare with a white blaze bred by her owner Richard Dunbavin "Dick" Hollingsworth at his Arches Hall Stud in Hertfordshire.

She was one of the first crop of foals sired by Grundy, an outstanding racehorse who won The Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1975.

Ripeck was a granddaughter of the Hollingsworth family's influential broodmare Felucca, whose other descendants included Cut Above (St Leger Stakes), Sharp Edge (Irish 2,000 Guineas), Longboat (Ascot Gold Cup), Bolas (Irish Oaks), Dash for Cash (Australian Guineas) and Daffodil (AJC Oaks).

Ridden by Carson, she started at odds of 4/1 and won from the Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Gift Wrapped and the 1000 Guineas runner-up Our Home.

[5] On 7 June, Bireme was again moved up in distance to contest the 202nd running of the Oaks Stakes over 1+1⁄2 miles at Epsom Downs Racecourse.

[7] Dick Hern intended to aim the filly at the St Leger Stakes in September, but her training was disrupted by tendon trouble.

Recalling the incident, Hern explained that after throwing her rider, Bireme "took off with her tail in the air and went for home as hard as she could leg it, right across the West Ilsley-East Ilsley road before she crashed in the lane.