Epsom Derby: A new royal first for Queen Elizabeth II - CNN.com Epsom Derby: A new royal first for Queen Elizabeth II Updated 1049 GMT (1849 HKT) April 21, 2016 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race The Derby is Britain's richest horse race, an event that dates all the way back to 1780 and is named after the then Earl of Derby. Hide Caption 1 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race The course that hosts it each year, Epsom, attracts a wide range of patrons. From the fashionistas... Hide Caption 2 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race ... to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who was in situ for last year's running of the prestigious race. Hide Caption 3 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race Top hats and tails are in order for gentlemen on race day at Epsom, a short train ride from London.

Hide Caption Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race The event is as much about the party atmosphere as the racing itself. Hide Caption 5 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race And betting plays a key role with the odds chopping and changing in the lead-up to the race. Hide Caption Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race Fashion runs side-by-side with the racing, including these rather fetching Panama hats. Hide Caption 7 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race The Red Devils parachute team mark the start of the race as they swoop down on the course last year complete with a Union Jack. Hide Caption Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race And a marching band get spectators in the mood under blue skies. Hide Caption 9 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race Ahead of each race, jockeys make their way into the parade ring to meet the owners and saddle up on their mounts. Hide Caption Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race The grandstand is a mere blur as the race action hots up on the turf.

Hide Caption 11 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race The crowd watches on as Joseph O'Brien rides Australia to victory last year, a horse trained by his father Aidan. Hide Caption 12 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race In truth, though, Epsom has something for everyone. Here, a modest trio entertain the passing crowds. Hide Caption Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race Elm Park is among the favorites for this year's race. Hide Caption 14 of 15 Photos: The Epsom Derby: Britain's richest race The horse is trained by Andrew Balding, who looks after four of the Queen's horses and whose father Ian trained 1971 Derby winner Mill Reef. Hide Caption Derby Odds | Epsom Derby Betting 2017 | Horse Racing 100/1 Epsom Derby Preview & Betting Tip The 2016 Epsom Derby is not only the richest but the most open renewal for years (4.30pm Saturday live on Channel 4, writes Fiora).

Top trainers usually take this but the most fancied of Aidan O’Brien’s brigade of runners, US Army Ranger (5/1) looked unconvincing long before negative vibes emanated from Ballydoyle after a downpour at Epsom. US Army Ranger was the odds-on favourite in the Chester Vase in early May but could only beat his less fancied stablemate Port Douglas – described by his trainer as a good Group 2 horse – by the shortest of margins. US Army Ranger had to be ‘hard pressed’ by Ryan Moore whilst Seamie Heffernan rode a noticeably sympathetic finish on Port Douglas. The stewards questioned whether ‘team tactics’ had been employed. US Army Ranger has only run twice. He won his maiden over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh readily in April needing only Moore’s hands and heels. Moore said after Chester that US Army Ranger was babyish and would learn a lot from the run. He will need to if he is to emulate his sire Galileo’s success at Epsom. Ryan Moore’s assistance has to boost his chances but we will look elsewhere for this preview’s betting tip.

Port Douglas (16/1) is a more exposed type rated 3lb higher than US Army Ranger. In his five runs as a two-year-old he won his maiden first time out over seven furlongs but was a beaten favourite in his next two runs. Punters had given up on him by the time he took the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh in first time blinkers at 14/1 in September on good ground. A month later Port Douglas was beaten five lengths by Marcel in the Racing Post Trophy on good to soft. The Chester Vase was his seasonal debut so he is entitled to come on for that run. It is worth noting that he was wearing a tongue tie for the first time and cheekpieces rather than blinkers. If the tongue tie has helped his breathing he could spring a surprise. It will be blinkers again as well as the tongue tie for this race. He has to have serious each-way claims at the very least. Aidan O’Brien also sends out Deauville (9/1), whom the handicapper rates the highest of the Ballydoyle bunch at 113.

Bred by Fitri Hay and carrying her pink colours (although ‘the lads’ now have a major share), Deauville was runner-up beaten a quarter of a length by Wings Of Desire on his seasonal debut in the Dante. He was wearing a tongue tie for the first time too. Deauville is a class act who won a Group 3 over seven furlongs and was runner-up to Foundation in the Royal Lodge Stakes last year but O’Brien is adamant that he must have good ground. If the tongue tie has made a difference perhaps it will be less important to him now. Ryan Moore partnered Deauville in the Dante and the Royal Lodge. Jamie Spencer will ride him for the first time here. Shogun (40/1) and Idaho (16/1) complete the Ballydoyle quintet. They finished second and third respectively behind Jim Bolger’s Moonlight Magic (12/1) in a derby trial at Leopardstown in early May. It was run over a mile and a quarter on decent ground. Idaho has not been seen since. He finished a close second to Harzand (12/1) over course and distance a month earlier on heavy ground.

This will be his fifth start. Seamie Heffernan will partner him for the second time. Shogun, the only Ballydoyle contender not sired by Galileo, is a son of Fastnet Rock. He has had a busier campaign. He finished fifth, beaten 11 lengths in the Irish 2,000 Guineas only a fortnight ago. Donnacha O’Brien, Joseph’s little brother, should have a decent spin round on him. O’Brien has five Derby victories to his name, including three of the past four renewals, but all bar one of his winners were sent off shorter than 4/1. Ruler Of The World was the 7/1 exception. A late plunge on any of O’Brien’s bunch is worth noting. Sir Michael Stoute has scored five times in the Epsom Derby too. He is reportedly uncharacteristically positive about Ulysses’ (7/1) chances. Yet another representative of Galileo, this colt has the best pedigree of the lot to get the job done. His dam Light Shift won the Oaks – on good to soft – for Sir Henry Cecil in 2007.

The fly in the ointment is that Ulysses only won his maiden on May 13. It was his third run, he was expected to win and he won easily by eight lengths under the ubiquitous Ryan Moore. That was over a mile and a quarter at Newbury. This is the Derby. If a maiden over fences can win the Grand National it does not take a leviathan leap of faith to believe that a beautifully bred recent winner of a maiden can take the Derby. Andrea Atzeni is understandably delighted to get the ride. Another trainer with Derby form is Andre Fabre. He only sends horses to Epsom if he thinks they can win and has had very few runners. Pour Moi fulfilled his expectations five years ago. Can Cloth Of Stars (7/1) do the same and emulate his sire, Sea The Stars? His dam, Strawberry Fledge, is a full sister to Light Shift. The genes are encouraging. The form is too. Cloth Of Stars has won four of his six starts and is unbeaten in his two runs this season. He kicked off with a win in a Group 3 at Saint-Cloud in early April over a mile and a quarter on heavy ground.

