It’s Saturday, and, more importantly, it’s Epsom Derby Day, a fixture in the calendar that we all look forward to year on year.
This year, the potential rain is adding an extra element to an already fascinating contest, and I can’t wait for it to get underway.
My main fancies come outside of the feature contest, so let’s dive in.
Epsom Derby Day 2025 Selections
1:00 Epsom – Sirona @ 11/2 with William Hill & Royal Dress @ 5/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win for both
The rain will come for Sirona and Royal Dress in the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes, and I think they’re the ones to side with in the Derby Day opener.
Starting with Sirona, the Soldier Hollow mare won on heavy ground at Newmarket last season, so any extensive rain that is set to hit Epsom will suit her down to the ground.
Furthermore, on her final start of last season, she went to Saint-Cloud for the Group 3 Prix Perth and finished a fine second to Alcantor. Andre Fabre’s New Bay colt has since won a Group 3 on his seasonal reappearance and finished a good fourth to Dancing Gemini in the Group 2 bet365 Mile.
Her bits of form with Porta Fortuna, Friendly Soul, Soprano, and Jabaraa look useful in this company, and she should build on her promising seasonal reappearance 35 days ago.
As for Royal Dress, James Tate has made no secret about the fact that he thinks this Night Of Thunder mare could be a Group 1 horse.
In a piece for Boylesports, the trainer said: “We are dreaming of a Group 1 or Group 2 glory with her this year.”
That’s a fair dream to have based on last season, as she bolted up in a Group 2 at the Curragh in July when beating American Sonja, a mare who went on to finish second in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet.
She also won a Listed race on soft ground at Goodwood last year, and beating Novus, a soft ground specialist, was a good achievement for her first start of the season.
Furthermore, connections ran her in this race last year, and like a few in the contest, she was denied a clear route through, so she had to settle for third.
With the hope that she’s come on for her seasonal reappearance in the Group 2 Middleton Fillies’ Stakes, I’ll keep her on side.
1:35 Epsom – Docklands @ 2/1 General – 2pt Win
I’ve spent a fair bit of time working out if Docklands should handle any cut in the ground, but I think he will, and he’s my fancy in the Group 3 Diomed Stakes.
Firstly, his form is strong. His second to Charyn in the Queen Anne, second to Quddwah in the Paradise Stakes, and second to Sardinian Warrior all stand out.
Charyn was the champion miler last season, Quddwah has won a Group 2 and Listed race since, and Sardian Warrior was denied by Sosie (Arc favourite) in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan. That’s good form.
As for the ground debate, he was actually considered a bit of a mud lover in his three-year-old season having won an Ascot handicap on soft and finished third in the Balmoral Handicap on soft.
He also nearly won the Listed Prix de Montretout on heavy in 2024, so even though his Queen Anne performance came on good to firm, I just think Docklands is fairly ground versatile.
He has a nice draw in stall two, so he can get into a good early position, and he has no penalty to give away despite his Group 1 form in the book.
2:45 Epsom – Democracy Dilemma @ 10/1 General (5 places) – 1pt EW
I love the Epsom Dash. It’s fast, it’s furious, and it’s fun.
But do you know who loves it more than I do? Democracy Dilemma is the answer.
I don’t think I’ve seen a horse more suitable for the Dash over the last few years than this sprinter because he travels, and travels, and travels some more into his races. He has such a high cruising speed, and that is perfect for the fastest five furlongs in the world.
The five-year-old by Cotai Glory ran in this race last year, and even though I backed the winner (trumpet), I still can’t believe he didn’t win. He travelled into the lead, looked like the winner with one furlong to go, put a good distance between himself and the third (Looking For Lynda), and yet was nabbed on the line by Dream Composer.
The winner went on to win another Class 2 handicap, this time at Pontefract, and is now rated 9lbs higher.
As for Democracy Dilemma, he is just 2lbs higher now than he was 12 months ago, and yet he was fourth in the valuable Symphony Group Handicap at York, finished third to the subsequent Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust at York, won a Listed race, and finished fourth to No Half Measures in a Group 3 at Newbury subsequently.
No Half Measures went on to finish fifth in the Prix de l’Abbaye and second in the Listed Achilles Stakes recently, so that form looks good, and the form of that York handicap looks good thanks to Shagraan, Jordan Electrics, and Jm Jungle.
The Robert Cowell-trained gelding has won on heavy before, so the ground should be no issue, and his two runs so far this season should have him spot-on for this fitness-wise.
All in all, I think he can go close.
The Derby
The impending rain at Epsom has watered down (pun intended) my hopes on Ruling Court and Damysus, who would both prefer better ground in my eyes.
For that reason, I’m leaving the race alone from this column’s point of view, and if Ruling Court wins the Derby in spite of conditions, that will be insane.
Just one point on Ruling Court. Today, before the Oaks, Charlie Appleby was as bullish as you could be for a Classic contender stepping up in trip on uncertain ground. I’m writing this before the result of the Oaks, so I don’t know how Desert Flower has performed, but the trainer seemed to have no concerns pre-race.
As for his comments on Ruling Court, he told Thoroughbred Daily News: “We wouldn’t want the ground to get too soft by Saturday, so any significant amount of rain would be a negative.”
As a Ruling Court supporter, that would make me worried.
