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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Tony Paley, with Greg Wood at Epsom

Lambourn wins the 2025 Derby in dominant fashion: horse racing – as it happened

Derby (Event) Delacroix Epsom (Facility)
Wayne Lordan rides Lambourn to victory in the Derby.
Wayne Lordan rides Lambourn to victory in the Derby. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

That’s your lot for today, a long one and one that has ended, predictably with an Aidan O’Brien winner in the Derby although maybe not with the horse many were expecting at the start of the week. The soggy ground helped Lambourn who was much the best horse on the day in the end – and was well backed after Epsom got more rain overnight going into the big day. Here is Greg Wood’s report on the big race. See you for Royal Ascot in a fortnight’s time.

Updated

5.40pm TOKYO HANDICAP result: Sondad scoops prize

1 Sondad (Joanna Mason) 12-1
2 Twilight Jet (Joe Leavy) 33-1
3 Badri (Hollie Doyle) 14-1
11 ran
Non Runners: 1,4

5.40pm IRA TOKYO HANDICAP

And they’re off … Eye Of Dubai bounds into the lead but Orne takes it up in the home straight … Badri makes a run but it’s Sondad who make a late move to win.

Updated

5.40pm JRA TOKYO HANDICAP betting

  • Circe 7/2

  • Eye Of Dubai 4/1

  • Strike Red 9/2

  • Rousing Encore 7/1

  • Badri 8/1

  • Solar Acclaim 8/1

  • Sondad 9/1

  • Purest Time 28/1

  • Orne 33/1

  • Intervention 33/1

  • Twilight Jet 66/1

  • Full betting via Oddschecker

Updated

5.40pm JRA TOKYO HANDICAP preview

A tricky sprint handicap to close out the card, with five winners last time out. Circe, who has improved from race to race this year, took her latest step forward at Windsor 12 days ago and could well overcome a 4lb rise in the weights, while Eye Of Dubai and track-and-trip winner Get It are also weighted to go well.

SELECTION: CIRCE

Updated

5pm LESTER PIGGOTT HANDICAP result

1 War Hawk (J Mitchell) 9-2
2 Grecian Legacy (Hollie Doyle) 9-1
3 The Trickster (Jason Hart) 9-2
9 ran
Non Runner: 4

Updated

5pm LESTER PIGGOTT HANDICAP

And they’re off … Hornsea Bay has the early lead as the rain continues to fall … Meblesh is second as they begin the descent towards Tattenham Corner … an d they head towards the stands side … The Trickster challenges … but War Hawk gets up late to win.

Updated

5pm LESTER PIGGOTT HANDICAP betting

  • Hornsea Bay 7/2

  • The Trickster 4/1

  • War Hawk 9/2

  • Meblesh 6/1

  • Chartwell Jock 13/2

  • Cayman Dancer 14/1

  • Love Talk 28/1

  • Patrol 50/1

  • Full betting via Oddschecker

5pm LESTER PIGGOTT HANDICAP preview

Three-year-olds only in this 10-furlong handicap, and the lightly-raced Meblesh is fancied to continue his improvement after getting off the mark at the third attempt in a Newbury maiden last month. War Hawk, from the Simon & Ed Crisford stable, is an obvious danger after a victory at Chester last weekend.

SELECTION: MEBLESH

4.15pm NORTHERN DANCER HANDICAP result: Fry sizzles

1 Small Fry (Ashley Lewis) 9-4 Fav
2 Dream Harder (L Morris) 22-1
3 Maxi King (D Egan) 14-1
14 ran
Non Runners: 8,16,17

Updated

4.15pm NORTHERN DANCER HANDICAP

And they’re off … on the turn for home it’s Valvano in the lead with Something in second … Small Fry now comes down the outside in the straight with a withering run and kicks clear for a comfortable success.

Updated

The shrewd ITV Racing pundit Kevin Blake incredibly found the first three in the Derby and told viewers what would happen, using racing stride and breeding analysis, at about 10am on the channel this morning. Top hats raised all round!