He followed up with a Group 2 victory over course and distance on good ground in early May. He beat Harry Dunlop’s talented Robin Of Navan by two and a half lengths and pricked his ears after crossing the line. There was probably more fuel left in the tank. Cloth Of Stars was beaten by Robin Of Navan twice in Group races last season but Fabre believes this colt, owned by Godolphin, has strengthened significantly this year. The form backs his theory up. He also admits that Cloth Of Stars does not have the turn of foot of Pour Moi but has a high cruising speed. He will be ridden by his regular pilot, Mickael Barzalona. Dante form is usually significant in the Derby and John Gosden’s winner, Wings Of Desire (9/2), stands a very decent chance of providing his trainer with a second consecutive Derby victory. Owned and bred by Lady Banford, Wings Of Desire was not expected to do so well at York. He was sent off at 9/1 and, despite taking a strong hold early on, got the better of Deauville.

Wings Of Desire did not race as a juvenile but finished third on his debut over a mile and a quarter at Newmarket in mid April. Later that month this son of Pivotal was expected to win at Wolverhampton over a mile and a half and duly delivered. Gosden was pleased with the way Wings Of Desire coped with Epsom at ‘Breakfast with the Stars’ and believes he has the all important balance and agility to cope with the course. This will be only his fourth start but Frankie Dettori knows exactly how to ride Epsom. Our Preview’s Epsom Derby Betting Tips Verdict This is an extraordinarily open affair with no star horse to beat. Throw give in the ground into the equation and the 2016 Epsom Derby starts to resemble a lottery. Top notch trainers have a habit of winning this race, putting the inexperienced Ulysses and Wings Of Desire firmly on the list. Aidan O’Brien’s Port Douglas looks interesting each-way but Andre Fabre’s Cloth Of Stars looks more likely to cope with conditions than most.

Our preview’s Derby each-way betting tip has to be CLOTH OF STARS, best priced at 7/1 with Bet365 and Ladbrokes , who both offer ¼ the odds on the first three places. Please check the Derby odds comparison table above for the very latest betting. Ryan Moore happy with Aidan O’Brien options before Epsom Derby | Sport | The Guardian The Observer Ryan Moore happy with Aidan O’Brien options before Epsom Derby Twice a Derby winner, Moore believes riding the fastest horse is still crucial for the race but has yet to finally choose his mount Ryan Moore will choose from Aidan O'Brien's Geoffrey Chaucer, Kingfisher and Orchestra for the Epsom Derby. Photograph: Julian Herbert/Action Images Saturday 31 May 2014 17.00 EDT Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 11.25 EDT Share on Messenger Close A conversation between Ryan Moore and Lester Piggott, can you imagine it?

Any eavesdropping race fan would love to hear these two men, born almost half a century apart, sharing the knowledge that has made them perhaps the finest Flat jockeys Britain has produced, with 11 Derbys and 14 championships between them. There might be some longueurs between the gems, since the pair are almost as famous for their reticence, for their mutual chariness with speech as for their achievements. In an interview, they look as if they were poised at the back of the field when the leaders have gone off too fast in the early stages: still, watchful and amused. Tantalisingly, they spoke last weekend, Moore tells me as we settle down for half an hour of Derby-related chat in Newmarket. Did they discuss the best way to ride the famously tricky contours of Epsom? What can he report about Piggott’s state of health? “I didn’t talk about that,” Moore says, smiling at the outsider’s idea of what jockeys say to each other.

“I rode a horse for him, I fucked up on it.” The animal was Bilimbi, owned by a syndicate including Piggott and a beaten favourite in Haydock’s Silver Bowl, having possibly raced too close to the pace. Moore withholds details of the exchange but cheerily denies the older man was “giving him stick” for the ride. He appears to regret that he does not know Piggott better but The Long Fellow lives in Switzerland these days. They are likely to bump into each other at Epsom for the Derby next Saturday, though; perhaps they will discuss Classic-winning tactics then? “I don’t think there’ll be much talking done,” says Moore, laughing again. We meet on a day when he is suspended for a careless riding offence a fortnight before. He is consequently as relaxed as a journalist can ever hope to find him but there is tension beneath the surface because his determination to sustain his fine Derby record is real. From eight rides, he has won the race twice, on Workforce and, last year, aboard Ruler Of The World .

We discuss the number of famed jockeys who have had less success in the race, a list topped by Sir Gordon Richards and Frankie Dettori with one win apiece. “In this country, it’s still the most important race and there’s a unique atmosphere,” he says. “I always look forward to Epsom, it is the biggest day of the year. I had my first ride for John Dunlop [a 40-1 shot called Unfurled, seventh in 2005] and that ran well. Luckily enough, everything I’ve rode there, bar one, has got involved at some point.” In a sense, Moore is rather in limbo regarding this year’s race, since it is not yet known which horse he will be riding. It will be one of the runners trained by Aidan O’Brien, though not the favourite, Australia , whose regular partner is the trainer’s son, Joseph. O’Brien said week that Moore could have his pick of the other three , Geoffrey Chaucer, Orchestra and Kingfisher.

But O’Brien’s base is at Ballydoyle, near Tipperary; Moore is hardly ever there to work on the gallops and certainly has no plans to fly over before the Derby, so he concedes that he will have to take the trainer’s guidance as to how well the three colts are doing. It will be a similar story for Friday’s Oaks, in which O’Brien has six entries. It might be expected that this lack of knowledge would make a jockey anxious but Moore feels he is in a privileged position and not in the least inclined to fret. “I know all the horses that are running, so it won’t change how I’ll prepare. I know what I think about them all and I’ve got it in my head already. “I’m very happy to be riding any of those horses. They’re bred to do the job and Coolmore [O’Brien’s employers] has produced the last three Derby winners, so it’s a good starting point.” Geoffrey Chaucer is the most fancied of Moore’s Derby possibles at 8-1 but, listening to him assess the trio, the impression is that he is seriously considering the 20-1 shot Orchestra, on which he won the Chester Vase three weeks ago .

