Epsom Derby 2025 Tips & Full Runners List at Confirmation Stage

Steve Ryder | 13:15 Monday 2nd June 2025

Steve Ryder looks ahead to the remaining entries for the Epsom Derby on Saturday 7th June.

Epsom Derby 2025

The 2025 Epsom Derby takes place on Saturday 7th June, the highlight of the two-day Derby Festival at Epsom Downs. As Britain’s richest and most prestigious Flat race, it’s a major moment in the careers of future champions.

This year’s race looks wide open. Aidan O’Brien chases an 11th Derby win with The Lion In Winter and Delacroix. 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court bids for a rare double, while Pride Of Arras impressed in the Dante.

Make sure you stay up to date on the latest odds, winning trends, jockeys/trainers to watch and race analysis with our Epsom Derby Runners Page.

The Epsom Derby 2025 Runners Guide

Al Wasl Storm

Owner Ahmad Al Shaikh has a good record with outsiders in the Derby with Khalifa Sat finishing 2nd at 50/1 in 2020, Hoo Ya Mal finishing 2nd at 150/1 in 2022 and both Deira Mile (fourth at 25/1) and Sayedaty Sadaty (fifth at 50/1) running well in the race last year.

Al Wasl Storm was purchased for only €7,000 as a from a National Hunt foal sale but is entitled to take his chance in this race having won a Chester maiden a month ago. With an official rating of only 86, he looks up against it but the same could have been said for his previous runners in the race.

Damysus

You won’t miss the John & Thady Gosden trained colt in the parade ring with his distinctive white patches and he may have something to say approaching the finish to this race. The Frankel colt was one of many from the yard that won a novice race at the end of last year before looking in need of the run at Sandown in the Group 3 Classic Trial on his reappearance.

Damysus was sent off a relatively unfancied 16/1 chance for the Dante Stakes at York on his next start where he finished runner-up behind Pride Of Arras. Beaten only 1 ¼ lengths that day, the only concern was that he hung slightly left-handed under pressure and that will be further accentuated down the camber at Epsom.

Delacroix

Has recently usurped stablemate The Lion In Winter to be favourite for this race off the back of two victories at Leopardstown this season. Yet to finish out of the top two in his career, he ended last season beating Stanhope Gardens at Newmarket over a mile before finishing a nose 2nd behind Hotazhell in the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster.

Delacroix beat stablemate Lambourn by 2 ¼ lengths in the Ballysax Stakes on his reappearance before winning the Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown over 1m2f last time by 2 ¾ lengths despite unseating Wayne Lordan on the way to post. Being by Dubawi (whose offspring are 0-9 in the race with Benbatl finishing best at 5th in 2017) out of the top class miler Tepin, he would still have question marks about the trip if you are thinking of taking a short price around him.

Green Storm

Green Storm has only won one of his seven career starts but did end last season finishing a close 2nd in a Group 1 in France behind Tennessee Stud. Beaten 10½ lengths in the listed Feilden Stakes on his reappearance, he looks flattered by his rating of 107.

Lambourn

Won his first two career starts before resenting blinkers in a Group 2 at the end of last season. He finished 2nd behind Delacroix in a Group 3 at Leopardstown before relishing the step up in trip to 1m4½f at Chester when winning the Chester Vase in good style.

Whether the St Leger at Doncaster will be a more logical target at the end of last season, he is entitled to take his chance in this race but would want a strong pace to be seen at his best.

Lazy Griff

Won twice as a juvenile including a Group 3 at Chantilly on his final start last season. Outran odds of 25/1 to finish 2nd beaten only 1 ½ lengths by Lambourn in the Chester Vase on his reappearance when that rival had the benefit of a recent run. He is rated 105 and is likely to be one of the pace angles in this race.

Midak

Supplemented at a cost of £75,000 for Aga Khan Studs who this race is being run in honour of. He was unraced as a juvenile but has won all three of his starts so far this season. An impressive 2 ½ length winner of the Group 3 Prix Greffulhe last time, that is a race that 2011 Derby winner Pour Moi won prior to success in this race.

New Ground

Another to be supplemented at a cost of £75,000. The Juddmonte owned colt won his two starts as juvenile last season before finishing 3rd on both of his starts so far this season. Beaten a length when 3rd in a listed race at Chantilly on his latest start, connections will be reliant on him showing improved form over a longer trip in this race.

Nightime Dancer

Won a Southwell novice race over 1m4f on his reappearance before finishing 3rd beaten 3 ½ lengths in the Lingfield Derby trial on his latest start. Adayar was beaten in that race prior to Epsom glory in 2021 but his task looks a lot more difficult this year.

