The world’s most famous flat race is just days away, and here I will take you through all 19 runners, giving you the good and the bad of each one.

Get the best Epsom Derby odds from the best online betting sites here.

Epsom Derby Runner By Runner Guide

Let’s take a look at how all 19 runners line up for the 2025 Epsom Derby with my runner by runner guide.

3 Delacroix (14)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 212-11
• Rating: 116
• Jockey: Ryan Moore
• Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Delacroix didn’t come into this season as the number-one Ballydoyle pick for the Derby, but on the back of two convincing wins in a pair of Group 3s at Leopardstown, the son of Dubawi has catapulted himself to the head of the market.

There should be no issue with the 1m4f Derby trip for Delacriox, and given that he seems to keep finding when asked for his maximum, he will be hard to pass if he hits the front in the closing stage. He’s one of many big players in an open looking Derby.

Star rating:

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13 Ruling Court (7)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 13-11
• Rating: 121
• Jockey: William Buick
• Trainer: Charlie Appleby

Some would say that Ruling Court was a fortuitous winner of the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket (from has been franked by the runner-up in the Irish 2000 Guineas), but there is no getting away from the impression that he left on the back of his classic success.

Being sired by US Triple Crown winner Justify, there will be no worries on the stamina side of things, and if anything, the Derby trip should bring out even more from this high-class colt. He has earned his place fighting it out for favouritism and has been drawn in a better stall than most of his main rivals. He’s impossible to rule out.

Star rating:

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11 Pride of Arras (16)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 1-1
• Rating: 115
• Jockey: Rossa Ryan
• Trainer: Ralph Beckett

He made a lasting impression on his debut at Sandown last season, but we didn’t get to see him for the rest of the season due to a setback. But he picked up where he left off last season with an impressive win in the Dante on his return, getting the better of the staying on Damysus.

The draw has not been kind to him, and he may have to use unnecessary energy to secure his usual prominent position. Still, if Rossa Ryan can get the son of New Bay in a good position, then this unbeaten colt is a player. He will need to be at his brilliant best to win from stall 16.

Star rating:

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17 The Lion in Winter (19)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 11-6
• Rating: 117
• Jockey: Colin Keane
• Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

The draw has been a real killer for the one-time clear favourite for the Derby. Things have not been straightforward this season for The Lion In Winter as he was met with a setback early on, and that meant that we did not see the son of Sea The Stars until the Dante Stakes at York.

Despite connections indicating that he would need the run in the Dante, The Lion In Winter came in for an avalanche of support, eventually being sent off as the 8/11 favourite. But, in the end, he could only manage a sixth-place finish.

A lot of punters were left less than impressed by that effort, but given that Aidan O’Brien has a knack for turning horses inside out on the back of a poor seasonal return, there is more than every chance that The Lion In Winter can improve hand over fist for that run.

However, the draw remains the glaring issue, and so does the fact that Ryan Moore has jumped ship to Delacroix. If The Lion In Winter somehow goes on to win the Derby from his draw, it will go down as one of the greatest Derby victories in history.

Star rating:

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2 Damysus (15)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 1-32
• Rating: 111
• Jockey: James Doyle
• Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

Last seen when chasing home Pride Of Arras in the Dante, Damysus is yet another of the fancied runners who have gotten a less-than-ideal draw. He must negotiate the draw and find improvement over a trip that is not set in stone that he wants.

Those two factors are enough for me to look elsewhere here. I’ll be more interested in him when he comes back in the distance.

Star rating:

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5 Lambourn (10)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 115-21
• Rating: 109
• Jockey: Wayne Lordan
• Trainer: Aidan O’Brien

Seemingly the second string of the three Ballydoyle runners, but the betting would lead you to think that he is the least likely of the three to get his head in front, but that is not the case. Yes, he has been behind Delacroix on both occasions they have met on the track, but his latest win in the Chester Vase was a significant step in the right direction.

The ease with which he powered away from his rivals in the closing stages was impressive, and given how he handled the tight turns of Chester, Epsom should hold no fears for Lambourn. He’s not to be underestimated.

Star rating:

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5 Stanhope Gardens (2)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 312-1
• Rating: 111
• Jockey: Hector Crouch
• Trainer: Ralph Beckett

Even though Rossa Ryan has chosen to ride Pride Of Arras over Stanhope Gardens, there is a lot to like about the chances of the son of Ghaiyyath (Group 1 winner at 1m4f). He was just touched off by Delacroix over 1m in the Autumn Stakes, where he kept at it all the way to the line, and there is every chance that he can get his head in front of that rival here.

Now, it has just been two weeks since he made his comeback in a three-runner race at Salisbury, merely being pushed out to win, but the step up to the Derby trip of 1m4f looks sure to bring upon more improvement from Stanhope Gardens.

His dam is a half-sister to a colt who finished third in the Derby and second in the St Ledger, giving more positives to Stanhope Gardens chances, who is a standout each-way selection from a favourable draw.

Star rating:

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7 Midak (4)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 111
• Rating: 107
• Jockey: Mikael Barzalona
• Trainer: F-H Graffard

In a race that has been named in honour of His Highness Aga Khan, it made sense that Midak was supplemented for the Derby on Monday. He comes in here with an unblemished record from France, and the latest of his three wins was quite impressive, which has set him up for a crack at the Derby.

He gets the assistance of Mickael Barzalona, who famously celebrated before the winning line when getting up late to win the 2011 running on Pour Moi, but can Midak find the necessary improvement to give connections and Muckael Barzalona another famous Derby win?