He won the same race on O’Brien’s Ruler Of The World the month before their Derby success. “I haven’t sat on Geoffrey. I thought that was a good run, the last time. Orchestra impressed me an awful lot round Chester. The other horse [Kingfisher], he won the Dee Stakes. He’s probably got to come forward a good bit but horses do that in the month between trials and the races, things change a lot with three-year-olds this time of year. “They declare Thursday, you have till one o’clock. That’s probably when I’ll know for sure. Just a morning’s a long time for a horse, so we’ll see what’s happening and how the race is shaping up.” Moore smiles as we rehearse a very familiar dance, the questioner pressing for information, the jockey unwilling to be cornered, keeping his options open for as long as possible. He laughs again as he finds himself offering a precis of what he looks for in a Derby horse; he is sure it will not please because he is inclined to keep the answer simple. “It’s very important that they have plenty of gears and a good turn of foot.

You need them to stay but you’ve got to have a horse that’s faster than the others.” Surely the Derby winner has to be particularly suited to Epsom, where the track rises and then suddenly falls, where the home straight runs along the side of a hill? “I don’t think there is that big a factor. When you look back through the years, there’s going to be some lucky horses but usually the better horses come to the fore. I would probably say eight out of 10 times, the best horse has won it.” While Epsom may not be as tricky for horses as we imagine, Moore readily concedes that it poses a serious challenge for a jockey. Are there any easy mistakes he now knows to avoid? “There are some pitfalls ...” he says and then here comes that grin again. “But I’ll keep them to myself.” The Investec Derby is part of the QIPCO British Champions Series.

Details at britishchampionsseries.com Espom Derby History Espom Derby History Latest Espom Derby History Stories / Espom Derby History Epsom Derby video highlights - The top ten Derby winners 15 May 2012 The town of Epsom first became famous for its natural mineral water when a local farmer, Henry Wicker took his cattle up to a watering hole on the Downs in 1618. The alleged healing properties of the water brought crowds from London who wanted to escape the squalor in return for the country air. 1661 saw the first recorded race meeting to be held on the Downs and the tradition continued until the summer of 1780 when one of today's greatest sporting spectacles was established. Edward Smith Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby, organised a race for himself and his friends to race their three-year-old fillies over one and a half miles. He named it the Oaks after his estate. The race became so successful that the following year a new race was added for colts and fillies.

The title of the race was decided after the Earl of Derby and Sir Charles Bunbury, a leading racing figure of the day and friend of the Earl's, flipped a coin. So begun the inaugural running of the 'Derby' won, incidentally, by Sir Charles Bunbury's horse Diomed. The contest was held over a mile with the starting point in a straight line beyond the current five-furlong marker. Tattenham Corner was not introduced until 1784 when the course was extended to its current distance of a mile- and-a-half. Since then, the race has produced some of the most remarkable stories in all of sport and has been the crowning glory for some of the greatest legends of the game, both human and equine. Emily Davison In 1913, for example, a young woman named Emily Davison attended the race. A keen suffragette, Emily dedicated her life to fighting the oppression of women – arguing for the right to vote and equality in law. To gain publicity, Emily tried to grab the bridle of Anmer, King George V's horse, as it raced past her. Horrifically, she was trampled by the horse, suffering a severely fractured skull.

She died without regaining consciousness. Although the suffragettes mourned her loss, they also applauded her bravery. The general public weren't so compassionate though and seemed more concerned with the fate of the horse and jockey, though neither turned out to be seriously hurt. Emily's actions spurred many more women to act and, in 1918, parliament enfranchised women over the age of 30, eventually lowering the voting age to 21 in 1928, giving women complete political equality with men. Emily's sacrifice also had a big affect on the Derby itself – her legendary action had made the race more famous than ever. Vincent O’Brien Vincent O’Brien is arguably the greatest trainer of thoroughbreds there has ever been and his record is simply astonishing. Initially he concentrated his efforts on jump racing. This led to a string of eye catching successes. These encompassed three consecutive Gold Cups (1948, 1949 and 1950), three consecutive Champion Hurdles (1949, 1950 and 1951) and three consecutive Grand Nationals (1953, 1954 and 1955).

He is the only trainer ever to have sent out three consecutive winners of the Grand National, and he won a further Gold Cup in 1953. In the late 1950's he switched his attentions to the flat and needless to say he met once again with considerable success. By the time he retired he had won sixteen English and twenty seven Irish classics, including six Derbys (Larkspur (1962), Sir Ivor (1968), Nijinsky (1970), Roberto (1972), The Minstrel (1977) and Golden Fleece (1982)). Lester Piggott Lester Piggott rode in the Epsom Derby on thirty-eight occasions and won the race nine times, including becoming the youngest ever to win the event in at the tender age of 18. In his 47 years in the saddle he rode to victory 5,300 times in more than 30 countries. Aged 56, he claimed the 2,000 Guineas in 1992 on Rodrigo de Triano - his 30th British Classic win.

He eventually retired in 1995 and some of his most noteable Derby's are detailed below: ZUCCHERO (1951) Piggott's first Derby in 1951, when he was just 15, was on a temperamental character who planted and refused to budge until the remainder of the field were almost out of sight. What did Piggott learn from this experience? "Not to get left at the start". GAY TIME (1952) After winning well at Salisbury just seven days before the big race, Piggott considered his mount 'a certainty', but Charlie Smirke was in no mood to be upstaged and gave his young rival a famously hard time on the track. Smirke's mount, Tulyar, held off Gay Time by three-quarters of a length and Piggott was eventually unseated after the line. NEVER SAY DIE (1954) The first of Piggott's nine successes in the race came aboard a 33-1 chance.

The papers were in a frenzy about the youngest rider ever to win the race ever winner but, rather than stay out to celebrate, he was driven home by his parents where he to spend the evening mowing the lawn. CREPELLO (1957) A heavily backed favourite, Piggott's winning ride cemented his reputation with punters and the press as being the best around. As he returned to the winner's enclosure, celebrity hairdresser 'Teasy Weasy' Raymond burst through the crowds to thrust a gold watch into the hands of the jockey as a thank-you present, while the horse's owner, Victor Sassoon gave Piggott his car, a Lincoln Continental limousine. SIR IVOR (1968) Any regrets the rider might have had about his split with Noel Murless did not last long. Sir Ivor became the first of four winners Piggott would partner for Vincent O'Brien, eight years after his previous Derby win on St Paddy Piggott found Sir Ivor an easy ride – "it was as if he knew what he was supposed to do".

