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Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Climate
- Scottish Sun
Five Derby horses who will love soft ground with ‘a hell of a lot of rain' set to hit Epsom ahead of £1.5m race
The going could change by the time of the big race WET WET WET Five Derby horses who will love soft ground with 'a hell of a lot of rain' set to hit Epsom ahead of £1.5m race Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 'A HELL of a lot of rain' is set to hit Epsom this afternoon ahead of the blockbuster £1.5million Derby. The going was changed to good, good to soft in places, last night after the forecast deluge didn't hit. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Derby fav Delacroix should be able to handle the soft ground should the rain fall Credit: Getty But a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms and hail remains in place over the Surrey track. Oli Bell said on ITV Racing that up to 30mm of rain could fall between now and the Derby at 3.30pm. Templegate's Derby tip and 1-2-3-4 prediction With that in mind, here are five horses who should be able to cope if the going gets muddy. 1 Delacroix Heavily backed after Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore teamed up to win the Oaks on Friday, the fav should have no problem if the rain gets into the turf. He is 2-2 this year and finished a nose second on soft in last October's William Hill Futurity at Doncaster. 2 Midak The ground is typically much softer in the France - and that should play right into Midak's strengths. Supplemented for the race at a cost of £75,000, this three-year-old colt is showing signs of huge improvement. And the colossal fee paid to get him in the race - and run under the famous Aga Khan silks - could prove money well spent. 3 Tennessee Stud His odds have plummeted from 66-1 to 33s and it is easy to see why given the forecast. He brings strong form to the table having been beaten by the likes of Delacroix, Green Storm and Hotazhell. While he was a Group 1 winner on heavy at Saint-Cloud in France last October. 4 New Ground Getting into the really big prices at 50-1, this French raider was a winner on heavy last October. He has been campaigned at a higher level since and come up short - but maybe ultra soft ground is what he needs. His sire won a French Derby on heavy so there is certainly hope. 5 Green Storm If Tennessee Stud is a play, then 200-1 outsider Green Storm has to be as well. Owned by Ahmad Al Shaikh, a genius owner who seemingly always gets a big-price fancy in the frame at the Derby - Hoo Ya Mal at 150-1 was the standout - he screams stamina. Al Shaikh is obsessed with winning the Derby and while this would be the mother of all shocks, a small punt each-way could prove the prudent play. FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
Five Derby horses who will love soft ground with ‘a hell of a lot of rain' set to hit Epsom ahead of £1.5m race
'A HELL of a lot of rain' is set to hit Epsom this afternoon ahead of the blockbuster £1.5million Derby. The going was changed to good, good to soft in places, last night after the forecast deluge didn't hit. Advertisement 1 Derby fav Delacroix should be able to handle the soft ground should the rain fall Credit: Getty But a Oli Bell said on ITV Racing that up to 30mm of rain could fall between now and the Derby at 3.30pm. Templegate's With that in mind, here are five horses who should be able to cope if the going gets muddy. Advertisement 1 Delacroix Heavily backed after Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore teamed up to win the Oaks on Friday, the fav should have no problem if the rain gets into the turf. He is 2-2 this year and finished a nose second on soft in last October's William Hill Futurity at Doncaster. 2 Midak Advertisement Most read in Horse Racing The ground is typically much softer in the France - and that should play right into Midak's strengths. Supplemented for the race at a cost of £75,000, this three-year-old colt is showing signs of huge improvement. And the colossal fee paid to get him in the race - and run under the famous Aga Khan silks - could prove money well spent. 3 Tennessee Stud Advertisement His odds have plummeted from 66-1 to 33s and it is easy to see why given the forecast. He brings strong form to the table having been beaten by the likes of Delacroix, Green Storm and Hotazhell. While he was a Group 1 winner on heavy at Saint-Cloud in France last October. 4 New Ground Advertisement Getting into the really big prices at 50-1, this French raider was a winner on heavy last October. He has been campaigned at a higher level since and come up short - but maybe ultra soft ground is what he needs. His sire won a French Derby on heavy so there is certainly hope. 5 Green Storm Advertisement If Tennessee Stud is a play, then 200-1 outsider Green Storm has to be as well. Owned by Ahmad Al Shaikh, a genius owner who seemingly always gets a big-price fancy in the frame at the Derby - Hoo Ya Mal at 150-1 was the standout - he screams stamina. Al Shaikh is obsessed with winning the Derby and while this would be the mother of all shocks, a small punt each-way could prove the prudent play. FREE BETS - GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. . Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The Derby 2025: horse-by-horse guide to all the runners
