TOP 5 - EPSOM DERBY WINNERS SINCE THE YEAR 2000

Dafydd Lloyd looks over the past 24 renewals of the prestigious Epsom Derby and picks out his 'Top 5' Will we see a superstar in the making in 2025's showpiece? 5TH - CITY OF TROY Aidan O’Brien boldly stated many times that City Of Troy was “the best horse he’d ever trained” following on from his unique Derby win in 2024. After an awful start to his campaign in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket where he finished 9th of 11, optimism and faith remained in the Champion Juvenile of 2023 heading into his second target of the year; the Epsom Derby. Sent off the 3/1 favourite against fifteen other runners and drawn in the dreaded stall 1, City Of Troy looked imperious and back to his best as he stretched away for a quality win in the premier classic.

CITY OF TROY

4TH - GOLDEN HORN The 2015 Derby winner, partnered with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, was another brilliant victor of the colts’ mile-and-a-half showpiece at the beginning of June. He’d won the Dante trial at York on his latest run, beating into second the same horse he defeated in the Derby; Jack Hobbs, of the same stable. John Gosden’s charge was the favourite ahead of the race and decisively took the lead approaching the final furlong, storming clear to land Dettori’s second win in the Derby. Golden Horn went on to cement his brilliance with wins in the Eclipse, Irish Champion Stakes, and the Arc later that season, and was awarded the Cartier champion three-year-old colt.

GOLDEN HORN

3RD - WORKFORCE Workforce won the 2010 Epsom Derby by seven lengths and broke the track record in the process. A scintillating performance on the horseshoe-shaped track, he breezed passed the early pacemaker of the race before surging to victory. He was trained by now retired Sir Michel Stoute (a six time Derby winner), and ridden by Ryan Moore, and although going off at 6/1 and seemingly in the second colours of owner Mr Khalid bin Abdullah, the manner of his victory was similar to one of Stoute’s other winners in the race; the famous ‘Shergar’. He’d go on to win the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe the same year, and now stands as a stallion at Knockhouse Stud in Ireland.

WORKFORCE

2ND - GALILEO Famously winning the Derby in 2001 and becoming a sire-of-sires at stud, the late great Galileo had everything. A very well-bred type, he had speed and stamina to cope with the undulations of Epsom, he seemingly had a great mind to deal with all the hustle and bustle off the track pre-race too. He was a joint-favourite for the event, but really, there was no competition, as the winner made it look like a one-horse race. Galileo then won an Irish Derby and a King George at Ascot, before breaking records and becoming a super-stallion, whereby he has subsequently sired five Derby winners.

GALILEO

1ST - SEA THE STARS Regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of all time, Sea The Stars won two classics in 2009 (2000 Guineas & Derby), before winning another four prestigious Group 1's in that year. He won the Derby and beat six horses from Ballydoyle amongst other competition to secure his place in history. From Guineas glory to Derby success, Sea The Stars always looked in control and comfortable sitting behind the early leader at Epsom, before taking the lead and maintaining it passed the winning post. He put aside all opposition that was put against him in that brilliant season and has now become a successful sire.

SEA THE STARS

Do you agree with our list? Are there horses we missed out? Tell us in the comments below. written by Dafydd Lloyd