Matt Brocklebank looks at all the runners in Saturday's Betfred Derby at Epsom and has a selection from one of the key trials, plus a colt to consider at "a massive price".
2025 Betfred Derby
- When: 3.30, Saturday June 7
- Where: Epsom Downs Racecourse
- First prize: £850,650
- Going: Good
- TV: ITV & Racing TV (Sky 424)
Horse-by-horse Guide
AL WASL STORM (Owen Burrows)
The shrewdies will tell you that owner Ahmad Al Shaikh and his Green Team Racing had the 50/1 Derby runner-up five years ago, the 150/1 Derby runner-up three years ago and the 25/1 Derby fourth 12 months ago, but does that have any sort of impact on this colt's ability? Of course not. He does have some, however, and a brave run from a prominent position wouldn't be a huge shock, but he surely isn't one for top spot.
DAMYSUS (John & Thady Gosden)
Not a cast-iron stayer based on pedigree but he's a long-striding son of Frankel who has looked like he'd gallop all day if you asked him. Improved on his Sandown comeback run to post a highly promising second after racing keenly early on in the Dante at York, and if he consents to settle on this occasion, he looks a major each-way player for his big-hitting owners who would clearly love nothing more than a Classic winner.
DELACROIX (Aidan O'Brien)
Didn't look the number one Ballydoyle Derby hope heading into the winter but was sent off favourite for the Futurity Trophy at Doncaster and almost followed in the hoofprints of subsequent Ballydoyle Derby heroes Camelot and Auguste Rodin when beaten by a flared nostril on Town Moor. This year has gone swimmingly, recording two stylish 10-furlong wins on home soil, although could he be a mile and a quarter specialist? It's a reasonable question to ask as this colt bids to become super-sire Dubawi's first every Derby-winning son.
GREEN STORM (Charlie Johnston)
Another for the sporting Ahmad Al Shaikh and this looks a very speculative entry for all that the horse did finish second to Tennessee Stud in a French Group 1 at the end of last season. Appeared to take a backwards step in pure form when fourth of eight in a Newmarket Listed race on his return and there are no doubt weaker, more realistic, races for him to be aimed at in the coming weeks.
LAMBOURN (Aidan O'Brien)
A son of 2014 Derby winner Australia, he wouldn't be the type to get you out of your seat but in a race featuring so many colts who are unproven at the distance, at least we know he's a guaranteed stayer. Needs another small step up to reverse earlier Leopardstown form with Delacroix but he will almost certainly go on improving throughout his three-year-old campaign and is versatile ground-wise too so it's hard to pick many holes in him as a legitimate contender.
LAZY GRIFF (Charlie Johnston)
Lambourn was powering away from him at the finish of the Chester Vase last month but it was his first run since September so he's obviously entitled to be a bit sharper. Trainer also on record as stating he'd missed a piece of work prior to that effort so it has to go down as a pleasing comeback and he stuck at it well to just about prove he stayed the Derby trip. Wouldn't mind the forecast showers this week and is the type to run very well, although he'll need to improve at least 10lb to be seriously competitive when it matters most.
MIDAK (Francis-Henri Graffard)
One of two French-based horses supplemented for the race on Monday and it obviously makes sense for the Aga Khan Studs to be represented in a race named this year in honour of His Highness. Whether this son of Footstepsinthesand - unraced last year but now three from three after a Group 3 success last time - has the requisite class to be competitive is another matter. On form shown to date you'd have to say he's got a pretty major gap to bridge but he must be showing some good signs and it wouldn't be a surprise if he continued to thrive this summer.
NEW GROUND (Henri-Francois Devin)
Juddmonte-owned, French-trained New Bay colt who was two from two as a juvenile but has yet to add to his tally following a couple of outings this spring. Lots of stamina on the dam's side of his pedigree and the new trip could unlock some untapped potential but it looks a stiff task for his Group 1 debut on a course as unique as Epsom.
NIGHTIME DANCER (Richard Hannon)
Son of Ghaiyyath who has seemingly taken connections a little bit by surprise. After finishing third at 16/1 on debut at Newmarket in November, he won his novice at Southwell (9/2) before being pitched into the Lingfield Derby Trial where he was third to Puppet Master. Ground that day looked lively enough for him and he's still a bit of a blank canvass when it comes to middle-distances, especially with a little more juice in the ground.
NIGHTWALKER (John & Thady Gosden)
Connections obviously keen to get plenty of experience into him after looking green as grass on debut at Leicester last August. He's only won once from three subsequent outings but looked to post a new PB when fifth - only beaten three and a half lengths - behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante at York. Never easy to turn the form around with reopposing rivals from a trial and perhaps he's been more of a St Leger project from the outset anyway.
PRIDE OF ARRAS (Ralph Beckett)
Loads to like about his late thrust to win going away over a mile on debut at Sandown last August and although he missed another engagement at two due to a setback, the son of New Bay picked up where he left off by winning the Dante - widely regarded as Britain's best Derby trial. Showed a bright turn of foot that day and every reason to believe he'll cope with the additional two furlongs on Saturday so if he handles the idiosyncrasies of the track then he should be in the picture up the home straight.
