Betfred Derby 2025
Venue: Epsom Racecourse Date: Saturday, 7 June Time: 15:30 BST
Coverage: Commentary of the Derby on BBC Radio 5 Live. Racecards, results & reports on the BBC Sport website and app.
Delacroix heads the runners in a field of 18 set to contest Saturday’s Derby at Epsom after Ruling Court was a late withdrawal.
Ryan Moore will ride Delacroix, one of three contenders – alongside The Lion In Winter and Lambourn – for Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, who is seeking a record-extending 11th win in the race.
Moore and O’Brien are seeking a Classic double after claiming the Oaks with Minnie Hauk on Friday.
“Delacroix has form on all types of ground and he’s a big, powerful horse. We feel he has gone the right way every week really,” said O’Brien.
Ruling Court, for Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, would have sought to become the first 2,000 Guineas victor to win the Derby since Camelot in 2012.
But Appleby had warned that rain-softened ground might not suit, and jockey William Buick indicated he was not happy with conditions after the first race on Saturday.
Ruling Court is likely to be aimed at the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot later in the month.
The going at Epsom is described as good, good to soft in places.
Dante Stakes winner Pride Of Arras is one of two Derby entries for Ralph Beckett, who also has Stanhope Gardens, although the pair have been drawn 16 and two – two stalls that have never produced the winner.
John and Thady Gosden run York runner-up Damysus and the fifth-placed Nightwalker in the biggest Derby line-up for 22 years.
Approximate Derby odds:5-2 Delacroix, 4-1 Pride Of Arras, 7-1 Lambourn, 9-1 The Lion In Winter 10-1 Midak, 16-1 Damysus, 18-1 Stanhope Gardens, 25-1 Bar.
- Epsom Derby start time, horses and previous winners
- Minnie Hauk wins Oaks at Epsom in O’Brien one-two
Delacroix was installed as ante-post favourite after winning two Derby trials at Leopardstown and was the pick of stable jockey Moore.
Colin Keane will partner The Lion In Winter, who was sixth when odds-on favourite in the Dante, and is expected to improve for that run although has been drawn widest of all in 19.
Stablemate Lambourn, the Chester Vase winner, will break from 10 – where 11 previous winners have started since stalls were introduced in 1967.
With Ruling Court ruled out for Appleby, Tornado Alert – fourth in the 2,000 Guineas – represents fellow Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
As well as Nightwalker, owners Juddmonte have added French challenger New Ground to the £1.5m race for a supplementary fee of £75,000.
The Francis Graffard-trained Midak has also been added to the race and he will carry the colours of the Aga Khan Studs, with the race run in honour of the Aga Khan IV, who owned legendary Derby winner Shergar and died in February.
Charlie Johnston is double-handed with Lazy Griff and Green Storm, with Al Wasl Storm, Nightime Dancer, Rogue Impact, Sea Scout, Tennessee Stud and Tuscan Hills completing the field.
Derby runners, riders and draw
Racecard number, draw, form, name, trainer, jockey
1 (13)721 Al Wasl Storm Owen Burrows David Probert
2 (15)1-32 Damysus John and Thady Gosden James Doyle
3 (14)212-11 Delacroix Aidan O’Brien Ryan Moore
4 (8)2122-4 Green Storm Charlie Johnston Billy Loughnane
5 (10)115-21 Lambourn Aidan O’Brien Wayne Lordan
6 (3)0131-2 Lazy Griff Charlie Johnston Christophe Soumillon
7 (4)111 Midak Francis Graffard Mickael Barzalona
8 (17) 11-33 New Ground Henri-Francois Devin Alexis Pouchin
9 (9)3-13 Nightime Dancer Richard Hannon Jamie Spencer
10 (5) 313-35 Nightwalker John and Thady Gosden Tom Marquand
11 (16) 1-1 Pride Of Arras Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan
12 (1) 0-16 Rogue Impact James Owen Luke Morris
13 (7) 13-11 Ruling Court NON-RUNNER
14 (18) 51-18 Sea Scout Simon and Ed Crisford Harry Davies
15 (2)312-1 Stanhope Gardens Ralp Beckett Hector Crouch
16 (12)3121-3 Tennessee Stud Joseph O’Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle
17 (19)11-6 The Lion In Winter Aidan O’Brien Colin Keane
18 (11)31-4 Tornado Alert Saeed bin Suroor Oisin Murphy
19 (6)11-7 Tuscan Hills Raphael FreireDavid Egan