NIJINKSY (1970) Probably Piggott's most popular and famous winning ride in the race, the outstanding Nijinksy went on to become the first horse since Bahram in 1935 to win the Triple Crown. An iconic victory in the Derby, which took his record to eight from eight, was achieved in effortless fashion from French colts Gyr and Stintino. ROBERTO (1972) Piggott had to be at his very strongest to force the winner home from Rheingold, who might have won but for continually bumping into his rival. Short of room for manoeuvre, it took a ride of astonishing power and determination to secure a short-head verdict in a photograph which took the judge what seemed like hours to resolve. EMPERY (1976) A seventh Derby win made Piggott the winning most successful rider in the history of the race, but punters could have been forgiven for being surprised by the 10-1 success over hot favourite Wollow. Piggott repeated the success on The Minstrel the following year.

TEENOSO (1983) The last of Piggott's wins, gained in the most testing conditions many could ever remember at the track. Trainer Geoff Wragg, in his first season with a licence, was given a dream start to his career and the horse proved the win to be no fluke when winning the King George the following year. KHAMASEEN (1994) Having returned to the sport after serving a prison sentence for tax evasion, Piggott was a 58-year-old grandfather when he finished fifth behind Erhaab, closing a chapter in the history of the Derby as he rode in the race for the 38th and final time. Nijinsky (1970) Trained by the Irish genius Vincent O'Brien, he won all five of his races as a two-year-old and did not let his supporters down in the Derby, recording a stylish victory under the legendary Lester Piggott. He landed the Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and went on to complete the Triple Crown (2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger).

He ended his career with two defeats but they could not disguise the glory of his achievements earlier in the year. Piggott paid him this tribute: "Nijinsky possessed more natural ability than any horse I ever rode". Mill Reef (1971) Mill Reef and the equally-brilliant Brigadier Gerard made 1971 a golden year for racing. Both were outstanding champions in their own right and they remain two of the all-time greats. The "Brigadier" came out on top in the 2000 Guineas but he did not run at Epsom, leaving Mill Reef to make his own indelible mark in the history books. The better of the pair over the Derby distance of a mile-and-a-half, Mill Reef later added the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris to his impressive portfolio. Shergar (1981) Shergar is perhaps even better known these days for his unsolved disappearance than he is for his breathtaking display at Epsom, where he scored by an unprecedented 10 lengths.

After going on to land the Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, he was sensationally beaten in the St Leger and subsequently retired. After spending just one season at the Aga Khan's stud in Ireland, he vanished during the night in February 1983 and was never seen again. The kidnap made front-page news worldwide and before long, conspiracy theories began to circulate. Bogus ransom demands were received on more than one occasion and the kidnappers were said to have left photos of the horse in a hotel as proof that the champion stud was still alive. It was even suggested the IRA had taken the horse and shot him, but to this day, no proof exists as to what really happened. Shergar's Derby win was named in the Observer's 100 Most Memorable Sporting Moments of the 20th Century. Willie Carson Five-time champion jockey Willie Carson won 17 British Classics and 11 Irish Classics in a glittering 34-year riding career.

Carson rode his first Classic winner on High Top in the 1972 2000 Guineas, the year he was crowned champion jockey for the first time and was also champion in 1973, 1978, 1980 and 1983. Carson won the Derby for the first time on the brilliant colt Troy in the 200th running of the famous Epsom showpiece in 1979 and also won the turf's Blue Riband on Henbit (1980), Nashwan (1989) and Erhaab (1994) and rates Nashwan as the best horse he rode in his illustrious career. He enjoyed his best season in 1990, riding 187 winners and retired from riding in 1996 at the age of 54. Carson was awarded an OBE in 1983 for services to racing.

Carson is now a very successful breeder and owns the 60-acre Minster Stud at Cirencester in Gloucestershire and was the first jockey to breed a British Classic winner, Minster Son, who he also rode, to win the 1988 St Leger in Lady Beaverbrook's silks. Carson is fourth in the all-time list of champion flat jockeys in Britain behind Sir Gordon Richards, Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery. The Queen Queen Elizabeth comes to Derby Day every year, usually accompanied by Prince Philip. As a racehourse owner, The Queen has had nine attempts to win the Epsom Derby - with a second place (Aureole, Coronation year, 1953) the best. Her last entry was thirty years ago, but this year she will be represented by race-favourite, Carlton House. Her previous attempts are detailed below: AUREOLE (1953 - 2nd) Aureole came closest to giving the Queen a Derby victory when runner-up to Pinza at Epsom Downs.

Ridden by Harry Carr, the colt was sixth into the home straight and made headway in the final three furlongs but was unable to peg back Pinza. LANDAU (1954 - 8th) Landau finished a length second to Rowston Manor in the Lingfield Derby Trial but in the Derby itself, the colt led from three furlongs out until the quarter-mile mark, at which point he weakened tamely to finish eighth under Willie Snaith as Never Say Die went on to win. ATLAS (1956 - 5th) Sent off a 50/1 shot, Atlas made late headway at Epsom, coming home strongly under Harry Carr, to take fifth, a little over three lengths behind the victorious Lavandin. DOUTELLE (1957 - 10th) A winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial, Doutelle was at 100/6 chance for the Derby. But he was never in contention, trailing in tenth behind the winner Crepello under jockey Harry Carr.

MINER'S LAMP (1958 - 6th) Miner's Lamp's won Epsom's Blue Riband Trial Stakes but was never able to challenge the front rank in the Derby and shared sixth place behind the winner, Hard Ridden. ABOVE SUSPICION (1959 - 5th) Sent off at 100/6 for the Derby, Above Suspicion raced towards the rear under Doug Smith before making strong progress in the home straight, running on to take fifth, three lengths behind his victorious stablemate, Parthia. ENGLISH HARBOUR (1978 - 18th) Ridden by Joe Mercer, English Harbour was never a factor in the Derby as he trailed home a distant 18th behind Shirley Heights, a horse he had finished fifth behind on his two-year-old debut in Newmarket's Limekiln Stakes. MILFORD (1979 - 10th) Sent off the 15/2 third favourite under Lester Piggott, the Royal colt weakened in the straight to finish about 15 lengths behind the triumphant Troy.

