2024 Epsom Derby Odds: Ballydoyle Trio Dominate Antepost List
Still arguably the biggest race in the British flat racing calendar, the 2024 Epsom Derby will take place on Saturday 1st June. Aidan O'Brien's City Of Troy leads the pack after a stunning juvenile campaign in 2023, and although he is a shorter price for 2000 Guineas glory he is still a warm order for this second leg of the Triple Crown at Epsom. Here we take a look at his chances as well as some of the other current market leaders...
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"The lads" at Coolmore and Ballydoyle have made no secret over the years of their yearning to find a Triple Crown horse. They came oh so close with Camelot and in the end his defeat in the St Leger to a rival later found to be pumped full of performance enhancing drugs will always leave a bitter taste, but in CITY OF TROY they arguably look to have their most suitable contender since Camelot. Aidan O'Brien often can get a tad overexcited when discussing his star juveniles' prospects for their Classic campaign (Air Force Blue, I'm looking at you) however it is not just the master of Ballydoyle that thinks this Justify colt could be something very special as the usually much more grounded rider Ryan Moore has also sung his praises whenever possible.
City Of Troy is unbeaten in his three starts and each win has been more impressive than the last, first his taking debut followed by a dominant six-and-a-half length victory over Haatem in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket. He was the odds-on favourite for the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on only his third start, and the way he powered away from Alyanaabi for a three length win left Flat fans purring. That performance made him odds-on in some places for the Guineas but there is still 5/2 available for The Derby, which looks rather tempting due to his outstanding breeding and temperament.
It is anything but a one man band from Ballydoyle looking ahead to next year's Epsom Classic, with City Of Troy undoubtedly the star name but the two closest market rivals also hailing from the same yard. Diego Velazquez cost a cool £2.5m in the sales and this son of Frankel can hardly have done anymore to stamp himself as a definite Derby contender, winning on both starts. It would be a surprise were he to be aimed at the 2000 Guineas on his run style and pedigree, but he could go there as a Derby prep run and end up winning the season's first colt's Classic a la Saxon Warrior. Capulet (second to Diego Velazquez at the Curragh) did not exactly enhance the form of that run but this pricey Frankel colt will surely be a proper specimen at three and looks tailor-made for the Derby.
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The aforementioned Diego Velazquez is the same price as his stablemate Henry Longfellow at 7/1 with most firms at the time of writing for Epsom glory. He played the role of super sub for City Of Troy (taken out on accounts of the ground) with aplomb in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh, which made it three wins from three for this hugely exciting son of Dubawi and Minding. That pedigree is to die for, as is customary from this team, and his constitution looks to be as good as his mother's. He is the least high profile of the trio, but could easily emerge as a leading contender if winning a trial authoritatively next season or even if running well and staying on for a place in the 2000 Guineas if O'Brien chooses to send him to Newmarket.
Outside of the 'Big Three' from Ballydoyle, Arabian Crown looks the best of the rest after shooting up the odds grids to 12/1 following his facile Zetland win a few days ago. Godolphin have had a quiet season in the biggest races in 2023 and will be itching to rectify that in 2024, as will Charlie Appleby who trains this strapping Dubawi colt. He looks a proper Derby type and could provide each-way value. Another Godolphin and Appleby colt comes next in the betting and he also won well this past weekend, Ancient Wisdom. William Buick will seemingly have a tough choice of which of these colts, providing both stay sound, to ride at Epsom and both have shown enough to definitely warrant their sub 20/1 quotes for Classic success.
The aforementioned Capulet is a general 33/1 shot for Ballydoyle with most firms, while Ghostwriter appears in a few antepost lists at the 20/1 mark. The latter looks more of a Guineas horse at the time of writing but who knows how he will progress over the winter. Illinois is another bred in the purple for Ballydoyle who, although with only one run under his belt, looks a potential Derby contender and could interest punters more than the more exposed Capulet at a similar price.
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