Updated

4.15pm NORTHERN DANCER HANDICAP betting

  • Valvano 11/4

  • Small Fry 7/2

  • Asgards Captain 5/1

  • Candyman Stan 15/2

  • Fouroneohfever 11/1

  • Maxi King 18/1

  • Great Bedwyn 20/1

  • Vice President 22/1

  • Night Breeze 22/1

  • Miller Spirit 28/1

  • 40/1 bar

  • Full betting at Oddschecker here

4.15pm NORTHERN DANCER HANDICAP preview

Back in the days when the Derby meeting went on for four days, this race – a handicap over the Derby course - was one afternoon’s feature event. It’s a bit of a sideshow these days, however (it doesn’t even scrape into the ITV coverage) but the punters won’t mind if the favourite, Valvano, obliges. He’s a lightly-raced gelding from the Ralph Beckett stable racing with cheek-pieces for the first time and has an obvious chance on his form over 10 furlongs at Goodwood in early May, when he finished just in front of Mutaawid, a convincing winner next time up. If there’s a horse to beat him, though, it might well be Gary & Josh Moore’s Small Fry, with apprentice Ashley Lewis taking off 7lb. The pair combined for a convincing win over this trip at Chester’s May meeting and his winning time suggests it is the strongest form on offer here.

SELECTION: SMALL FRY

Lambourn leads all the way to win the Derby

The well-backed Lambourn has won the Derby for trainer Aidan O’Brien, recording his 11th success, and jockey Wayne Lordan, recording his first victory, at odds of 13-2.

Viewed in the build up to the premier Classic as a third string for the yard behind 2-1 favourite Delacroix and The Lion In Winter, he led the field down Tattenham Corner and pulled further clear inside the final furlong under his rider.

Just as he had in the Chester Vase in May, Charlie Johnston’s Lazy Griff (50-1) chased him home, this time three and three-quarter lengths behind the 13-2 winner, with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Tennessee Stud third.

​The winning jockey, who had his mount in the lead all the way, said afterwards: “I knew we had gone a good gallop but I knew he had plenty left in the locker and any horse would have to fight to get to me. It’s one of the greatest races for any jockey to win and I work for Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore and I’m lucky to be able to ride a horse like this”

O’Brien said: “Wayne gave him him an incredible ride. I’m delighted for Wayne, he’s a great fellow, he does so much hard work. Everybody knew what he was going to do, he’s very straightforward, Wayne knew he’d stay so he went forward.

“He’s a very fit, genuine horse. He’s a typical [offspring of] Australia so it’s incredible and I’m delighted for Wayne. It’s incredible for everyone that we trained Australia to win the Derby and his sire as well, Galileo. I’m just a small part of it, everybody puts in so much, I can’t tell you what a privilege it is.

“Lambourn was second to Delacroix first time out and we took him to Chester and we know you have to be on your game and you have to stay and that’s the way he was. Ryan [Moore] loved him at Chester, but he couldn’t ride them all.

“I’d say he’s probably an Irish Derbyhorse, but he will get further as well, he’s very uncomplicated. Ryan said he got taken out of his ground [on Delacroix] over halfway so his chance was over, Colin [Keane] said The Lion In Winter wasn’t going forward so it was maybe the track or the ground, we’ll see.”

Updated

3.30pm The Derby result: Lambourn romps home

1 Lambourn (W M Lordan) 13-2
2 Lazy Griff (C Soumillon) 50-1
3 Tennessee Stud (D McMonagle) 28-1
18 ran
Non Runner: 13

Updated

3.30pm The Derby

And they’re off in the most open Derby in recent years … Lambourn being pushed along to get to the front as we expected … Lazy Griff is second and Nightime Dancer is last as they climb the hill … Sea Scout takes second as they start to go down the hill towards Tattenham Corner. … they turn for home with Lambourn leading … and he could lead all the way … in fact he’s won it easy and was never challenged.

Updated

It is raining at Epsom as the horses parade and get ready to go down to the start for the Derby but our man at the track, Greg Wood, says it’s only “light rain” at the moment so here’s hoping the storms stay away before the race actually gets underway in 15 minutes.