CHURCH PARADE (1981 - 5th) Ridden by Willie Carson, Church Parade kept on at one pace under Willie Carson to take fifth, 18 lengths behind the imperious Shergar. By the early nineteenth century there was one permanent stand for spectators, called the Prince's Stand. In 1828, the newly formed Epsom Grand Stand Association started to build a new stand which although not completed, was in use by the 1829 Derby. Noteable events 1805 – One of the horses was brought down by a spectator. 1838 – Amato never raced before or after winning the Derby. 1844 – The original winner Running Rein was disqualified as he was actually an ineligible four-year-old horse named Maccabeus. 1881 – Iroquois became the first American-bred to win a leg of the British triple crown. 1884 – The race finished with a dead-heat between Harvester and St. Gatien. 1887 – Merry Hampton is the most recent horse to win the Derby with no previous victories.

1894 – The winner was owned by the Prime Minister at the time, the 5th Earl of Rosebery. 1901 – The first year in which a mechanical starting gate was used. 1909 – Minoru was the first Derby winner owned by a reigning monarch, King Edward VII, who had previously won twice as Prince of Wales. 1913 – The 6/4 favourite Craganour, owned by Charles B. Ismay, brother of J. Bruce Ismay of the Titanic, was controversially disqualified, and the race was awarded to the 100/1 outsider Aboyeur. Suffragette Emily Davison is struck by King George V's horse, Anmer, she dies four days later. 1916 – Fifinella, who also won the Oaks, is the most recent of six fillies to win the race. The previous five were Eleanor (1801), Blink Bonny (1857), Shotover (1882), Signorinetta (1908), Tagalie (1912). 1921 – The winner Humorist died two weeks after the race.

1927 – The first Derby to be broadcast by the BBC. 1932 – April the Fifth is the most recent winner trained at Epsom. 1946 – Airborne is the most recent of 4 grey horses to win the Derby. 1953 – Pinza was the first winner in the race for the jockey Sir Gordon Richards, after 27 unsuccessful attempts. 1989 – The runner-up Terimon is the longest-priced horse to finish placed in the Derby, at odds of 500/1. 1996 – Alex Greaves became the first (and so far only) lady jockey to ride in the race. She finished last on the filly Portuguese Lil. 1998 – The most recent filly to take part, the 1,000 Guineas winner Cape Verdi, started as 11/4 favourite but could only finish 9th. 2007 – Authorized provided jockey Frankie Dettori with his first winner in the Derby after 14 previous attempts.

2008 – Jim Bolger, the trainer of Derby winner New Approach, had left the horse entered for the race "by mistake", having not initially intended to run him. Latest news Epsom Derby: The multi-billion pound battle to breed a winner - BBC Sport Epsom Derby: The multi-billion pound battle to breed a winner By Frank Keogh From the section Horse Racing Share this page Media playback is not supported on this device Golden Horn: The 2015 Derby winner has started a breeding career Investec Derby Race: The Derby, Epsom Date: Saturday, 4 June Time: 16:30 BST Coverage: Podcast- How to breed a Derby winner ; Live radio commentaries: Oaks 16:30 Friday; Derby 16:30 Saturday Sex, rugs, hocks and foals - welcome to a multi-billion pound world where breeding is the game and producing the winner of the Derby is the aim. From dating websites for horses to super studs who command fees topping £200,000 a time, this is the thoroughbred industry.

The hope is that by Saturday evening, your horse will have joined the Epsom Classic roll call that boasts champions like Shergar and Sea The Stars. But amid the stallions and dams, the genes and pedigrees, there is one unpredictable factor. "You need to start with an awful lot of luck," says Lord Derby, who triumphed himself in 2014. Derby winner Golden Horn has bred with 145 mares since the middle of February What's in a name? It took 234 years for a man named Derby to breed the winner at Epsom of the race named after one of his antecedents. Australia was the horse and the 19th Earl of Derby - Teddy to his friends - was the man. "Having a Derby winner is something every owner-breeder dreams about. A lot of people have tried very hard but only 200-odd people have done it," he says. Previous Earls of Derby have included a Prime Minister and sponsor of Shakespeare. It was the 12th Earl who founded Epsom's two Classic races - the Oaks and the Derby.

"To be at Epsom with such a long-running family history, there was a lot of nervous anticipation. That makes the clock tick rather slowly," reflects the current incumbent. It's unique, like the Grand National, the Monaco Grand Prix, the Masters, Wimbledon. It's the unknown - who's going to be the best, who stays the distance, who can handle the track Golden Horn's jockey Frankie Dettori on the Derby "As they came around Tattenham Corner, I could see the horse going very nicely and I remember thinking about a furlong out - 'I'm going to have bred a Derby winner'. "I remember galloping down the fire escape to get to the course to see him being led in. "My wife, brother, mother, some of the children, were there. There were tears, cheers, there was every type of emotion." The victory can be traced back to Australia's grand-dam, or grandmother, Selection Board. Lord Derby's brother Peter, who runs his Stanley House Stud operation, suggested sending Selection Board to Cape Cross, then a first-season sire costing 9,000 euros.

The offspring was Ouija Board, who won the Oaks and, after a glittering racing career, was destined for an arranged marriage - with the 2001 Derby winner Galileo. It soon became clear the blue-blooded alliance had produced something special. The horse was sold to Coolmore Stud in Ireland for about £550,000 and his Epsom victory gave trainer Aidan O'Brien a historic third consecutive Derby triumph. Seems simple, eh? Except that the year before Australia, Lord Derby bred a filly - Filia Regina - to the same illustrious parents. Her only victory in five outings was a race at Great Yarmouth where the winner earned just under £2,000. Matchmaking and a dose of luck Dalham Hall Stud, home of stallions Golden Horn and Dubawi, was bought by Sheikh Mohammed in the early 1980s Stallions at the National Stud in Newmarket are subscribed to a matching tool - an equine dating system where the numbers are crunched to identify potential partners.

"The tool will go back through the pedigrees and find successful horses that have been bred on the same cross, the same lineage," says Amy Taylor, the stud's marketing and nominations executive. "They will come up with the probability of producing a Group One winner, or what distance it might be best at. It will give you a 20-20 match, which is what you are looking for, but there will be lots of 20-20 matches that don't work. Sometimes it's just luck." Deals are normally signed on a no-foal-no-fee basis; hygiene is paramount - there are checks to guard against sexually-transmitted disease - and lots of paperwork. "Stallions have so much testosterone going through their veins that they are very territorial," says Brian O'Rourke, managing director of the National Stud. "You have to be very careful with them and respect them. These animals are so valuable, you don't want them to get hurt." O'Rourke is well bred himself - two brothers are high up in the industry - and savours the unpredictability. "The beauty of this game is it's not an exact science. They can come from anywhere," he explains.

