2025 Betfred Derby tips: the runners, the odds, the verdict
Get the full lowdown on the 2025 Betfred Derby from our team of tipping experts in our extensive runner-by-runner guide.
2025 Derby free bet offer: get £50 in free bets when you place any bet with Sky Bet
£40 in Free Bets When You Place A £10 Bet On Horse Racing
- More extra place horse races than any other bookmaker
Betfred Derby: forecast betting odds for the big race
Al Wasl Storm - 100-1
Damysus - 12-1
Delacroix - 100-30
Green Storm - 200-1
Lambourn - 9-1
Lazy Griff - 100-1
Midak - 14-1
New Ground - 50-1
Nightime Dancer - 150-1
Nightwalker - 25-1
Prince Of Arras - 5-1
Rogue Impact - 250-1
Ruling Court - 7-2
Sea Scout - 100-1
Stanhope Gardens - 16-1
Tennessee Stud - 50-1
The Lion In Winter - 7-1
Tornado Alert - 33-1
Tuscan Hills - 66-1
Betfred Derby: final declarations and the full list of runners and riders
1 Al Wasl Storm
All three runs in maidens and he wasn't for passing when making all in one that worked out well, at Chester (about 1m4f, good) in May; he's in the nether regions in form terms but his owner, who also runs Green Storm, has had big-priced runners finish in the frame in recent Derbys, including for this yard last year, and he could be another surprise package.
Trainer: Owen Burrows
Jockey: David Probert
Forecast odds: 100-1
2 Damysus
460,000gns yearling by Frankel out of a Group 2/3 winner at 1m4f who won sole two-year-old start, a 7f all-weather novice. He's been coming into his own over more suitable distances this year, not getting the best of trips when runner-up to Pride Of Arras in the Group 2 Dante at York (1m2f, good to firm) in May, being caught out wide in the straight, but putting plenty of beef into his finish. Has worked pleasingly at Epsom since and should be right at home over the new trip.
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden
Jockey: James Doyle
Forecast odds: 12-1
3 Delacroix
By Dubawi out of a much-admired mare who won 13 races, including six Grade/Group 1s at up to a mile, and has bred another at 1m6f. Became well seasoned during a two-year-old season which ended with a hard-fought second in the Group 1 Futurity at Doncaster (1m, soft) and has returned with two Group 3 wins at Leopardstown (1m2f; on good to yielding and good), the former from Lambourn, and announcing new depths in the latter. Still improving and he won't mind what the weather does.
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Ryan Moore
Forecast odds: 100-30
Get 25-1 England to beat Andorra with William Hill
150/1 Rory Mcllroy To Win The Open 2025
- Generous Welcome Offer
4 Green Storm
Dam won five Group races at up to 1m4f and was touched off in the Irish Oaks; six two-year-old runs yielded one win at 1m1f and two seconds in Group races over 1m2f, at Newmarket (good to soft) and Saint-Cloud (heavy); the new trip should suit but he dropped right out at Newmarket (1m1f) in April so there's a cloud over him at present.
Trainer: Charlie Johnston
Jockey: Billy Loughnane
Forecast odds: 200-1
5 Lambourn
Out of a smart sprinter but it is stamina that he's inherited from his Derby-winning sire Australia and, following a French Listed win (1m, very soft) last year and a second to Delacroix at Leopardstown in March, he sent out a strong staying message when beating Lazy Griff in the Group 3 Chester Vase (about 1m4f, good) last month. His staying potential is clear but the tactical speed, on the Chester run, is less so at this stage.
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Wayne Lordan
Forecast odds: 9-1
6 Lazy Griff
Sizeable advance in form when making all in a Group 3 at Chantilly (1m1f, good) on final two-year-old start and he looked to have gone the right way over the winter on reappearance in Group 3 Chester Vase (about 1m4f, good) when it wasn't a breeze for Lambourn to get past him; he aims much higher now.
