Introduction
The Derby Stakes, also known as the Derby or the Epsom Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey on the first Saturday of June each year, over a distance of one mile, four furlongs and 10 yards (2,423 metres), or about 1½ miles.[1] It was first run in 1780.
It is Britain’s richest flat horse race, and the most prestigious of the five Classics. It is sometimes referred to as the “Blue Riband” of the turf. The race serves as the middle leg of the historically significant Triple Crown of British horse racing, preceded by the 2000 Guineas and followed by the St Leger. This year the race is worth over £900,000 to the winner.
The Racecard
Previous Winners
Trends:
- SP favourites are 3 from 10
- 4 double-digit price winners from the last 10
- A P O’Brien has 5 from the last 10
- Moore & O’Brien have gone back-to-back the past two years
- 7/10 past winners have had an OR of at least 110
- 7/10 past winners had a TS rating of at least 110
The Breakdown
AL WASL STORM
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 09/05/25 | Chester | 1m4.5f | 1/6 | N/A | N/A | 9/1 | Good |
| 23/04/25 | Lingfield (AW) | 1m4f | 2/9 | Rogue Impact | 1.25 | 17/2 | Standard |
| 12/04/25 | Newbury | 1m3f | 7/7 | Furthur | 4.75 | 17/2 | Good |
Verdict: Very impressive last time out over the same difference as this race, owner has had some success in this race with big prices. Will need a career best performance to big up some prize money here, however.
DAMYSUS
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 15/05/25 | York | 1m2.5f | 2/11 | Pride of Arras | 1.25 | 16/1 | Good to Firm |
| 25/04/25 | Sandown | 1m2f | 3/5 | Swagman | 1.25 | 13/2 | Good |
| 10/12/24 | Southwell (AW) | 7f | 1/8 | N/A | N/A | 8/11F | Standard |
Verdict: Ran very well last time out at the Dante, beating several rivals he will face again here. Will need to reverse the form with well backed PRIDE OF ARRAS, but at the very least has place chances.
DELACROIX
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 11/05/25 | Leopardstown | 1m2f | 1/7 | N/A | N/A | 1/3F | Good |
| 30/03/25 | Leopardstown | 1m2f | 1/7 | N/A | N/A | 4/7F | Good to Yielding |
| 26/10/24 | Doncaster | 1m | 2/8 | Hotazhell | 0.25 | 15/8F | Soft |
Verdict: Experienced for a 3yo, great pedigree, likely to go off favourite with Moore and O’Brien seeking the 3peat. Signs indicate a worthy favourite.
GREEN STORM
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 15/04/25 | Newmarket | 1m1f | 4/8 | Almeric | 10.5 | 7/2 | Good to Soft |
| 27/10/24 | Saint-Cloud | 1m2f | 2/3 | Tennessee Stud | 1.5 | 19/10 | Heavy |
| 12/10/24 | Newmarket | 1m2f | 2/7 | Starzintheireyes | 1 | 6/1 | Good to Soft |
Verdict: Not particularly inspiringreappearance last time out, however pedigree suited to 1m4f. Will take a special effort to pick up a place here though.
LAMBOURN
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 07/05/25 | Chester | 1m4.5f | 1/8 | N/A | N/A | 11/8F | Good |
| 30/03/25 | Leopardstown | 1m2f | 2/7 | Delacroix | 2.25 | 9/1 | Good to Yielding |
| 28/09/24 | Curragh | 1m | 5/5 | Hotazhell | 7.75 | 7/1 | Good to Yielding |
Verdict: Stayed on well over this distance last time out, runner-up to Moore’s choice for this race before that, small claims here.
LAZY GRIFF
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 07/05/25 | Chester | 1m4.5f | 2/8 | Lambourn | 1.5 | 25/1 | Good |
| 21/09/24 | Chantilly | 1m1f | 1/7 | N/A | N/A | 37/10 | Good |
| 17/08/24 | Deauville | 1m | 3/6 | Apples and Bananas | 4.25 | 18/1 | Soft |
Verdict: Stayed this distance well last time out when second to LAMBOURN, won well in France but faces much stiffer competition here.
MIDAK
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 09/05/25 | Saint-Cloud | 1m2.5f | 1/5 | N/A | N/A | 13/5 | Good |
| 14/04/25 | Chantilly | 1m3f | 1/5 | N/A | N/A | 8/5JF | Good to Soft |
| 12/03/25 | Lyon-La Soie | 1m2.5f | 1/10 | N/A | N/A | 7/2 | Standard |
Verdict: Unbeaten so far in France, competition much higher here though, pedigree suggests should stay the trip well. Will require a career-best performance to be in with a chance.
NEW GROUND
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 02/05/25 | Chantilly | 1m2f | 3/7 | Nitol | 1 | 73/10 | Good to Soft |
| 06/04/25 | Longchamp | 1m1f | 3/7 | Cualificar | 1 | 67/10 | Good |
| 17/10/25 | Chantilly | 1m1f | 1/6 | N/A | N/A | 1/1F | Heavy |
Verdict: Solid form in France, questions over trip, by far his toughest test so far, may struggle.
NIGHTIME DANCER
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 10/05/25 | Lingfield | 1m3.5f | 3/6 | Puppet Master | 3.5 | 9/1 | Good to Firm |
| 06/04/25 | Southwell (AW) | 1m4f | 1/6 | N/A | N/A | 9/2 | Standard |
| 01/11/24 | Newmarket | 7f | 3/15 | Sacred Fire | 2.5 | 16/1 | Good |
Verdict: Could only manage 3rd at the trial at Lingfield last time out, has won over the distance although that was on the all-weather. Hard to make a case for here.