"If you've got an exceptional racemare, yes it's beautiful to see her run, but you have to think of her offspring and could she produce a future stallion for the greater good of the thoroughbred breed? "We never get to go to the winner's enclosure, but behind the scenes we do an awful lot of the donkey work to get them to that point. It's a passion, a vocation." The mating game The covering shed: This is where the stallion and mare meet - it is usually all over in a matter of minutes There is no wine and wooing for these love matches. The process is more rudimentary than romantic. A mare is brought in to one side of the breeding shed - normally the size of a small village hall - where a 'teaser' will engage in a rough kind of flirting before the main attraction comes in. "The teaser is probably the most valuable horse on the farm but has the worst job in the world," chuckles O'Rourke. The stallion arrives and with the help of some human handlers, the deed is over within minutes. Media playback is not supported on this device The Derby 2014: Inside the Coolmore stud farm What qualities does a Derby winner need?

Galileo is one of five Derby winners for O'Brien, who trains the pick of Coolmore's horses and readies runners for the rollercoaster Epsom track where cambers can unbalance runners in the mile-and-a-half contest, with a crowd of more than 100,000 cheering on. "Epsom is the complete test of a horse. They need balance, speed and stamina. It's uphill, downhill, sideways. It's a very intense atmosphere," says the trainer. Last year's winner Golden Horn was reared at breeder Anthony Oppenheimer's Hascombe and Valiant Studs and is now retired to nearby Dalham Hall Stud in Newmarket, Suffolk. "Of course he was brilliantly trained by John Gosden," says Dalham Hall director of stallions Sam Bullard. "You can't mess that up or you won't win the Derby and maybe the fella on top had a bit to do with it as well, but I think Golden Horn was so good that even he would admit he was fortunate to be on top." The reigning champion Who do you think you are? Golden Horn's family tree Golden Horn has put on seven stone since he was retired for a breeding career last autumn.

He's not exactly let himself go. His dark coat gleams, he is content, lapping up the attention at his new home. The weight gain - from 511kg (80 stone) to 557kg (87 stone) - is all part of switching from racehorse to sire. In 2015, he was burning up the racetrack at 40 miles an hour, adding the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to the Derby. He raced nine times, won seven and was second twice. In 2016, he has a different schedule - mating with mares, maybe four times a day, at 0800, 1300, 1800 and midnight. He's well fed, well groomed, and will be taken for a walk of an hour or more every day. "He doesn't want for a lot," smiles Bullard. Who's the Daddy?

Graveyard of champions: Dubai Millennium is buried at Dalham Hall Stud alongside other former racehorses including Derby winners Reference Point and Lammtarra With a 93% strike rate from 145 mares in his first season, Golden Horn is in the early stages of becoming a breeding heavyweight - like his neighbour Dubawi, and Galileo, based with Coolmore in Tipperary. A date with Dubawi, who was third in the 2005 Derby and is a son of the sheikh's beloved late stallion Dubai Millennium, will set you back £225,000, and Galileo is thought to be even more expensive. Among the breeding experts, their names are ushered in almost reverential terms - 'the big D' and' the big G'. "These are absolutely the best in the world of the thoroughbreds, for breeding racehorses," says Bullard. "No stallion has ever had 23 individual Group One winners at this stage of their career, like Dubawi has. He is the best of the best and his yearlings when they go to the sales, they realise astronomical sums of money." Dubawi is 14 and Galileo four years older.

So how long do stallions go on for, at their peak? "To use a golfing term, par would be about 20. Anything beyond that is a bit of a bonus," reckons Bullard. "Sadly this year Cape Cross (sire of Golden Horn and Sea The Stars) has been retired aged 22 because he didn't get anything in foal at the beginning of the year. He probably had his time." And what of the future? The Derby, like all five British Classic races from the Guineas to the St Leger, is restricted to horses aged three. US Army Ranger and Wings Of Desire are among the favourites for Saturday's renewal in which 11 of the 18 remaining entries have been sired by previous Derby winners - seven of them by Galileo, who has provided the victor three times before. But the 2000 Guineas victor Galileo Gold sidesteps the contest after genetic tests suggested the distance might not be ideal. Could this be another key to identifying a winner? "You can't take science away from everything - we know so much more about nutrition, for example. Genetic analysis is a very new area.

I don't believe there's any one thing that is the answer to it all," says Derby. Bullard agrees the "jury is out" on genetics. "There's a lot of new theories flying around but no-one has yet found the key to how you put two horses together and guarantee a Group One winner," he adds. Just a year ago, Golden Horn was storming home by three-and-a-quarter lengths in the third fastest ever Derby. So, how about this Saturday? "He might have one or two mares coming back who didn't get in foal the first time perhaps but there aren't many of them because he's done so well," says Bullard. "I think he'll probably be quite happy standing here, resting up, having done it all." Golden Horn gave jockey Frankie Dettori his second Derby win after Authorized (2007) Dettori performs a flying dismount after winning the Derby on Golden Horn Subscribe to the BBC Sport newsletter to get our pick of news, features and video sent to your inbox.

Share this page Epsom Derby Form Guide 2017 | Entries | Contenders Toggle navigation Epsom Derby 2017 Form Guide Profiles of some of the leading contenders for the 2017 Epsom Derby are below, together with form, trends and stats from all of 2017s key Derby Trials on both sides of the Irish Sea. These form profiles ware now beginning to become available so punters can just click on the horse they want and they will be led through to the form guide. Epsom Derby Form Guide 2016 Wings Of Desire The main hope for John Gosden this season and based on his recent form, the sky could be the limit for this horse. He only made his debut back in April when 3rd at Newmarket but has won twice since then and has looked better with every run. His win the Dante Stakes saw him beat Deauville a touch cosily and given his pedigree from the same family as Oaks winner Sariska and Eagle Top, the Derby trip should suit him down to the ground.

US Army Ranger Highly talented Ballydoyle colt who was a touch disappointing when only narrowly winning the Chester Vase last month ahead of assumed 2nd string Port Douglas. He didn't look like the Derby winner at Chester by the vibes from 'the Lads' at Ballydoyle remain positive and on just his 3rd start it would be no surprise to see him in the mix on Derby day. Ulysses Andrea Atzeni has been booked to ride Ulysses for Sir Michael Stoute and you write off the trainer at your peril when it comes to the first Saturday in June. Took him until his 3rd start to break his maiden at Newbury last month but he did it in style pulling clear of the field to win by eight lengths. Has beaten nothing yet to suggest he is a derby winner but improvement likely and the positive vibes from the trainer and jockey suggest he shouldn't be ruled out. Deauville Another very good horse for Aidan O'Brien who so far has proven himself at the very highest level.

