The 1980 Epsom Derby was the 201st annual running of the Derby horse race. It took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 4 June 1980. The race was won by Etti Plesch's American bred Henbit at odds of 7/1. Ridden by Willie Carson and trained at West Ilsley by Dick Hern, Henbit would be the second Derby winner in two years for the trainer/jockey duo. While the winning margin of just three quarters of a length was unremarkable, that Henbit returned with a fractured cannon bone in his off-fore leg, thought to have occurred a furlong and a half from the finish led his trainer to describe him as a "very brave horse". Furthermore, the winning time of 2:34.77 was the fastest since Nijinsky won in 1970.