Get the most out of Derby day excitement

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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It’s one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar and a fixture of the British summer. The Epsom Derby is just around the corner. There are few races which can compare to this highlight of the flat racing season for both heritage and sheer racing excitement. There is every indication that this year’s instalment is shaping up to be one of the best yet.

For a start, few horse races or sporting events can trace their history back to 1780, when Sir Charles Bunbury’s horse Diomed took home the £1,065 prize money, a princely sum for the time. The race has continued to be one of the richest in world racing and this year’s winner can look forward to a lucrative purse worth more than £1.3million. Open to three-year-old thoroughbreds, the Derby is considered one of the most prestigious races of the season. It forms one leg of the “Triple Crown” alongside the 2,000 Guineas and the St Leger.

The winner can be considered a true champion. While the likes of the Grand National are a test of strength and endurance, the Derby is a flat race over a relatively short distance. The 1mile, 4 furlong, 10 yard course is usually covered in little more than two and a half minutes. As a result, this is a real test of speed and acceleration. In many ways, this is the 100metres of horse racing and the winner is considered one of the fastest horses around. Previous winners include legends of the horse racing world, such as Shergar in 1981, who famously triumphed by an incredible 10 lengths. Meanwhile, all-time top jockeys including Lester Piggott and Willie Carson have won the Derby on multiple occasions. Everything you need to know about the race can be found at William Hill’s Epsom Downs racecourse page.

Last year saw Aiden O’Brien’s Australia stride home to victory, making O’Brien the first trainer ever to win three Derbies in a row. All eyes will be on him this year to see if he can make it four. It remains unclear exactly which of his horses O’Brien will put his faith in. Giovanni Canaletto remains a possibility, but he may just opt for star filly Found. Only six fillies have ever won the Derby, the last being Fifnella in 1916.  However, there will be plenty of competition. Not least from star jockey Frankie Dettori, who looks set to ride the race favourite, Golden Horn, although stable companion Jack Hobbs is also likely to be a contender.

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