Second in the Royal Lodge and 5th in the racing Post Trophy as a juvenile were decent and he proved himself again when only narrowly beaten by Wings Of Desire in the Dante Stakes last time out on the Knavesmire. Might find one or two too good but should be in the frame. Cloth Of Stars Andre Fabre and Mickael Barzalona teamed up for Derby glory with Pour Moi and they are back this year with the intriguing Cloth Of Stars. A son of the great Sea The Stars, Cloth Of Stars has won both of his starts at Saint-Cloud this season and although that form is hard to equate here, the horse has to be respected highly given pedigree and connections.

Investec Derby 2016 - Epsom Derby Entries - Runners and Result 2 US Army Ranger 7/2F 3 Idaho 14/1 16 ran Distances: 1½l, 1¼l, 5l TIME 2m 40.09s (slow by 5.59s) Harzand wins the Investec Derby under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld Harzand © Caroline Norris County Kildare trainer Dermot Weld won the Investec Derby for the first time at the seventh attempt this afternoon, thanks to the colt Harzand. The winner, a son of the 2009 Investec Derby winner Sea The Stars , became another breeding triumph for his owner, HH The Aga Khan, who has now won the World's greatest Flat race no fewer than five times, equalling the record of his grandfather. Yet Harzand did not have the smoothest path to the race, having suffered a sore foot caused by a shoeing problem - that was treated and it did not stop when it mattered.

Harzand, ridden by Pat Smullen, started at 13/2 and beat the 7/2 favourite US Army Ranger by one and a half lengths. In third was 14/1 shot Idaho, who was another length and a quarter behind the runner-up. The Aga Khan said: "This is a major gift for everybody who works with me in this wonderful activity. To win a fifth Derby for the family is obviously very historic." Weld said: "I won my first Classic with Blue Wind (1981 Oaks at Epsom) here many years ago - I probably didn't have the horses like this to win this great race. "We had a huge worry this morning because he spread a plate travelling over and he was a very doubtful runner right up until about an hour ago. With tremendous help from all of my colleagues and my team, we made it." The 39-year-old Smullen was having his eighth ride in the premier Classic. His best Investec Derby result prior to this was third place on Casual Conquest in 2008 . Smullen has ridden Harzand in all four of his starts.

The colt broke his maiden at the second time of asking at Cork on March 26, winning by 16 lengths. He then won the P W McGrath Memorial Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown on 10 April. Smullen said: "It's what you dream of. For the boss to win this race is more fitting and I am delighted to have ridden a winner for him. He is the world's greatest trainer and the trouble we had this morning - I didn't know whether I was going to get on the plane or not! "The boys have worked absolutely unbelievably to get him [Harzand] here sound and fit. It's a whole team effort and I am so privileged to be in the position to ride these horses. We all get on really well - there's a great atmosphere in the yard - and it is a whole team effort. I am delighted for the team. "I could sense Ryan [Moore] coming and I spotted the white face of US Army Ranger, but this horse responded for me and I knew that he would get to the line well. The race went perfectly - it was just a little rough early on but I got to follow Idaho into the race and I used him as my target.

To be fair, this is a very good horse. "It's amazing, this game. When I got on Midterm, I thought that he was going to be my Epsom Derby horse but this horse improved out of all knowledge. The ease in the ground came at the right time and I am absolutely delighted." Investec Derby (Group 1) £1,545,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 4f 10y, Class 1 16 ran 3 RANGER AND IDAHO FINISH BEST OF THE BALLYDOYLE BATTALION Aidan O'Brien was pleased with the performances of 7/2 favourite US Army Ranger and 14/1 shot Idaho who finished second and third. US Army Ranger was held up near the back of the field by Ryan Moore with a strong gallop set by stable companion Port Douglas. US Army Ranger gradually made ground in the home straight and came to challenge the winner a furlong from home and looked likely to gain victory. However, O'Brien's charge was unable to reel in Harzand and was eventually beaten a length and a half. O'Brien said of US Army Ranger: "He has run a lovely race.

I was delighted with him. I think he ran a great race and he was very babyish early on in the contest. I wouldn't make any excuses as he did run really well. "I am delighted with the horse. We're also delighted for Dermot Weld, Pat Smullen and the Aga Khan but our horse has run well. "He grew up a lot from Chester but he is still babyish but he continues to improve and we'll look forward to running him again. Idaho under Seamie Heffernan had travelled into the race well and led two furlongs out. He stayed on resolutely to fill third, beaten two and three-quarter lengths in total. O'Brien remarked: "Idaho ran very well. I think he will come forward again for that. He behaved well in the preliminaries and we are very happy with him. "Idaho is a nice horse.

He won his maiden well at the Curragh and then ran another couple of nice races in trials in Ireland when he was second in the Ballysax Stakes and the Derrinstown Stud Trial at Leopardstown so he had very good form coming into the race." O'Brien earmarked the Irish Derby as a race which would be considered for his placed horses. He commented: "We will see how both horses come out of the race but we could think of something like the Irish Derby but we will see how they are and then make up our mind." O'Brien added: "You would definitely look forward to seeing them run against one another again." Answers to your questions about the news. June 3 2004 5:30 PM Why 3-Year-Olds Rule the Triple Crown And faster 4-year-olds don't get a shot. By Brendan Koerner Smarty Jones will vie for horse racing's Triple Crown this Saturday at the Belmont Stakes . Like the Crown's other two jewels, the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, the Belmont is contested solely by 3-year-old horses. Why is there such a strict age limit, especially considering that older thoroughbreds often run faster?

The predominance of 3-year-olds dates back to the early days of organized English racing. Famous races such as the St. Leger Stakes (first run in 1776), the Epsom Derby (1780), and the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes (1809), which make up the Old World's version of the Triple Crown, have always been limited to 3-year-old entrants. When the comparable American races started up (beginning with the Belmont in 1867), they were closely patterned on their English predecessors—the Kentucky Derby, for example, took its name from the Epsom Derby, which in turn took its name from an English aristocrat, Lord Derby. In keeping with tradition, then, the American races adopted the age restriction, too. Advertisement No one's entirely sure why the restriction was originally put in place, but it probably has a lot to do with the fact that thoroughbreds generally reach physical maturity during their fourth * year.

