The Cazoo Derby Festival brings two magnificent days of Flat racing on the world famous Epsom Downs in the heart of the Surrey countryside on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th June.
The main event is, of course, the Saturday as the world’s oldest Classic takes place – The Epsom Derby itself.
The Cazoo Derby is the race that every jockey, trainer and owner wants to win. The race is run over a distance of one-mile-and-four-furlongs over the notoriously undulating Epsom Downs course, climbing the equivalent height of Nelson’s Column along the journey. It is Britain’s richest flat horse race, and the most prestigious of the five Classics run on UK soil.
The Derby trip asks a new stamina-question of the three-year-old generation. This is the middle leg of the Triple Crown – flanked by the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket over a mile in May and the Doncaster St Leger over 1m6f in September.
There is simply no race more important for the thoroughbred racehorse than the Derby at Epsom – the pinnacle of this sport.
Of course it’s not just The Derby itself, the first Saturday in June is always a fabulous day of racing on the world-famous Epsom Downs and 2021 sees it return to that stage after the pandemic forced Epsom back a month and into a one-day meeting in 2020.
The seven-race card on Saturday (2.00pm-5.40pm) also includes Group 3s via the Princess Elizabeth and Diomed Stakes, as well the frantic Epsom Dash Handicap Stakes over the minimum five-furlongs in the lead-up to the main event itself.
Rounding out the action will be the Northern Dancer Handicap Stakes over 1m4f and the Epsom Welcomes Cazoo Handicap Stakes over 6f.
With racegoers back on the Downs this year, Derby Weekend at Epsom promises to really ignite that feeling that racing – and sport in general – is awakening from the Covid-enforced slumber that saw spectators remaining at home over the preceding 12 months.
MansionBet UK customers can watch every race from Epsom on Derby Day via live streaming when logged in.
Derby Day Betting Tips & Predictions
Aidan O’Brien first won the Epsom Derby in 2001 with the mighty Galileo and the Ballydoyle trainer now stands alone after Serpentine gave him his record eighth success in this great race last year. The outsider was given a positive ride by Emmet McNamara and they pinched a lead the field never looked like bridging, coming home in splendid isolation to win the Classic.
It also ensured the Irish trainer has won three of the last four Epsom Derbys and six in all since Camelot scored in 2012. Can the field halt the O’Brien era of domination in 2021?
Perhaps not if the market has got it right. Bolshoi Ballet – a son of Galileo – absolutely bolted up in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown and is fast-improving three-year-old colt with all the right credentials for glory at Epsom. He heads the betting at 7/4 to win this great race.
As always, there are plenty alternatives from Ballydoyle ranks to consider. Dante third High Definition will be expected to improve significantly for that comeback run at York, while Sandhurst, Kyprios and Sir Lamorak are other potential Aidan O’Brien-trained Derby contenders this year.
The first British-based runner in the betting is the Godolphin-owned Hurricane Lane, who can bid to give Charlie Appleby his second win after Masar in 2018. Hurricane Lane is now 3-3 after a rallying success in York’s Dante Stakes and he looks like a Frankel colt that will improve again upped in distance.
Another son of Frankel, John Leeper confirmed his progression with a Listed win at Newmarket in the Fairway Stakes recently and trainer Ed Dunlop is eyeing up The Derby for his first taste of Group 1 action.
The rapidly improving Mohaafeth represents William Haggas and the Shadwell Estate team, he’s making big strides lately and joins the likes of Third Realm, Gear Up, One Ruler and Group 1-winning two-year-old Mac Swiney in what could be a Derby line-up with significant depth.
Epsom Derby Festival Day 2 – Derby Day Racecard June 5th 2021
Epsom is the centre of the racing world for two days in June as the Surrey Downs stages the second Classic-weekend of the British season. Saturday is of course Derby Day itself, the world’s most iconic Classic contest taking the top billing. The £1.125m Cazoo Derby is the race any owner, trainer or jockey wants to win above all others.
The Derby is the thread that intertwines the history of the thoroughbred racehorse and it remains to the forefront of the minds of those with breeding at heart.
Since Pour Moi won for Andre Fabre and France in 2011, only two Derby-winners have been trained in Britain – Golden Horn (2015, John Gosden) and Masar (2018, Charlie Appleby). The home team will be more eager than ever to strike back after Serpentine was allowed to call the tune and dominate proceedings in 2020 at odds of 25/1. Indeed, the placed horses last summer were returned at 50/1 and 66/1, while 2000 Guineas winner Kameko was fourth as the 5/2 favourite.
The full Derby Day race programme at Epsom is below.
| TIME | RACE | DISTANCE | CONDITIONS |
| 2.00pm | Cazoo Handicap Stakes | 1m2f | 3YO only |
| 2.35pm | Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Group 3) | 1m½f | 3YO+ Fillies & Mares |
| 3.10pm | Diomed Stakes (Group 3) | 1m½f | 3YO+ |
| 3.45pm | Epsom ‘Dash’ Handicap Stakes | 5f | 3YO+ |
| 4.30pm | Cazoo Derby (Group 1) | 1m4f | 3YO Colts & Fillies |
| 5.10pm | Northern Dancer Handicap Stakes | 1m4f | 4YO+ |
| 5.40pm | Epsom Welcomes Cazoo Handicap Stakes | 6f | 4YO+ |
Race 1 – 2.00pm – Cazoo Handicap Stakes (1m2f)
The day two Epsom action begins with a mile-and-quarter handicap event open to three-year-olds. With the Derby Festival run on a single day in 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, this race was omitted.
