2025 Epsom Derby


The 2025 Epsom Derby was the 246th annual running of the Derby horse race and took place at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 7 June 2025. The race was won by the third favourite, Lambourn, an Irish-bred bay colt, owned by Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor, trained at Ballydoyle in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by Wayne Lordan. The colt's win was the first for his jockey and a record-extending eleventh win for O'Brien.

The contenders

Nineteen three-year-old colts were declared for the Derby but the 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court was withdrawn on the morning of the race as his connections felt that he would be unsuited by the ground conditions. The favourite for the race was Delacroix, trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien, a colt who had looked impressive in winning both his races of 2025. O'Brien also saddled Lambourn, the winner of the Chester Vase and The Lion In Winter who had been favourite for the race over the winter but run poorly on his previous start. The fourth Irish entry, trained by O'Brien's son Joseph, was Tennessee Stud, the winner of the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. The two French challenegers were the Prix Greffulhe winner Midak, representing the stable of the late Aga Khan IV and the Juddmonte-owned outsider New Ground.
The two best-fancied of the English runners came from the Hampshire stable of Ralph Beckett: Pride of Arras had won the Dante Stakes while Stanhope Gardens had run second to Delacroix in the Autumn Stakes. The only others to start at odds of less than 50/1 were Tornado Alert, Nightwalker and Tuscan Hills.

Race card

Trainers are based in Great Britain unless indicated.

The race

The Derby was run on a cloudy, wet day on ground officially described as good in front of an unusually small paying crowd of 22,312. Lambourn took the lead soon after the start and set the pace from Sea Scout with Lazy Griff and Midak settled just behind the leaders. The leading positions remained unchanged until the turn into the straight when Sea Scout and Midak began to struggle, allowing Lambourn to open up a clear lead with Lazy Griff moving into second place. Lambourn never looked in any danger and stayed on strongly to win by three and three quarter lengths from Lazy Griff. Stanhope Gardens moved into third place inside the final quarter mile but was overtaken by Tennessee Stud and New Ground in the final strides. The favourite Delacroix was never in contention and finished ninth. In describing the race the Racing Post's David Jennings commented "Can you remember a less dramatic Derby? Literally nothing happened. Anywhere. At any stage. Lambourn broke well, made all, unchallenged."

Full result

* The distances between the horses are shown in lengths or shorter; hd = head.
† Trainers are based in Great Britain unless indicated.

Winner details

Further details of the winner:Foaled: 24 April 2022Sire: AustraliaOwner: Tabor / Smith / MagnierBreeder: Coolmore Stud

Form analysis

Two-year-old races

Notable runs by the future Derby participants as two-year-olds in 2024
Delacroix – 1st in Autumn Stakes, 2nd in Futurity Trophy, 2nd in Juvenile Stakes.Green Storm – 2nd in Zetland Stakes, 2nd in Critérium de Saint-Cloud.Lambourn – 1st in Criterium de l'Ouest.Lazy Griff – 1st in Prix de Conde.Nightwalker – 3rd in Autumn Stakes.Stanhope Gardens – 2nd in Autumn Stakes.Tennnessee Stud – 1st in Critérium de Saint-Cloud, 2nd in Beresford Stakes.The Lion In Winter – 1st in Acomb Stakes.Tuscan Hills – 1st in Silver Tankard Stakes.

Road to Epsom

Early-season appearances in 2025 and trial races prior to running in the Derby:
Damysus – 2nd in Sandown Classic Trial, 3rd in Dante Stakes.Delacroix – 1st in Ballysax Stakes, 1st in Leopardstown Derby Trial.Lambourn – 1st in Chester Vase.Lazy Griff – 2nd in Chester Vase.Midak – 1st in Prix Greffulhe.New Ground – 3rd in Prix La Force, 3rd in Prix de Suresnes.Nightime Dancer – 3rd in Lingfield Derby Trial.Nightwalker – 3rd in Feilden Stakes.Pride of Arras – 1st in Dante Stakes.Sea Scout – 1st in Blue Riband Trial Stakes.Tennnessee Stud – 3rd in Leopardstown Derby Trial.Tornado Alert – 4th in 2,000 Guineas.

Subsequent Group 1 wins

Delacroix - Eclipse Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes Lambourn – Irish Derby Tornado Alert – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen