Lambourn Gallops to Derby Success

Hi all,

Inside today’s main piece, it’s the first of two days reflecting on Epsom’s Derby meeting.

Derby win for Lambourn

The rain arrived later than forecast. Had it come earlier, we’d have seen a soft-ground Derby. That change in conditions led to the late withdrawal of Ruling Court. The 2,000 Guineas winner was a major absentee. Eighteen runners went to post — and in hindsight, Ruling Court’s defection may well prove to be wise one.

Victory went to Lambourn, officially the O'Brien second string based on jockey bookings. Yet Wayne Lordan seized the initiative. He rousted his mount forward early and grabbed the lead. Once in front, he controlled the pace and never looked like being caught.

Plenty of fancied horses couldn’t land a blow. Delacroix and Pride Of Arras were among those who had a rough passage or never settled. A few blew their chances before the start.

Still, Lambourn used petrol early, so it wasn’t gifted. He’s a strong galloper and looks the type for the Irish Derby — and possibly the St Leger later.

Lazy Griff, sent off at 50/1, ran a stormer in second. He chased Lambourn home in the Chester Vase, and that form has now been well and truly franked.

Tennessee Stud plugged on for third. He looks a thorough stayer — two miles might suit him best. Still, he could take in the Irish Derby en route to Doncaster in the autumn.

New Ground, the supplemented French challenger, ran a cracker in fourth. He was far too keen early yet still stayed on from the rear. With softer ground and a more positive ride, he would have gone even closer. The trip suited and he looks promising.

As for the others:

Delacroix (2/1 favourite) met trouble early and never recovered.

Pride Of Arras was far too keen from a wide draw. His Dante win now looks shakier in light of this run.

The Lion In Winter was another to race freely and likely didn’t stay. I didn’t realise how bad his ringworm problem had been early in the year. A bad case really knocks a horse’s immune system. I think Aidan will bring him back and he can land a |Group 1 later in the season. As Pricewise said, he’ll be more effective back down to a mile.

Damysus, second in the Dante, didn’t handle the undulations. He’ll be better back on a conventional track.

Derby 2025 Verdict

The Derby remains the ultimate test for a three-year-old. Tactical speed and stamina are required in.  equal measures. A horse must be well balanced and have the temperament to handle the preliminaries. The start always brings that “hold your breath” moment. But this year’s race left me underwhelmed.

Lambourn was the best horse on the day. He got the best ride too. Still, it’s hard to trust the form. Several runners underperformed, and the absence of Ruling Court was significant.

Derby Day – a damp squib

If you backed the winner, it won’t matter. But for me and many others, Derby Day felt flat.

The weather didn’t help. After a warm, dry spring, Saturday brought damp conditions and a worsening track. The going was good to soft for the Derby and turned soft for the final three races.

Crowd numbers were down for a second year running. The famous infield and the ‘hill’ looked sparse. The “Going Isn’t Good” when it comes to attendance — and that’s worrying. Epsom is near London. If we can’t fill the place for its biggest day, what hope elsewhere?

We were told moving the Derby to Saturday would boost crowds and turnover. Initially, it did. But those gains have faded.

Call it nostalgia, but I miss the midweek Derby. On a Wednesday afternoon, it had no competition. Now, it’s just one of many Saturday options. This year, even an England v Andorra match overshadowed it. That tells you everything about racing’s relevance to the sporting public right now.

Shifting the race back midweek — or even to a Friday evening — wouldn’t suddenly restore huge crowds. But it would gain more coverage and perhaps win back attention from a wider audience. Right now, Derby Day is fighting for space. And losing.

Monday Racing

Windsor stages another leg of the Fitzdares Sprint Series (7:00) this evening.

Regal Envoy is thriving. He made it four wins from six when landing a series qualifier over this course and distance three weeks ago. He’s up 3lb but remains a big player—especially if conditions continue to dry.

Change Sings was just denied over 6f here a fortnight ago. He likes to race handily, so the drop to 5f shouldn’t be an issue. On form, he’s the pick if the ground firms up.

Woolhampton is coming to the boil. Slowly away last time, she stayed on well to finish fifth behind Regal Envoy over C&D last time. With a solid pace to aim at, she’s got each-way claims—particularly if the going stays on the easy side.

Tomorrow, I’ll wrap up my Epsom reflections with a look at Friday’s Oaks and Coronation Cup. I’ll also flag one or two horses to keep on side from the two days at Epsom.

Good luck with your Monday bets.

John