Updated

ITV Racing’s main presenter Ed Chamberlin just stated that “the crowds on the Hill look well down on recent years” and it’s a point that many are making on social media. Jim Allen, Epsom’s new general manager, is the man with the difficult task of attracting the crowds back.

“It’s my job to try to bring some of those crowds back,” Allen says. “It will take a while to learn about Epsom, it’s quite a complicated racecourse with its temporary-structure build, but basically we’ll review everything, including the marketing, the promotion, and the temporary structures, and at the heart of it will be the race. I’d like to build everything around the race.”

One of Allen’s models for the Derby’s future will be Louisville, Kentucky, where he has seen first-hand how the buildup to the Kentucky Derby takes over the city in the days before.

“We’d love to get it to that level,” he says. “It’ll take a bit of time but there’s no reason why we can’t. Epsom is a fantastic town and there are venues here to do all sorts of different things. And as we develop the strategy now, going forwards in the next six months and the next five years, the town will be a big part of that.”

Racing writer Graham Wheldon went there yesterday and his verdict was damning. Let’s hope the great race can make it back to former glories (at least off the track) in the years to come.

Updated

3.30pm The Derby betting

  • Delacroix 15/8

  • Pride Of Arras 4/1

  • Lambourn 13/2

  • The Lion In Winter 8/1

  • Midak 11/1

  • Stanhope Gardens 14/1

  • Damysus 16/1

  • Tennessee Stud 33/1

  • 40/1 bar

  • Full Oddschecker betting here

3.30pm The Derby preview

Our detailed runner-by-runner guide to the big race is here, and a preview of all of today’s ITV Racing coverage is here, but in summary, I’m not at all convinced that Ruling Court, the 2,000 Guineas winner, will get home over 12 furlongs, and also a little sceptical about the strength of the Leopardstown trial won by Delacroix, or whether this step up in trip is what he needs. Lambourn’s defeat of Lazy Griff in the 12-furlong Chester Vase could seem ever more significant if the rain arrives, and the French-bred Midak, unbeaten in three, is also likely to appreciate 12 furlongs on an easy surface, while Stanhope Gardens has taken an unconventional route to Epsom but if Ralph Beckett thinks he deserves to be in the field, he probably does. The Dante form won by Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, with Damysus, Nightwalker and The Lion In Winter in behind, strikes me as potentially the strongest on offer though, and while Damysus and Nightwalker both have potential to improve on their York form, that applies equally – in fact, arguably more so, to the twice-raced Pride Of Arras.

SELECTION: PRIDE OF ARRAS

Updated

2.45pm “DASH” HANDICAP result: Jungle jogs home

1 Jm Jungle (Jason Hart) 7-1
2 Spartan Arrow (Hollie Doyle) 6-1
3 Existent (Rose Dawes) 10-1
4 Marching Mac (Grace McEntee) 40-1
19 ran

Updated

2.45pm “DASH” HANDICAP

And they’re off … this will be fast and furious again … Spartan Arrow is quickly away … Clarendon House refused to run … JM Jungle quickens up well in the closing stages to nab the long-time leader Spartan Arrow close home with Existent and Marching Mac finishing well for the minor places.

Updated

2.45pm “DASH” HANDICAP betting

  • Jer Batt 4/1

  • Jm Jungle 5/1

  • Spartan Arrow 7/1

  • Existent 9/1

  • Democracy Dilemma 9/1

  • Vintage Clarets 10/1

  • Fair Wind 11/1

  • Clarendon House 16/1

  • Blind Beggar 20/1

  • Tees Spirit 22/1

  • Full Oddschecker betting here

2.45pm “DASH” HANDICAP preview

The “Dash” for older, seasoned handicappers comes with pretty much the same comments attached as its predecessor. Desert Cop, unraced since winning a conditions event over five furlongs in Bahrain in March, has what is probably the pick of the draw in stall 19, but he has little form away from a decent surface and The Bell Conductor, in 17, and a former winner of this race, Tees Spirit, next to him in 16, look more likely to make the most of their luck in the draw. TEES SPIRIT is a stone higher in the handicap now than he was when successful three years ago, but Jack Nicholls takes off a useful 7lb and his affinity with the track and trip could make him a very interesting bet at around 16-1.

