The Epsom Derby: All you need to know

The most prestigious event in the flat racing calendar, the Epsom Derby is the race that shapes the bloodline of thoroughbred racehorses around the world.

Ahead of the Epsom Derby on Saturday 4th June, we’ve put together this all you need to know guide about the Blue Riband event, including past winners and the latest odds.

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What is the Epsom Derby?

The Derby Stakes as it was traditionally known, or now just simply referred to as the Derby or the Epsom Derby, is a Group One 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 and is competed over a distance of one mile and four furlongs.

Having been first run in 1780 it is now Britain’s richest flat horse race with prize money of £1.5million and is the most prestigious of the five Classics. It is a unique test of the thoroughbred, requiring a rare blend of speed, stamina, and good balance required to negotiate the undulating terrain and left-hand camber that is synonymous with Epsom.

While it is often regarded as a Classic for colts, the Derby is open to both sexes and very occasionally will be contested by a filly. The race serves as the middle leg of the historically significant Triple Crown, that also includes the 2000 Guineas and St Leger, although the feat of winning all three is rarely achieved.

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Previous Epsom Derby winners

Aidan O’Brien is the leading trainer in the Epsom Derby having saddled eight winners so far in his illustrious career, and you only have to look at those victors to see the impact they have had on racing in such a short period of time, they include: Galileo (2001), High Chaparral (2002), Camelot (2012), Ruler Of The World (2013), Australia (2014), Wings Of Eagles (2017), Anthony Van Dyck (2019), and finally Serpentine (2020).

Nobody can train a Derby runner quite like the King of Ballydoyle and all eyes will be on his runners this year, although there is a new kid on the block in the form of Charlie Appleby. The Godolphin trainer can seemingly do no wrong this season and he saddled last year’s winner Adayar to success as well as the 2018 victor, Masar. It will be interesting to see who can land the spoils this time around.

Epsom Derby betting odds

For obvious reason, mainly mentioned above, Luxembourg heads the top of the market for Aidan O’Brien and is the 2/1 favourite for Ballydoyle having stayed on strongly in the 2000 Guineas last month and shaping like this extra distance would suit. The second favourite is another O’Brien runner, but this time hailing from Aidan’s son Donnacha’s yard. Piz Badile is the joint second favourite at 8/1 alongside Walk Of Stars for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.

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