Al Wasl Storm Trainer/jockey Owen Burrows/David Probert, stall 13 One of two runners in the green and white silks of Ahmad al Shaikh, whose twin passions in racing appear to be having runners in the Derby and paying as little as possible to buy them. It is a hard approach to knock, however, as Khalifa Sat, at 150-1, and Hoo Ya Mal, at 50-1, reached the frame in 2020 and 2022 respectively. Advertisement In terms of value at least, the owner has excelled himself here, having paid €7,000 for the son of an obscure stallion Affinisea (so obscure that even his trainer admits he had to look him up when al Shaikh's latest purchase turned up on his doorstep). That said, a realistic view of his form – unraced at two, three runs since April, one minor win – gives him next to no chance of success, so each-way backers hoping for lightning to strike a third time are relying on the fact that, like his high-achieving predecessors, he can't read the form book. Damysus John & Thady Gosden/James Doyle, stall 15 One of the least experienced in the field with three outings in the book and it showed behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante at York last time. He took a few strides to go through the gears, edging left, before running on to finish second, one-and-a-quarter lengths behind the winner. He did not see a racecourse until December and the rough edges in the Dante offer encouragement there is significant improvement to come,. Definitely an unusual profile for a potential Derby winner – maiden win on the all-weather in December, then two defeats at the start of his three-year-old season – but the talent is probably there if this unique test does not prove to be a step too far at this early stage of his career. Delacroix Aidan O'Brien/Ryan Moore, stall 14 Effectively confirmed as favourite when Ryan Moore plumped for the ride on Wednesday from three Aidan O'Brien options and there was a lot to like about the way he put nearly three lengths between himself and the runner-up in Leopardstown's Derby Trial last month. He had solid, progressive form in his juvenile season too, culminating in defeat by a nose in the Group One Futurity at Doncaster, and the 12-furlong trip should be right up his street. The Leopardstown trial has not highlighted a Derby winner since 2002, however, and it was his seventh race, which leaves less room for improvement than most of his opponents Whether the pluses and minuses make him a genuine 3-1 shot is the first question every punter needs to consider. There are tempting options at better odds, and with more room scope for improvement, if they decide against it. Green Storm Charlie Johnston/Billy Loughnane, stall eight The other half ofal Shaikh's two-pronged attack and his second-string behind Al Wasl Storm according to the betting, although since both are priced in three figures the concept of a first string is perhaps irrelevant. In typical al Shaikh fashion, he cost relative peanuts, having been knocked down for €12,000 as a yearling (Damysus cost nearly 50 times as much). He has already repaid that several times over after finishing one-and-a-half lengths behind Tennessee Storm in a French Group One event last October. Likely to be remembered only as the first Derby ride for the 19-year-old Billy Loughnane, the fastest-rising young star in the weighing room. Lambourn Aidan O'Brien/Wayne Lordan, stall 10 The third-string in his trainer's challenge for a record-extending 11th Derby according to the betting, but since only three of O'Brien's winners set off as the clear favourite, that is perhaps not quite the red flag it may seem. Rain would be in his favour as he stayed on strongly to win the Chester Vase over an extended 12 furlongs last time out and also has winning form on soft ground, albeit in a weak event at the remote French racing outpost of Craon. Likely to be staying on most strongly in the closing stages, though the obvious concern is that a lack of tactical speed early in the race will leave him with too much to do. Lazy Griff Charlie Johnston/Christophe Soumillon, stall three Finished just over a length behind the winner when second in the Chester Vase last month, which is a near-facsimile of the profile Wings Of Eagles brought before his 40-1 Derby victory in 2017. Adayar, in 2021, was another recent winner who was beaten in his trial and with jockey Christophe Soumillon flying in can catch the eye of each-way punters. Any rain will be in his favour. Midak Francis-Henri Graffard/Mickael Barzalona, stall four This year's race is being run in memory of Aga Khan IV, who died in February and whose five Derby winners as an owner included Shergar, whose 10-length winning margin in 1981 remains the record. This late arrival will carry the same green and red colours to the start. It is clearly asking a lot for him to bring them back again in similar style, but he remains unbeaten after three starts and showed a fine turn of foot to quicken clear in the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud in May – the same race Pour Moi, the last French-trained Derby winner and with Mickael Barzalona in the saddle to boot, used as their stepping stone to Epsom immortality in 2011. New Ground Henri Devin/Alexis Pouchin, stall 17 The powerful Juddmonte operation stumped up £75k to add Henri Devin's colt to the field so he has clearly been showing a good deal more at home than he has on the track. He has finished a close third – at Longchamp and Chantilly – on his two outings this year. In the first of those, he was less than a length behind Andre Fabre's Cualificar, who finished a half-length behind the winner (and from a much wider draw) in the French Derby at Chantilly last Sunday. The 12-furlong trip is also likely to see further improvement. The case in his favour is based on ifs, buts and maybes and he will do well to reach the fourth place required to get his entry fee back. Nightime Dancer Richard Hannon/Jamie Spencer, stall nine Set off as an unfancied 9-1 