Nightwalker

A smart juvenile last season when trained by Sir Michael Stoute, he has run with credit on both of his starts this season. The son of Frankel finished 3rd in the listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket on his reappearance before finishing 5th beaten only 3 ½ lengths by Pride Of Arras in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York.

Nightwalker galloped at the track with stablemate Damysus in the build up to this race and will be suited by this step up in trip to 1m4f based on his running style.

Pride Of Arras

Overcame inexperience to make a winning debut at Sandown last season when staying on strongly over the mile to trip to win by 3 ¼ lengths. He looked slightly unbalanced that day before hitting the rising ground which would be a slight question mark about Epsom but he comes into the race off the back of an impressive victory in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York.

Pride Of Arras defied odds of 18/1 to win that day despite having to wait for room when making his challenge. He still showed his inexperience when hitting the front but given the way Ralph Beckett trained horses were progressing from their first run at that time, an even better effort is expected in this race.

Rogue Impact

The chosen representative for James Owen who took out both Rogue Millions and Wimbledon Hawkeye at this latest stage. He beat Al Wasl Storm in a 1m4f Lingfield maiden on his reappearance (and stable debut) before finishing last of six when sent off 22/1 for the Lingfield Derby trial last time. His rating of 86 would suggest that he will struggle to get involved.

Ruling Court

Cost 2.3 million euros as a breeze-up purchase prior to making an impressive winning debut at Sandown last season. A beaten favourite when only 3rd in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York behind The Lion In Winter and Wimbledon Hawkeye on his final start last season, he returned with a comfortable success in Meydan in a listed race.

Sent off 9/2 for the 2000 Guineas, Ruling Court beat subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas Field Of Gold by ½ length at the finish staying on well at the finish. Being by last year’s winning sire Justify and being out of a High Chaparral mare, he has a good chance of staying the Derby trip if relaxing in the early stages of his race.

Sea Scout

Won on his final start as a juvenile at Lingfield on the AW before defying odds of 40/1 to win on his reappearance in the listed Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on his reappearance making him the only course winner in the field. He was beaten five lengths in 8th behind Pride Of Arras in the Group 2 Dante Stakes last time when weakening at the finish raising doubts about his stamina for this 1m4f trip.

Stanhope Gardens

Finished 3rd behind Ruling Court on his debut before justifying favouritism in a Beverley maiden on his next start. He was only beaten a neck by Delacroix in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket on his final start last season before taking an unorthodox route to this race via a 1 mile three-runner conditions race at Salisbury last time.

Whether this step up in trip to 1m4f will suit him is a question mark (it should suit him based on breeding) but he would have a chance in this race based on his form with Delacroix last season.

Tennessee Stud

A runner-up behind Hotazhell in a Group 2 last season, he took advantage of a weak Group 1 in France to beat Green Storm by 1 ½ lengths over 1m2f last season. Beaten 6 ¾ lengths by Delacroix in the Derrinstown Derby Trial at Leopardstown last time, he should improve for this step up in trip to 1m4f based on his running style.

The Lion in Winter

Aidan O’Brien has won the previous two renewals of this race with Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy who bounced back from disappointing efforts on their return and backers of The Lion In Winter will be trusting the master trainer to repeat the same trick. Saying that, none his previous 27 Dante runners went on to Epsom glory with none of the latest five even attempting to do so.

The Lion In Winter won his two starts as a juvenile including a victory over Wimbledon Hawkeye and Ruling Court in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes at York last season and his trainer did warn that he would step forward from his reappearance run, prior that sixth placed effort. He has been the subject to two differing market moves in the lead up to this race and it is worth noting that he did miss a couple of engagements at the end of last season with issues.

Tornado Alert

Like with Elwateen in the Oaks the day before, Saeed Bin Suroor has an interesting outsider in the race. Tornado Alert stepped forward from a 3rd placed finish on debut to win at Newcastle maiden in October on his final start as a juvenile.

Sent off an unfancied 50/1 shot for the 2000 Guineas, he ran well to finish 4th beaten only 4 ½ lengths by Ruling Court. He was keen in the early stages of that mile contest and he would need to settle if being able to show improved form over this 1m4f trip.

Tuscan Hills

Won his first two starts last season including when an impressive 4 ¾ length winner of a listed race at Pontefract in October. Sent off 22/1 for the Dante Stakes at York, he ran well to finish 7th beaten 4 ¼ lengths for an owner who had both Mojo Star (2nd at 50/1 in 2021) and King Of Steel (2nd at 66/1 in 2023) place at big prices.