Trainer: Charlie Johnston
Jockey: Christophe Soumillon
Forecast odds: 100-1
7 Midak
Unbeaten in three starts this year and there was much to like about the way he raced, settling nicely and responding willingly, when making all on the promotion to Group 3 level at Saint-Cloud (1m2f, good; has also won on good to soft) last month. Has been supplemented in honour of his owner-breeder, the late Aga Khan, after whom this Derby is named. An unknown quantity but his dam was a thorough stayer and hopefully he will reward his famous connections with a great run.
Trainer: Francis Graffard
Jockey: Mikael Barzalona
Forecast odds: 14-1
8 New Ground
Out of a Group 3 winner at about 1m2f whose dam's wins included one over 1m6f. Two from two as a two-year-old and he's finished a close third in both starts this year, the reappearance in a Group 3 at Longchamp (1m1f, good) working out well. A Listed defeat since shows he has to rely heavily on improvement for the longer trip if he's to make his way in this company. Has been supplemented.
Trainer: Henri-Francis Devin
Jockey: Alexis Pouchin
Forecast odds: 50-1
9 Nightime Dancer
Showed promise over an inadequate 7f on sole two-year-old start and he gave a tough display when winning over the more suitable 1m4f trip on all-weather return. However, he couldn't hang on to the first two in the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial (about 1m3f, good to firm) since and he's down this pecking order.
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Forecast odds: 150-1
10 Nightwalker
Frankel colt whose dam never won beyond 6f but she bred a dual Grade 1 winner at 1m1f and her high-class siblings, including St Leger winner Logician, weren't short of staying power. He didn't have the clout for the Group 3 at Newmarket (1m, good to soft) won by Delacroix from Stanhope Gardens in October but, under the care of Sir Michael Stoute then, he was always likely to make a better three-year-old. This might come too soon in his career but he was one of a few to come home strongly in the Group 2 Dante at York (about 1m2f, good to firm); now has cheekpieces fitted. The best is yet to come.
Trainer: John and Thady Gosden
Jockey: Tom Marquand
Forecast odds: 25-1
11 Prince Of Arras
Dam's siblings include Brian Boru, whose two Group 1 wins included the 1m6f St Leger, and Sea Moon, a dual Group 2 winner at 1m4f. Was never more impressive than in the final furlong when winning a mile maiden at Sandown (good) on sole two-year-old start and his finish was deadly again in the Group 2 Dante at York (1m2f, good to firm) when, despite having little space and taking a few strides to pick up, he dashed clear of Damysus in a matter of strides. This will be more truly run but he's making big waves and there's no knowing how far he can go.
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Rossa Ryan
Forecast odds: 5-1
2025 Derby free bet offer: get £50 in free bets when you place any bet with Sky Bet
£40 in Free Bets When You Place A £10 Bet On Horse Racing
- More extra place horse races than any other bookmaker
12 Rogue Impact
Has the pedigree to be better than he's shown so far, especially over middle distances, but he didn't improve much from a 1m4f all-weather maiden win over Al Wasl Storm in April when out of his depth in the Lingfield Derby Trial (extended 1m3f, good to firm) last month. A similar outcome likely today.
Trainer: James Owen
Jockey: Luke Morris
Forecast odds: 250-1
13 Ruling Court
NON-RUNNER
14 Sea Scout
Pedigree has a powerful link to Derby and Oaks success; tenacious winner of the Listed Blue Riband Trial here (1m2f, good) on comeback in April but his Group 1 aspirations are on hold after finishing down the field behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante (about 1m2f, good) at York since.
Trainer: Simon and Ed Crisford
Jockey: Harry Davies
Forecast odds: 100-1
15 Stanhope Gardens
Dam's winning siblings include Romsdal, placed in the Derby and St Leger. He dug in late for a promising third to Ruling Court on Sandown debut as a two-year-old over a mile and ended the season by making Delacroix pull out most of the stops in a Newmarket Group 3 (1m, good to soft). Had a gift of a reappearance at Salisbury recently but if he's made the same progress over the winter as some of his rivals he'd be on the premises.