Star rating:

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10 Nightwalker (5)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 313-35
• Rating: 107
• Jockey: Tom Marquand
• Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

One win in five starts so far in Nighwalker’s short career, but in two of those defeats, he was behind Delacroix at Newmarket and Pride Of Arras in the Dante. However, you can take some encouragement from his fifth in the Dante, as he was doing his best work in the closing stages, leaving the impression that he could take another step forward by stepping up in trip here.

He may lack the class of some of the other runners, but he most certainly is a dark horse at his current odds.

Star rating:

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18 Tornado Alert (11)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 31-4
• Rating: 112
• Jockey: Oisin Murphy
• Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor

We may be only scratching the surface with Tornado Alert, who put up a good display on turf debut to take fourth in the 2000 Guineas.

But is he crying out for this kind of test? The fact that he is entered in the Success Stakes gives the impression that his connections are not entirely sure themselves. He is at a price where you could risk it and find out, but the smart play is to leave him run today.

Star rating:

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8 New Ground (17)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 11-33
• Rating: 107
• Jockey: Alexis Pouchin
• Trainer: H-F Devin

He has yet to add to his two wins last season, and making his Group 1 debut in a test as unique as the Derby is a big ask, to say the least. On the plus side, his dam side is full of stamina, which could unlock unknown potential in New Ground, but he will need a massive jump on what he has shown so far to play a part in the finish.

Star rating:

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16 Tennessee Stud (12)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 3121-3
• Rating: 109
• Jockey: Dylan Brown McMonagle
• Trainer: Joseph O’Brien

Having already seen the backside of Delacroix in the Leopardstown Derby Trial at the beginning of the month, and even with him being race-fit today, it is hard to see Tennessee Stud finding the necessary improvement to turn around the form with the Aidan O’Brien colt.

However, this Group 1 winner has shown form last season that would give him a realistic chance of running into a place here. He’s not the strongest contender from a win standpoint, but he’s not without an each-way chance.

Star rating:

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19 Tuscan Hills (6)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 11-7
• Rating: 105
• Jockey: David Egan
• Trainer: Raphael E Freire

He already comes in here with ground to make up with The Lion In Winter, Nightwalker, Damysus, and Pride Of Arras, from their meeting in the Dante. And given how Tuscan Hills weakened inside the final furlong, there isn’t much hope that this trip is what he is looking for right now.

Star rating:

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14 Sea Scout (18)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 51-18
• Rating: 105
• Jockey: Harry Davies
• Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford

Sea Scout made a winning return at this course when a game 40/1 winner at Listed level. But coming out of stall 18 and the fact that he was put in his place in the Dante Stakes leaves you with little confidence that he can play a part in the finish here.

Star rating:

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1 Al Wasl Storm (13)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 721
• Rating: 86
• Jockey: David Probert
• Trainer: Owen Burrows

A game winner from the front to get off the mark at the third attempt when getting the better of Orionis, who has gone on to win since. But that is where the positives stop. Even though his owner has had big-priced runners run well in the Derby before, hopes are not high for a repeat this year with Al Wasl Storm.

Star rating:

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6 Lazy Griff (3)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 0131-2
• Rating: 105
• Jockey: Christophe Soumillion
• Trainer: Charlie Johnston

He will likely want to have a say in the pace of the race, and he is drawn to attach from stall 3. But even though he was a Group 2 winner as a two-year-old, the pace is about the only say that Lazy Griff will have in the Derby.

Lambourn gave him a convincing beating at Chester, and it’s hard to envision him finishing ahead of his old foe, let alone threatening to win.

Star rating:

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9 Nightime Dancer (9)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 3-13
• Rating: 98
• Jockey: Jamie Spencer
• Trainer: Richard Hannon

He couldn’t live with the top two in the Lingfield Derby trial, which gives him little to no hope of hanging with much better opposition here. Nightime Dancer is easy to dismiss.

Star rating:

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4 Green Storm (8)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 2122-4
• Rating: 107
• Jockey: Billy Loughnane
• Trainer: Charlie Johnston

Having shown some decent form as a two-year-old, notable when second in a Group 1 to Tennessee Stud in Saint-Cloud, Green Storm was very poor on his comeback this season raising unwanted question marks over him.

His owners also run Al Wasl Storm, but even with Green Storm being well below par on his comeback, in my opinion, he is one of the two who could outrun his odds. However, he will need to leave an abysmal run on his comeback well behind. He’s bread to get this trip, so don’t be surprised if he’s hanging on to the coattails of the leaders when straightening up.

Star rating:

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12 Rouge Impact (1)

• Age: 3
• Weight: 9st 2lb
• Form: 0-16
• Rating: 86
• Jockey: Luke Morris
• Trainer: James Owen

Having gotten the better of Al Wasl Storm on his comeback, Rouge Impace took a big backwards step when last of six in the Lingfield Derby Trial. And even if he does come back to the form that saw him win on his return, that will be nowhere near good enough in this field.

Star rating:

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Epsom Derby Verdict

This will be one of the largest Derby fields to go to post in recent years, and with so many of the leading contenders drawn out wide, it could set itself up for a lot of hard-luck stories along the way. The one I like who is not drawn wide and looks as if he will get a nice toe into the race is STANHOPE GARDENS.

Having only run two weeks ago, this is a quick enough turnaround, but given that he is bred to flourish over this trip and the fact that he does not have much to find with Delacroix on their meeting at Newmarket last season, he looks for me to be one the standout each way bets in the Epsom Derby.

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