WATCH: York's Dante Stakes is a traditionally strong trial
ROGUE IMPACT (James Owen)
Officially rated 86 after beating Al Wasl Storm in a Lingfield maiden and then finishing 10-lengths sixth to Puppet Master in the Derby Trial at the same track last month. He's quoted at 250/1 with some bookmakers and that looks about right based on what we know to this point.
RULING COURT (Charlie Appleby)
Beaten into third by The Lion In Winter when a warm order for the Acomb at York last August but has looked far more at home since being stepped up to a mile, winning a Listed race in Dubai before returning to land the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. No doubt he got first run on the fast-finishing second, who has franked the form in no uncertain at the Curragh since, but the ability is clearly there for all to see and now it's a question of whether he truly wants a mile and a half. The pedigree is relatively encouraging and there's a case for him being right up at the head of the betting.
WATCH: Ruling Court beat Field Of Gold in the 2000 Guineas
SEA SCOUT (Simon & Ed Crisford)
On a pretty steep upward curve before seemingly having his limitations exposed when fifth in the Dante last month but that's not to say he can't be competitive at a high level and no surprise to see him take his chance having toughed it out to win the 10-furlong trial on this track in April. He'll need to settle a lot better than he did at York to stand a chance of staying the distance, though.
STANHOPE GARDENS (Ralph Beckett)
Fascinating runner and apparent second-string for trainer Ralph Beckett whose Pride Of Arras won the Dante. This colt has taken a less traditional route to Epsom as he won his prep race against just two rivals over a mile at Salisbury late last month. We didn't learn anything new there really but he was third to Ruling Court on debut last season and gave Delacroix a bit of a fright when that rival had the advantage of the rail in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket in October so he's within hailing distance of the best of these and brings an unexposed profile. His dam is a half-sister to a colt who was third in the Derby and second in the Leger so every chance he improves for the trip too.
TENNESSEE STUD (Joseph O'Brien)
Trainer has had his eye on Epsom ever since this son of Wootton Bassett gamely beat Green Storm to win the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud in October and his earlier form with Hotazhell, Shackleton and Puppet Master also reads well. Rusty when reappearing in the Derby Trials Stakes at Leopardstown last month, he's obviously going to need to take a bit of a leap forward from that but it's far from out of the question and you wouldn't bet against him improving considerably for the step up in trip. Not the worst each-way bet at a massive price.
THE LION IN WINTER (Aidan O'Brien)
Evidently has a huge amount of talent and seemed to be doing things as a two-year-old that belied his pedigree, winning twicer over seven furlongs on decent ground including the Group 3 Acomb at York. Was hotly-fancied to maintain his unblemished record when reappearing in the Dante last month but blew his chance by racing far too keenly and could only box on for sixth after briefly having his momentum checked in the straight. Trainer has pulled similar rabbits from his hat the past two seasons but this colt will have to have grown up fast since York as if he over-races early or plays up before the start it could be curtains.
TORNADO ALERT (Saeed bin Suroor)
Had only run twice on the all-weather prior to his fine run when fourth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket so that form can probably be marked up slightly seeing as it was his turf debut. Hard to be sure about the half-mile hike in trip and he's entered for the Sussex Stakes so connections not certain either by the looks of it and there are mixed messages from his pedigree. He's a smart colt already, though, and we're only just scratching the surface when it comes to finding out how good he might be.
TUSCAN HILLS (Raphael Freire)
Only seventh in the Dante so he has ground to make up on not one but four of these rivals from York. Had won his Listed race last year in wet weather so there's a chance he found the ground a bit too lively last month, in which case he's probably worth another chance to prove his worth at some stage, but major question mark over whether he'll want a mile and a half to be seen at his best.
Verdict
- DAMYSUS
- Pride Of Arras
- Tennessee Stud
Click here to place your bets on the Derby with Sky Bet
A fascinating Derby as Ruling Court, Delacroix and The Lion In Winter - three of the best colts purely on form - all have question marks over their stamina for the trip but that's nothing new when it comes to the Epsom Classic and quality does tend to rise to the top.
The Dante one-two, Pride Of Arras and DAMYSUS, don't yet have the same level of form as the aforementioned trio but York showed these late-bloomers to be coming to the party at the right time and it's John and Thady Gosden's Frankel colt who fascinates me most moving up to a mile and a half.
He tracked The Lion In Winter for much of the Dante but was then left to mount his challenge out wide after that one checked out quite tamely and Damysus did well to finish as close to the quite speedy Pride Of Arras as he did.
I'm willing to bet he can turn the tables at more than twice the price, while those on the lookout for a complete outsider to hit the frame should given Tennessee Stud a second glance. I wouldn't read too much in his trial run as he was a bit drifter on the day and looked badly in need of the run against race-fit rivals in the Leopardstown Derby Trial. He'll relish any rain that falls between now and the big race and his two-year-old form stacks up well.
Published at 1530 BST on 02/06/25
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