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Jockey: Hector Crouch
Forecast odds: 16-1
16 Tennessee Stud
Out of half-sister to Rock Of Gibraltar who won seven Group 1s at up to mile. Upgraded his two-year-old form when dealing with heavy ground to beat Green Storm in a three-runner race for the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud (1m2f) in October. The race looked to be needed when he was beaten nearly seven lengths by Delacroix in a Group 3 at Leopardstown (1m2f, good) last month, but that's quite a gap to bridge.
Trainer: Joseph O'Brien
Jockey: Dylan Browne McMonagle
Forecast odds: 50-1
17 The Lion In Winter
Bred for middle distances but he was the sharpest tool in the box when having Ruling Court back in third in a 7f Group 3 at York (good to firm) on final two-year-old start. The staying potential for the Derby was still missing in the Group 2 Dante back at York in May, where he wanted to tear off early before just plugging on at one pace once the cause was lost. However, he was said to be only just ready for that reappearance and he did run a lot better than the last two Derby winners from this yard had on their comeback runs. Some second-guessing needed about the suitability of 1m4f, however.
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Jockey: Colin Keane
Forecast odds: 7-1
18 Tornado Alert
Dam's winners include Just Fine, who won an Australian Group 1 at 1m4f. A low-profile two-year-old career ended with a mile maiden win but he led for a long way in the 2,000 Guineas and did well to head the pack behind the first three. Was said to be only 80 per cent ready so improvement can be expected but it's unlikely to be enough for him to take a hand today.
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Forecast odds: 33-1
19 Tuscan Hills
Out of unraced daughter of Oaks winner Eswarah; unbeaten in two 2yo starts, the second a Listed race on soft, and he ran as well as could have been expected when seventh of 11 in the Dante at York on his needed comeback; the bar is much higher here.
Trainer: Raphael Friere
Jockey: David Egan
Forecast odds: 66-1
The Derby verdict
1. Delacroix
2. Prince of Arras
3. Ruling Court
By Emily Weber
This year's Derby is named in honour of the late Aga Khan, one of the most famous owner-breeders in recent times. His colours are carried by the supplemented Midak who comes here as an unbeaten three-year-old with the potential to leave his existing form well behind. This looks a superb running of the race, though, more so than when Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy rose to the occasion for the last two years. Aidan O'Brien has had big words for The Lion In Winter but the stamina question hangs in the air after he was over-excited in the early stages of his York comeback when never seriously threatening and it's DELACROIX who can do the honours for Coolmore. He has already showed some of the resolution of his brilliant dam Tepin, who could do it any which way, and it was encouraging that such a scopey horse could produce the speed he found when winning at Leopardstown in May. The main dangers are headed by Pride Of Arras, who has been as impressive as anything in the closing stages of his two runs, most recently in an established trial for the Derby at York, and the 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court. At bigger prices Damysus, who came home nicely to take second behind Pride Of Arras at York, and Stanhope Gardens, if ready for this after a very recent inconclusive comeback win, can also go well, along with Aidan O'Brien's third runner Lambourn.
Read more:
'His price seems a bit bonkers' - why this horse can win the Betfred Derby
Confirmed runners and riders for the Derby and Oaks at Epsom
Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.
Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators that our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing.
Published on inExclusive tips
Last updated
Copy- Canelo vs Crawford: Best bets for the Las Vegas blockbuster
- Today on Racing Post Sport: Premier League action, top acca tips and more
- 2025 Betfred Derby runners, ratings and key trainer quotes: David Jennings' pinstickers' guide
- Tottenham vs Manchester United predictions: Spurs can salvage season in Europa League showdown
- FA Cup final predictions and tips for Crystal Palace vs Man City: Who will triumph at Wembley?
- Canelo vs Crawford: Best bets for the Las Vegas blockbuster
- Today on Racing Post Sport: Premier League action, top acca tips and more
- 2025 Betfred Derby runners, ratings and key trainer quotes: David Jennings' pinstickers' guide
- Tottenham vs Manchester United predictions: Spurs can salvage season in Europa League showdown
- FA Cup final predictions and tips for Crystal Palace vs Man City: Who will triumph at Wembley?