SELECTION: TEES SPIRIT

2.10pm “DASH” HANDICAP result: Stormy makes big impact

1 Stormy Impact (Warren Fentiman) 7-1
2 Lexington Blitz (S M Levey) 12-1
3 Ruby’s Profit (K Shoemark) 11-4 Fav
4 Blinky (Cam Hardie) 10-1
16 ran
Non Runners: 12,16

Updated

2.10pm “DASH” HANDICAP

And they’re off … this will be very fast … Ruby’s Profit is quick into stride … Naana’s Sparkle is there but Stormy Impact finishes best of all from the back of the field to get up close home.

Updated

Lydia Hislop on Racing TV has also been talking to trainer Aidan O’Brien, who now has three of the first four in the Derby betting. O’Brien has walked the course and reports that his stable jockey Ryan Moore thinks the ground is “riding much softer than yesterday”. The trainer feared that it might not suit The Lion In Winter as much as his other runners. He also told Hislop that his runner Lambourn will be “going forward” and running from the front.

Updated

The 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court has been pulled out of the Derby. Taking on ITV Racing Charlie Appleby said: “There was rain overnight on opening ground. We arrived here with an open mind but after the first race [our jockey] William Buick says it’s genuine good to soft ground and we know with our horse that stamina is an unknown. We’ve now got Royal Ascot [for the St James’s Palace Stakes] and the Eclipse around the corner [for him].”

Updated

2.10pm “DASH” HANDICAP betting

  • Ruby’s Profit 5/2

  • Against The Wind 5/1

  • Mademoiselle 15/2

  • Stormy Impact 8/1

  • Blinky 10/1

  • Naanas Sparkle 11/1

  • Lexington Blitz 16/1

  • Gold Star Hero 16/1

  • Glorious Kitty 16/1

  • Acrisius 20/1

  • Tees Aggregates 22/1

  • Full betting via Oddschecker

2.10pm “DASH” HANDICAP preview

The first of two sprints down what is generally reckoned to be the fastest five-furlong course on the planet, downhill all the way until the rise to the line from around a half-furlong out, by which time they have all built up too much momentum to notice. The high stalls towards the stands’ side are very much the place to be if there has been any rain around, as the top of the camber drains more rapidly than the inside, and Ruby’s Profit, who was the likely favourite in any case after a comfortable win at Goodwood – a similar downhill track – last time, has the plum draw in 18. She will be tough to beat from there, although Blinky, next door in 17, is a danger, and the super-speedy Against The Wind is another that could take a hand if he makes a quick getaway from six.

SELECTION: RUBY’S PROFIT

Lydia Hislop on Racing TV says she thinks there “there [must be] a big doubt about Ruling Court running in the Derby” after her conversation with the horse’s trainer Charlie Appleby at Epsom. Hislop says she feels after her chat with the Newmarket trainer that if there’s any rain then the horse won’t be running as the ground has been more churned up following horses running on it in the first two races and the precipitation that has already fallen overnight.

1.35pm DIOMED STAKES result: Persica pounces

1 Persica (R L Moore) 6-4 Fav
2 Ice Max (C Lee) 10-1
3 Docklands (R Kingscote) 3-1
8 ran
Non Runner: 4

Updated

1.35pm DIOMED STAKES

And they’re off … Tyrrhenian Sea and Royal Playwright are up front as they head down the hill towards Tattenham Corner … Persica is at the back as they head into the straight … Perisca comes through the field, strikes for home and wins under an excellent Ryan Moore ride.