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ODDS |
| 2018 | Connect | Clive Cox | Adam Kirby | 12/1 |
| 2019 | Le Don De Vie | Andrew Balding | Martin Dwyer | 5/1 |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Race 2 – 2.35pm – Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Group 3, 1m½f)
Open to fillies’ and mares’ ages three-years and above, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 3 contest over one-mile-and-half-a-furlong and the second race on Derby Day at Epsom. Echelon (2006/07), Antara (2010/11) and Thistle Bird (2013/14) have all defended this race since the turn of the century.
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ODDS |
| 2018 | Willamina | Martyn Meade | Frankie Dettori | 7/2 jf |
| 2019 | Anna Nerium | Richard Hannon | Tom Marquand | 9/2 |
| 2020 | Summer Romance | Charlie Appleby | William Buick | 9/1 |
Race 3 – 3.10pm – Diomed Stakes (Group 3, 1m½f)
The Diomed Stakes – named after Diomed, the inaugural winner of Epsom’s most famous race – was established in 1971 and is open to horses aged three-years and above. It is run over a mile-and-half-furlong and is a Group 3 contest. Century Dream, winner in 2018 & 2020, became the fourth two-time winner. No horse has won three times. Last year’s renewal was run at Newbury and was sponsored by MansionBet.
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ODDS |
| 2018 | Century Dream | Simon Crisford | William Buick | 11/4 fav |
| 2019 | Zaaki | Sir Michael Stoute | Ryan Moore | 11/8 fav |
| 2020 | Century Dream | Simon & Ed Crisford | James Doyle | 5/1 |
Race 4 – 3.45pm – Epsom ‘Dash’ Handicap Stakes (5f)
The ‘Dash’ is just that, a frantic five-furlong sprint across the Epsom Downs and the shortest race run at the Derby Festival. This is proper ‘blink and you’ll miss them’ stuff and it routinely attracts a large field. A tough punting puzzle and one where the market can be very informative. With the Derby Festival run on a single day in 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, this race was omitted.
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ODDS |
| 2018 | Tanasoq | Paul Midgley | JP Sullivan | 12/1 |
| 2019 | Ornate | David Griffiths | Phil Dennis | 33/1 |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Race 5 – 4.30pm – Cazoo Derby (Group 1, 1m4f)
The Derby is the ultimate test of the three-year-old generation and the world’s most iconic Classic race. It has been dominated in recent times by Aidan O’Brien, responsible for six winners since 2012. Last year’s 25/1 winner Serpentine showed that it’s not always the most fancied of his Ballydoyle contenders that can flourish. There is no more sought-after Flat race in Europe.
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ODDS |
| 2018 | Masar | Charlie Appleby | William Buick | 16/1 |
| 2019 | Anthony Van Dyck | Aidan O’Brien | Seamie Heffernan | 13/2 |
| 2020 | Serpentine | Aidan O’Brien | Emmet McNamara | 25/1 |
Race 6 – 5.10pm – Northern Dancer Handicap Stakes (1m4f)
The penultimate race on Derby Day at Epsom is the Northern Dancer Handicap Stakes over the same trip as the main event that precedes it. This handicap is open to horses aged four-years and older. With the Derby Festival run on a single day in 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, this race was omitted.
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ODDS |
| 2018 | Dash Of Spice | David Elsworth | Silvestre De Sousa | 11/4 fav |
| 2019 | Soto Sizzler | William Knight | Jimmy Quinn | 9/2 |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Epsom Derby Latest Betting Odds:
| Horses | Current Odds |
| Bolshoi Ballet | 15/8 |
| High Definition | 10/3 |
| Mac Swiney | 6/1 |
| John Leeper | 7/1 |
| Hurricane Lane | 7/1 |
| Mohaafeth | 15/2 |
| Third Realm | 11/1 |
| Van Gogh | 14/1 |
| Battleground | 16/1 |
| Youth Spirit | 18/1 |
| Sir Lamorak | 20/1 |
| Derab | 20/1 |
| Cleveland | 22/1 |
| Thunder Moon | 22/1 |
| Adayar | 22/1 |
| Highland Avenue | 25/1 |
| Master of The Seas | 25/1 |
| Wembley | 25/1 |
| Lough Derg | 28/1 |
| One Ruler | 28/1 |
| Lone Eagle | 28/1 |
| Wordsworth | 28/1 |
| El Drama | 28/1 |
| Gear Up | 33/1 |
| Media Stream | 33/1 |
| Albasheer | 33/1 |
| Red Mirage | 33/1 |
| Sir Lucan | 33/1 |
| Polling Day | 33/1 |
| King Vega | 40/1 |
Race 7 – 5.40pm – Epsom Welcomes Cazoo Handicap Stakes (6f)
Bringing the curtain down on the Derby Festival for 2021 will be the Epsom Welcomes Cazoo Handicap Stakes, traditionally run for the Tokyo Trophy. This is often a lively betting heat to conclude affairs on the Surrey Downs. With the Derby Festival run on a single day in 2020 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, this race was omitted.
| YEAR | WINNER | TRAINER | JOCKEY | ODDS |
| 2018 | Aces | Ian Williams | Silvestre De Sousa | 11/2 jf |
| 2019 | Watchable | David O’Meara | Oisin Murphy | 8/1 |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Betting & Promotions for Epsom Festival Day 2
Be sure to check out the MansionBet promotions page for all of our best offers ahead of Derby Day at Epsom on Saturday June 5th. We’ll have best odds guaranteed on all races at Epsom and customers can watch every race via live streaming when logged into the MansionBet website – so you won’t need to miss a beat of the Epsom action even if you’re on the go.
We’ll have promotions for the Derby Festival, including our ‘Beaten by a Head or Less‘ if your horse is beaten a head in selected races.
Also be sure to check back here close to the 2021 Epsom Derby Festival racedays as we’ll have tips and predictions for every race from our racing experts to help punters make their selections.