A race with 2-year-olds would be the equine equivalent of watching a junior-varsity basketball game; a race consisting of 4-year-olds would be something of a snooze, because by that time it would be clear which horses were great and which were lackluster. On the other hand, 3-year olds guarantee both viewing and wagering excitement—they're old enough to burn up the track, but raw enough to add the element of uncertainty that makes gambling worthwhile. The English horse owners who first established these races may have also had selfish reasons for instituting the limit. Some racing horses get worn down after they turn 3 * and never race as 4-year-olds; the English horsey set wanted to ensure that their prize thoroughbreds got a chance on the track. The horses that do soldier onward, however, tend to run faster than their younger counterparts, at least early in the racing season, when the 3-year-olds are still maturing and gaining their competitive sea legs. The early fall marks the first time that 3-year-olds compete against 4-year-olds, most notably in the prestigious Breeders' Cup Classic.

To level the playing field, the Classic's rules mandates that horses of differing ages be assigned different handicapping weights—3-year-olds are saddled with 122 pounds, while 4-year-olds are weighted down with 126 pounds. Still, 3-year-olds have won fewer than half the Breeders' Cup Classics that have ever been run. Epsom Derby: runners and riders - BBC Sport BBC Sport Epsom Derby: runners and riders By Frank Keogh From the section Horse Racing Share this page Friday 1 and Saturday 2 June Coverage: Friday: 13:30 to 16:30 BST, BBC Two, 1605 Oaks. Saturday 12:50 to 16:30 BST, BBC One. 1600 Derby. BBC Sport website (UK users). Big-race commentaries and updates on BBC Radio 5 live Derby Day may be a very British affair as Saturday marks the start of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations, but Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has the strongest claims in the race. I find it hard to get away from his favourite Camelot, who looks made for this unique test.

Stablemate Astrology impressed last time, while Thought Worthy should be staying on at the end. Verdict: 1 Camelot 2 Astrology 3 Thought Worthy Investec Derby, 1600 BST, Saturday, 1m 4f 10y (racecard number, form, name, days since last run, age, weight, trainer, jockey) 1 133-1 ASTROLOGY 22 3 9-0 Aidan O'Brien Ryan Moore Son of 2001 Derby winner Galileo, stepped up on last season's performances when running out a ready winner of the Dee Stakes at Chester in May. Relished the soft conditions, and while it will prove a bit quicker at Epsom, he has won on good ground before. Has three-time champion jockey on board and been well supported in days before the race. Odds: 8-1 Rating: 8/10 2 12-1 BONFIRE 16 3 9-0 Andrew Balding Jimmy Fortune Confirmed as a major contender when landing the Dante Stakes at York, one of the key Derby trials.

Trainer won the Epsom fillies' Classic, the Oaks, with Casual Look in 2003. He is the brother of BBC racing presenter Clare Balding and trying to follow their father Ian who landed the famous race with Mill Reef in 1971. Bonfire can be exuberant and will need to settle in front of a 100,000-plus crowd. Odds: 4-1 Rating: 7/10 Camelot powered to victory in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in May 3 11-1 CAMELOT 28 3 9-0 Aidan O'Brien Joseph O'Brien Unbeaten record includes autumn win last season in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. Returned by winning the 2,000 Guineas with a late charge that suggested the further half-mile here would suit. Trainer and 19-year-old jockey bidding to be first father-son combination to win the big race. Odds-on shots don't always oblige, but this one should see off the smallest Derby field since 1907.

Odds: 4-6 Rating: 9/10 4 3211-3 CAVALEIRO 21 3 9-0 Marcus Tregoning Hayley Turner Debut in the race for jockey, who is only the second woman to ride in the Derby. She has won two Group One races previously and will be hoping to fare better than the previous lady rider, Alex Greaves, who finished last in 1996. Cavaleiro's price has shortened markedly during the week. Won at Newbury in September, but was a well-beaten third to Main Sequence in the Lingfield Derby Trial. Odds: 40-1 Rating: 6/10 5 11-11 MAIN SEQUENCE 21 3 9-0 David Lanigan Ted Durcan Unbeaten in four races and looks one of the more interesting hopefuls. The first Derby runner for his trainer, whose wife is expecting their second child a few days after the big race. Horse has tended to flash his tail in the closing stages, but hasn't stopped him winning and did well to overcome trouble in running, when blocked in, to land the Lingfield Derby Trial.

Odds: 8-1 Rating: 7/10 6 621421 MICKDAAM 23 9-0 Richard Fahey Paul Hanagan Clung on to win the Chester Vase by a nose to confirm his place as respected northern trainer's first Derby runner. Had previously been a decent second at Newmarket after four runs in Dubai, but more is needed here. The most experienced challenger, having his 10th run since July of last year. Rider has been champion jockey for the last two seasons. Odds: 33-1 Rating: 6/10 7 215 MINIMISE RISK 23 3 9-0 Andrew Balding Jamie Spencer Grew up as a foal in the same four-horse Berkshire paddock as leading contenders Camelot and Bonfire. Scored a heard-earned victory at Newbury in April, but was well beaten into last of five behind Mickdaam in the Chester Vase. Trainer has higher hopes for stablemate Bonfire. Former champion jockey, who has yet to win the Derby, takes the ride.

Odds: 66-1 Rating: 5/10 8 51-3 RUGGED CROSS 14 3 9-0 Henry Candy Dane O'Neill Form so far does not readily earmark him as a Derby winner. And trainer, who saddled Master Willie to finish runner-up to Henbit in the 1980 Derby, has admitted his runner has not done much to indicate he will finish in first three. Clocked up one win, at York in August, although only able to finish third to Thought Worthy on seasonal return at Newmarket. Odds: 40-1 Rating: 4/10 9 1-21 THOUGHT WORTHY 14 3 9-0 John Gosden William Buick Odds dropped significantly midweek when shrewd trainer, who won the 1997 Derby with Benny The Dip, thought it worthy to mention that the horse would appreciate the step up in distance. Battled to reclaim lead and gain victory at Newmarket last time out. A brother to the trainer's 2007 St Leger victor Lucarno, stamina looks a strong point.

Odds: 14-1 Rating: 8/10

Question: What age (in years) does a horse have to be to run in the Epsom Derby?
Answer: Three