Updated

1.35pm DIOMED STAKES betting

  • Docklands 2/1

  • Persica 5/2

  • Royal Playwright 9/2

  • Ice Max 9/1

  • Geography 12/1

  • Royal Dubai 14/1

  • Tyrrhenian Sea 25/1

  • Brave Emperor 125/1

  • Full betting at Oddschecker here

1.35pm DIOMED STAKES preview

In some respects, the most interesting runner in this all-aged event is the three-year-old Royal Playwright, who ran ninth, beaten around five lengths, behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante Stakes at York last time. A decent showing from Andrew Balding’s colt would be a boost for the Knavesmire form, but he may have his work cut out to win with DOCKLANDS also in the field. Harry Eustace’s five-year-old is without a win since landing the ultra-competitive Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot two summers ago, but he has been racing in Group One company for the most part and acquitting himself well. He was, admittedly, a beaten favourite when dropping to Listed company for his seasonal debut at Ascot, but was only half a length behind John Gosden’s Sardinian Warrior, a four-year-old who looks to be on a fast-track to the top. Persica also drops in grade after finishing 12 lengths last in the Group One Lockinge last time, while Ice Max, ninth on soft ground in last season’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot, is worth a second look, especially if the going eases.

SELECTION: DOCKLANDS

William Buick came in after the first race riding his mount Royal Dress and told ITV Racing he “wasn’t very happy” with the ground with Ruling Court, the jockey’s ride in the Derby, in mind. The horse’s trainer Charlie Appleby has already stated: “We know what this track can do in these conditions, the horse is in great form and I’m looking forward to him running, [but] I will just highlight that if all of a sudden we get a deluge [of rain)] and the ground becomes very testing, then conversations will have to be had during the build-up to the race over whether we participate or not.”

Apparently jockey and trainer are deep in conversation currently. The horse has drifted in the betting this morning but it would be a big blow if the 2,000 Guineas winner can’t race this afternoon.

The wining rider in the race, Robert Havlin, did point out: “It’s good to soft, but a quick shower won’t take much to turn it to soft.”

Updated

1pm PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES result: Spiritual stars

1 Spiritual (R Havlin) 9-1
2 Bright Thunder (C Lee) 14-1
3 Sparks Fly (Laura Pearson) 11-1
11 ran

Updated

1pm PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES

And they’re off …Spiritual leads as they head down the hill towards Tattenham Corner … Bright Thunder is also there as they head into the straight … Kindest Nation is in big trouble at the back … Spiritual goes for home with Bright Thunder challenging … but Spiritual romps clear for a very easy success.

Updated

1pm PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES betting

  • Bermuda Longtail 4/1

  • Royal Dress 4/1

  • Skellet 11/2

  • Sirona 7/1

  • Bright Thunder 15/2

  • Spiritual 9/1

  • Sparks Fly 12/1

  • Sunfall 18/1

  • Chic Colombine 20/1

  • Imperial Quarter 25/1

  • Kindest Nation 125/1

  • Full betting via Oddschecker here

1pm PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES preview

Royal Dress, Bermuda Longtail and Sparks Fly have all been attracting money this morning, probably because all have soft-ground experience. Royal Dress boasts first-time up wins in each of the last two seasons, one on soft ground and the other on heavy, while Sparks Fly won two Listed events on heavy ground last autumn. This is a very open contest to kick off the card, though, and Skellet – top of the Timeform ratings – and SIRONA, a winner on soft at Newmarket last September, also come into the reckoning. Ryan Moore was aboard Sirona for that win, he is back in her saddle today and she was not far behind a very useful opponent in Crimson Advocate at Goodwood on her seasonal debut, so odds of around 7-1 could prove to be generous.

SELECTION: SIRONA

3.30pm The Derby preview

Our detailed runner-by-runner guide to the big race is here, and a preview of all of today’s ITV Racing coverage is here, but in summary, I’m not at all convinced that Ruling Court, the 2,000 Guineas winner, will get home over 12 furlongs, and also a little sceptical about the strength of the Leopardstown trial won by Delacroix, or whether this step up in trip is what he needs. Lambourn’s defeat of Lazy Griff in the 12-furlong Chester Vase could seem ever more significant if the rain arrives, and the French-bred Midak, unbeaten in three, is also likely to appreciate 12 furlongs on an easy surface, while Stanhope Gardens has taken an unconventional route to Epsom but if Ralph Beckett thinks he deserves to be in the field, he probably does. The Dante form won by Beckett’s Pride Of Arras, with Damysus, Nightwalker and The Lion In Winter in behind, strikes me as potentially the strongest on offer though, and while Damysus and Nightwalker both have potential to improve on their York form, that applies equally – in fact, arguably more so, to the twice-raced PRIDE OF ARRAS.

