Who is the favourite to win the 2025 Epsom Derby?
This weekend, all eyes will be on Surrey's Epsom Downs Racecourse. The two-day Derby Festival will reach its pinnacle with the Epsom Derby, a race that has been synonymous with prestige and wealth in British flat racing for centuries.
The Derby not only shapes the destinies of future racing legends but also serves as a crucial proving ground for potential stallions. The upcoming event promises to be an intriguing chapter in this storied history.
Aidan O'Brien, who is no stranger to the winner's circle with ten previous Derby victories to his name, is once again a strong contender. His hopefuls include The Lion In Winter, whose odds have lengthened after a disappointing performance in the Dante. Delacroix is another promising entry from O'Brien's stable, having won the Ballysax and Derby Trial, and is likely to be jockey Ryan Moore's mount.
Ruling Court is another horse to watch, attempting to become the first since Camelot in 2012 to clinch both the 2000 Guineas and the Derby. Meanwhile, Pride Of Arras has emerged as a dark horse after an impressive victory in the Dante.
However, with doubts over the staying power of several leading contenders and no clear favourite like last year's sensation City Of Troy, this year's Derby appears to be anyone's race. This unpredictability only adds to the excitement of what promises to be another thrilling instalment of this iconic event.
It promises to be an excellent day of flat racing for horse racing fans and for the bookies so be sure to check out all the exciting new offers.
Who is the favourite to win the Epsom Derby?
Delacroix has emerged as Aidan O'Brien's leading Derby hope (5/2 favourite with William Hill) following a classic, no-frills route through the Ballysax and Leopardstown trials.
Consistently classy at two, he's been even more convincing this season, doing everything asked of him with minimal fuss. His campaign has echoes of past Ballydoyle champions, and with Ryan Moore seemingly leaning his way, Delacroix arrives with form, pedigree and stable belief firmly on side.
The Lion In Winter (6/1 various bookmakers) looked a serious Derby contender after his Acomb Stakes win but saw his momentum stall with a lacklustre run in the Dante, where early keenness cost him dearly.
Despite that setback, the son of Sea The Stars has been backed again in the market, hinting that connections haven't lost faith. With his proven Group-race form and a bounce-back performance potentially on the cards, he remains an intriguing Epsom contender - though stable confidence seems to have shifted elsewhere.
Ruling Court burst into the Derby conversation by winning the 2000 Guineas, a performance that showcased his grit and stamina over the Rowley Mile. He is a best price of 4/1 with various bookmakers.
That run suggested a step up to 1m4f might bring out even more, and while he was turned over by The Lion In Winter as a juvenile, he's taken significant steps forward this year.
With Triple Crown whispers in the air, this Justify colt could be the one to stay on strongest if Epsom turns into a test.
Pride Of Arras is the dark horse turned serious player, making a sensational seasonal return to win the Dante on his first start in nearly 10 months.
That effort was full of authority and style, marking him out as a rapidly improving colt with the perfect profile for a Derby shock.
From 50/1 outsider to 9/2 third favourite (William Hill), he's the form horse with momentum and mystery - exactly the type to spring a surprise at Epsom.
Epsom Derby Odds
Here are the odds to win the 2025 Epsom Derby:
Delacroix - 5/2
Pride of Arras - 4/1
Ruling Court - 11/2
The Lion In winter - 8/1
Lambourn - 10/1
Midak - 11/1
Damysus - 14/1
Stanhope Gardens - 18/1
Tennessee Stud - 25/1
Nightwalker - 33/1
BAR - 40/1
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Both horses had strutted their stuff in impressive style at Epsom, Grundy taking the Derby in imperious fashion and the Dick Hern-trained Bustino the Coronation Cup in record time. But that was only part of the story as the Bustino camp's quest to ensure a breakneck pace to aid their relentless galloper was dealt a blow when Bustino's chief Epsom assistant Riboson was unable to join Kinglet and Highest in the line-up. McGrath recalls: 'Dick Hern ran two pacemakers, but they had a pretty good horse who used to lead him called Riboson and he made the pace in the Coronation Cup but had got an injury and couldn't take part, so they used the other two horses. 'Grundy was a wonderful horse and his story takes almost a year's cycle as 51 years ago he started his career at Ascot in July 1974 by winning a race called the Granville Stakes for two-year-olds. 'He had gone through the two-year-old season unbeaten, winning several races, including the Dewhurst, but at the beginning of his three-year-old he got kicked in the face by one of his stable companions at home and had a chequered preparation. 'It was also a spring where it was very very wet and he got beat by Mark Anthony in the Greenham, which was a shock, and then he was beat in the 2000 Guineas. There were no excuses for Grundy despite what you might read and Bolkonski who beat him was a very good horse in his own right and went on to win the Sussex Stakes. 'But Grundy went on to win the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the Derby and the Irish Derby and then he came to Ascot and it made for a blistering race.' Grundy, the 4-5 favourite, and Bustino (4-1), may have grabbed all the pre-race attention but it was not just a two-horse race as the 11 runners included other equine stars such as Dahlia, successful in the two previous renewals, and Star Appeal, winner of that year's Eclipse and later the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The script went slightly awry for the Hern team when Bustino was the first out of the stalls, but Highest soon went on and set off like a startled hare with stablemates Kinglet and Bustino on his tail. Kinglet had to take over but he too was a spent force much earlier than had been the plan, leaving Mercer with no alternative but to kick on half a mile from home. By the final turn, Bustino was four lengths clear. Pat Eddery was forced to go after Grundy harder than he had ever done before and the younger horse responded as only a champion could. With a tough final furlong left, Grundy had whittled away the deficit and with the rest of a strong field toiling, the big two settling down to a street fight. It was impossible to predict who would prevail until Bustino gave best 50 yards from the line allowing Grundy to gain the verdict by half a length as they ripped the course record apart by 2.36 seconds. Dahlia was five lengths away in third place. The two war horses had given their all in what was a truly memorable contest for which they will always be remembered. McGrath said: 'They broke the track record by 2.3 seconds, absolutely shattered it. It was set up to be a great race, and it turned out to be a great race and both horses gave everything. 'The ground was really firm and it was real, fast summer ground by that time of the year. They both gave everything and Bustino went down narrowly. 'Joe Mercer later recalled that he felt if the pacemakers had led him along a little bit longer he might have just won and you always look for minor things when you have just been beaten in a tight finish. 'If you watch a replay of the race you can see right on the line that Bustino falters slightly and he never ran again – in fact I think he only ever cantered again once. 'Grundy only ran once more and went to York for what was then the Benson and Hedges and what we would call now the Juddmonte International. He just ran a really flat race and Dahlia won it.' The Grundy-Bustino clash remains the benchmark to which future King Georges have been judged. There have been many spectacular renditions of Ascot's midsummer feature in recent times, but McGrath is in doubt the race takes on an extra dimension when there is one special element to it – just like when Grundy and Bustino went head to head five decades ago. 'The Enable one was good, and Adayar beating Mishriff and Love. Then there was Galileo and Fantastic Light who had a tremendous duel in 2001 where Galileo came out on top and then they renewed rivalry in the Irish Champion Stakes and had another wonderful battle. 'But essentially what sets the race up perfectly – which you haven't got this year – is when a Classic three-year-old goes up against a top-class older horse. That is what the race was designed for when it was inaugurated and is what it produces from time to time. 'We've got a very interesting contest this time around, but we haven't got what I would say is that extra ingredient that makes the race a must see.'