NIGHTWALKER
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 15/05/25 | York | 1m2.5f | 5/11 | Pride of Arras | 3.5 | 16/1 | Good to Firm |
| 15/04/25 | Newmarket | 1m1f | 3/8 | Almeric | 8.5 | 15/2 | Good to Soft |
| 12/10/24 | Newmarket | 1m | 3/6 | Delacroix | 4.25 | 11/1 | Good to Soft |
Verdict: Change yard this season, open to improvement but been uninspiring so far this year. Should stay the trip but needs to find some of that improvement to be competitive here.
PRIDE OF ARRAS
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 15/05/25 | York | 1m2.5f | 1/11 | N/A | N/A | 18/1 | Good to Firm |
| 08/08/25 | Sandown | 1m | 1/8 | N/A | N/A | 11/5F | Good |
Verdict: Very lightly raced, though unbeaten. Very impressive last time out in the Dante beating many rivals he will face again here. In with every chance.
ROGUE IMPACT
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 10/05/25 | Lingfield | 1m3.5f | 6/6 | Puppet Master | 10 | 22/1 | Good to Firm |
| 23/04/25 | Lingfield (AW) | 1m4f | 1/9 | N/A | N/A | 11/10F | Standard |
| 09/08/24 | Newmarket | 7f | 10/12 | Righthere Rightnow | 11.25 | 14/1 | Good |
Verdict: Changed yard for this season, won well at the distance on the all-weather, but lacklustre in the trial at Lingfield last time out. Biggest outsider in the field, easy to understand why unfortunately.
RULING COURT
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 03/05/25 | Newmarket | 1m | 1/11 | N/A | N/A | 9/2 | Good |
| 01/05/25 | Meydan | 1m | 1/10 | N/A | N/A | 4/9F | Good |
| 21/08/25 | York | 7f | 3/11 | The Lion in Winter | 2.25 | 1/1F | Good to Firm |
Verdict: 2000 Guineas winner, step up in trip here provides questions especially after Desert Flower’s run in the Oaks. If he can cope better with the track no other reason he can’t be competitive.
SEA SCOUT
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 15/05/25 | York | 1m2.5f | 8/11 | Pride of Arras | 5 | 25/1 | Good to Firm |
| 22/04/25 | Epsom | 1m2f | 1/7 | N/A | N/A | 40/1 | Good |
| 21/11/24 | Lingfield (AW) | 1m2f | 1/11 | N/A | N/A | 4/1 | Standard |
Verdict: Winner at this course last year, though not competitive in the Dante where he faced many of the same opponents as he will here, needs a major improvement to be in with a chance of placing here.
STANHOPE GARDENS
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 24/05/25 | Salisbury | 1m | 1/3 | N/A | N/A | 2/11F | Good to Firm |
| 12/10/24 | Newmarket | 1m | 2/6 | Delacroix | 0.25 | 7/2 | Good to Soft |
| 14/08/24 | Beverly | 7.5f | 1/9 | N/A | N/A | 4/7F | Good to Firm |
Verdict: Won well last time out, although in an uncompetitive race. Went close with the favourite for this race last year, if he can stay the trip could cause an upset.
TENNESSEE STUD
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 11/05/25 | Leopardstown | 1m2f | 3/5 | Delacroix | 6.75 | 7/1 | Good |
| 27/10/25 | Saint-Cloud | 1m2f | 1/3 | N/A | N/A | 3/5F | Heavy |
| 28/09/25 | Curragh | 1m | 2/5 | Hotazhell | 0.75 | 9/1 | Good to Yielding |
Verdict: Relatively experienced 3yo, won a Group 1 in France, but was well beaten by Delacroix last time out. Worth noting that he has been well backed in the market over the past 24 hours.
THE LION IN WINTER
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 15/05/25 | York | 1m2.5f | 6/11 | Pride of Arras | 4 | 8/11F | Good to Firm |
| 21/08/25 | York | 7f | 1/11 | N/A | N/A | 2/1 | Good to Firm |
| 20/07/24 | Curragh | 7f | 1/12 | N/A | N/A | 11/2 | Good |
Verdict: Poor run when odds on favourite in the Dante, best form has been found over 7f. Relatively strong in the market, but needs to find substantial improvement to be up there in this race.
TORNADO ALERT
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 03/05/25 | Newmarket | 1m | 4/11 | Ruling Court | 4.5 | 50/1 | Good |
| 03/10/24 | Newcastle (AW) | 1m | 1/11 | N/A | N/A | 9/4 | Standard |
| 14/09/24 | Lingfield (AW) | 7f | 3/9 | Yankee Dude | 2.5 | 4/1 | Standard |
Verdict: Ran well in the 2000 Guineas at a big price, open to improvement but likely to place at best here.
TUSCAN HILLS
| Date | Track | Distance | Finishing Pos | Beaten By | Beaten Lengths | SP | Going |
| 15/05/25 | York | 1m2.5f | 7/11 | Pride of Arras | 4.5 | 22/1 | Good to Firm |
| 21/10/24 | Pontefract | 1m | 1/5 | N/A | N/A | 7/2 | Soft |
| 30/08/24 | Thirsk | 1m | 1/8 | N/A | N/A | 7/1 | Good |
Verdict: Well beaten (for the first time) last time out in the Dante, would need to reverse the form with several others in this race, and that may be just too much of an ask.