SELECTION: PRIDE OF ARRAS

Key form guide (Via YouTube):
Dante Stakes, York, 1m 2f 56yd (Pride Of Arras, Damysus, Nightwalker, The Lion In Winter).
Derby Trial Stakes, Leopardstown, 1m 2f (Delacroix).
2,000 Guineas, Newmarket, 1m (Ruling Court, Tornado Alert).
Chester Vase, Chester, 1m 4f 63yd (Lambourn, Lazy Griff).
Prix Greffulhe, Saint-Cloud, 1m 2f 97yd (Midak).
Conditions Stakes, Salisbury, 1m. (Stanhope Gardens).
Autumn Stakes, Newmarket, 1m. (Delacroix, Stanhope Gardens)

2.45pm “DASH” HANDICAP preview

The “Dash” for older, seasoned handicappers comes with pretty much the same comments attached as its predecessor. Desert Cop, unraced since winning a conditions event over five furlongs in Bahrain in March, has what is probably the pick of the draw in stall 19, but he has little form away from a decent surface and The Bell Conductor, in 17, and a former winner of this race, Tees Spirit, next to him in 16, look more likely to make the most of their luck in the draw. TEES SPIRIT is a stone higher in the handicap now than he was when successful three years ago, but Jack Nicholls takes off a useful 7lb and his affinity with the track and trip could make him a very interesting bet at around 16-1.

SELECTION: TEES SPIRIT

Fair Wind and Vintage Clarets have been the most backed on Oddschecker today, around 20% of stakes each. Vintage Clarets has been the subject of the biggest bet of the week.

Updated

2.10pm “DASH” HANDICAP preview

The first of two sprints down what is generally reckoned to be the fastest five-furlong course on the planet, downhill all the way until the rise to the line from around a half-furlong out, by which time they have all built up too much momentum to notice. The high stalls towards the stands’ side are very much the place to be if there has been any rain around, as the top of the camber drains more rapidly than the inside, and Ruby’s Profit, who was the likely favourite in any case after a comfortable win at Goodwood – a similar downhill track – last time, has the plum draw in 18. She will be tough to beat from there, although Blinky, next door in 17, is a danger, and the super-speedy Against The Wind is another that could take a hand if he makes a quick getaway from six.

SELECTION: RUBY’S PROFIT

Ruby’s Profit taken one quarter of all total stakes on Oddschecker this morning. Stormy Impact has been backed in from 12s to 8s.

1.35pm DIOMED STAKES preview

In some respects, the most interesting runner in this all-aged event is the three-year-old Royal Playwright, who ran ninth, beaten around five lengths, behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante Stakes at York last time. A decent showing from Andrew Balding’s colt would be a boost for the Knavesmire form, but he may have his work cut out to win with DOCKLANDS also in the field. Harry Eustace’s five-year-old is without a win since landing the ultra-competitive Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot two summers ago, but he has been racing in Group One company for the most part and acquitting himself well. He was, admittedly, a beaten favourite when dropping to Listed company for his seasonal debut at Ascot, but was only half a length behind John Gosden’s Sardinian Warrior, a four-year-old who looks to be on a fast-track to the top. Persica also drops in grade after finishing 12 lengths last in the Group One Lockinge last time, while Ice Max, ninth on soft ground in last season’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot, is worth a second look, especially if the going eases.

SELECTION: DOCKLANDS

Over one-third of all bets at Oddschecker have been on Docklands. Royal Playwright has gone from 8-1 to 9-2 this morning with the biggest bet today in the race placed on him.

Updated

1pm PRINCESS ELIZABETH STAKES preview

Royal Dress, Bermuda Longtail and Sparks Fly have all been attracting money this morning, probably because all have soft-ground experience. Royal Dress boasts first-time up wins in each of the last two seasons, one on soft ground and the other on heavy, while Sparks Fly won two Listed events on heavy ground last autumn. This is a very open contest to kick off the card, though, and Skellet – top of the Timeform ratings – and SIRONA, a winner on soft at Newmarket last September, also come into the reckoning. Ryan Moore was aboard Sirona for that win, he is back in her saddle today and she was not far behind a very useful opponent in Crimson Advocate at Goodwood on her seasonal debut, so odds of around 7-1 could prove to be generous.

SELECTION: SIRONA

Bermuda Longtail (11-2 to 9-2 ) has been the best-backed on Oddschecker today, with 20% of stakes wagered. The biggest bet taken for the race has also been for Bermuda Longtail.

Updated

If you want to follow where the money is going here are the market movers courtesy of Oddschecker:

1.35pm Royal Playwright 8-1 to 9-2
3.30pm Lambourn 12-1 to 7-1
5.40pm Strike Red 9-1 to 5-1

If you’re having a flutter in the other races today at Epsom please note these horses won’t be turning up. This is your current list of non-runners:

1.35pm Betfred Diomed Stakes
4 Cairo

2.10pm Betfred “Dash” Handicap
12 Cressida Wildes (Going)
16 Cape Sovereign (IRE) (Going)

4.15pm Northern Dancer Handicap
8 Sam Hawkens (IRE) (Self Certificate, Abscess)
16 Galactic Charm (Going)

Updated

There’s been a lot of talk (some of it from yours truly) about whether jockeys will take their runners in the Derby to the nearside as they tend to do when the ground is soft at Epsom. That will be such a temptation if there is significant rain by the time the Derby gets underway. Derby historian Michael Church says it’s not happened since 1919 and Derby-winning jockey-turned-pundit Martin Dwyer told the Racing Post: “The Derby is a special race and it’s a big gamble to take if you’re going to do that. I’d be very doubtful …. the main reason is they take the rail away [to its innermost line] and it’s always fresh ground. Once they take the rail in the fresh ground cancels out the slight advantage of coming up the hill to race on quicker ground.”

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper did tell ITV Racing this morning that the going currently is virtually even across the track with the middle being slightly faster so there is definitely no advantage as it stands.

Updated

The big question everyone is asking is if, and when, it’s going to start raining at Epsom. Our correspondent Greg Wood is there and walking the track and his social media pic is of a brooding sky … watch this space.

Preamble

Good morning from an overcast but, for the moment at least, dry Epsom racecourse, where after three months of scarcely any rainfall at all, as much as 10mm is forecast to arrive before the Derby’s scheduled off-time at 3.30pm.

That would be more than enough to transform the shape and likely outcome of today’s Classic, with Ruling Court, the 2,000 Guineas winner, a possible non-runner if it gets really soft, and various outsiders coming into the reckoning.

The 9.30am going bulletin from the track this morning reported that the going had actually quickened slightly overnight after 2.2mm in all, to good, good to soft in places.

A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in place from 9am to 6pm, however, and the concern is that if a storm does hit the track, several millimetres of rain could hit the track in a very short space of time. There is some leeway built in to schedule, with a 45-minute gap between the Derby and the subsequent raced at 4.15, which would allow for a brief postponement if a storm is expected to blow over, but some nervy hours lie ahead for Jim Allen, Epsom’s new general manager, and his team.

Hopefully, of course, it won’t come to that, and while the forecast may affect the walk-up audience who can watch the race for free on the Hill, the Derby itself promises to be a compelling renewal of the premier Classic, with 19 runners, the biggest field since Kris Kin’s year in 2003, due to go to post.

The early betting news is that Ruling Court, unsurprisingly, is on the drift, all the way out to 7-1 in fact from around 9-2 on Friday afternoon, while Delacroix, the winner of Leopardstown’s Derby Trial, is firming up at the top of the market at 5-2. Pride Of Arras, the Dante Stakes winner, is a 9-2 chance, with Lambourn and The Lion In Winter, stable companions of Delacroix at the Aidan O’Brien yard, both on 8-1. The former, though, is on the way in, thanks to a strong-staying win in the Chester Vase, while The Lion In Winter is drifting.

A fascinating and dramatic afternoon lies ahead, and you can, as ever, follow all the action here on the blog as it happens.

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