shot for the Lingfield Derby Trial – which looks below-par this year – and was beaten nearly four lengths behind Aidan O'Brien's Puppet Master, who was taken out of this race before the final declarations. Has masses of stamina in his pedigree but rather less of the speed a Derby winner needs to go with it. The St Leger already looks a more convincing option even if he is up to running in Group One company (and the jury is out on that too). Nightwalker John & Thady Gosden/Tom Marquand, stall five Finished fifth of 11 in the Dante Stakes at York last month, three-and-a-half lengths behind Pride Of Arras and two-and-a-quarter behind his stable companion, Damysus. Since that was his fifth start there is no obvious reason why he should improve past either of those colts, who have fewer miles on the clock. Bare form does not tell the whole story as he fell out of the stalls and was well off the pace before making eye-catching progress. He joined Damysus on a jaunt down the hill and around Tattenham Corner on gallops morning last week and handled the track well. He seems sure to improve for the mile-and-a-half trip and a top-four finish may not be beyond him. Advertisement Uttoxeter: 2.00 Miss Goldfire 2.30 Ernest Gray 3.00 Lost Connections 3.30 Baltray 4.00 Hecouldbetheone 4.33 Auntie Maggie 5.05 Crystal Mer. Hamilton: 2.12 Blue Nguru 2.42 Betweenthesticks 3.12 Sea Legend 3.42 Korker 4.12 Yermanthere 4.43 Sir Garfield (nap) 5.17 Arch Legend. Lingfield: 2.20 Dubai Harbour 2.50 Blewburton 3.20 Keybaar 3.50 Gallant 4.25 Touchwood 4.55 Maid In Chelsea. Chelmsford City: 5.00 Eclipser 5.35 Nifty 6.05 Smokey Malone 6.35 Hot Dancer 7.07 Danza Parigina 7.42 Maxident 8.17 Ornately (nb) 8.47 City Captain. Ffos Las: 6.15 Reina Del Mar 6.45 Unspeakable 7.20 Gavin 7.55 Ferret Jeeter 8.30 You Say Nothing 9.00 Twist Of Fatecatch. Pride Of Arras Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan, stall 16 A skim through the list of Derby winners of the past 25 years may suggest the days when a small owner-breeder could mix it with the big guns from Godolphin, Coolmore and Juddmonte are long gone. This year's Dante Stakes winner, though, may beg to differ. David and Vimy Aykroyd have four mares at their Yorkshire stud farm and their once-raced colt by up-and-coming sire New Bay was an 18-1 shot for his trial at York. He showed all the attributes you would look for in a Derby winner – tactical speed, balance, a turn of foot and a willingness to quicken between horses – on the way to victory. His best days are ahead of him with two runs in the book. Soft ground could be a concern – though the same is true for many of his rivals – but he stayed on well on Knavesmire, should get the trip and is a must for any shortlist. Rogue Impact James Owen/Luke Morris, stall one As ever, there is a scattering of runners ithat are seemingly there mainly to give their owners a day out. While James Owen is very much one of the trainers of the moment, with a number of decent winners on the Flat and over jumps since taking out a licence three seasons ago, this syndicate-owned runner seems to fall squarely into that category. Well beaten in the Lingfield Trial and the slimmest hope of any on that form. Last of six in what looked a poor renewal of that race last time and while a repeat of his winning form in a maiden in April should be enough to finish in front of Al Wasl Storm – who was a length-and-a-quarter away in second – the other 18 runners will be more of a problem. Ruling Court Charlie Appleby/William Buick, stall seven A Classic winner already in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket last month and the form of that race received a significant boost when City Of Gold, the runner-up, ran away with the Irish equivalent a couple of weeks ago. That is more than enough to send him to Epsom at the top of the ratings – Timeform has him 4lb clear – but the obvious question is whether his stamina will stretch to another half-mile. The recent record of Guineas winners in the Derby is distinctly mixed with the past three – Dawn Approach, Saxon Warrior and Kameko – all beaten after setting off as favourite. If he stays, he will probably win. If he does not, he certainly won't. Sea Scout Simon & Ed Crisford/Harry Davies, stall 18 The only runner in the field with a 'C' – for previous course winner – against his name, thanks to a narrow success in the Blue Riband Trial over 10 furlongs in April and this is a track that can take some getting used to, running downhill at speed. That is pretty much the only tick in a positive box and the same was true of many previous winners of the same race (in recent years, it has guaranteed a place in the Derby lineup so there is often no reason not to run). The last Blue Riband winner to follow up was Blue Peter in 1939. Stanhope Gardens Ralph Beckett/Hector Crouch, stall two There has been plenty of attention on the trainer's prime contender, Pride Of Arras, but less of a focus on his second string, who has had an unconventional preparation but has some interesting form. The most obvious is a close second behind Delacroix in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket last October and it is notable that Beckett has made every effort to get him to the post, even persuading Salisbury to stage a race at an evening meeting last month that would give him much-needed prep for the Classic. Stanhope Gardens duly made short work of two opponents and there is little doubt his trainer sees him as a serious contender. Well adrift of his stable companion in the betting and the ratings, but probably close to the top of many punters' lists for each-way purposes. Tennessee Stud Joseph O'Brien/Dylan Browne McMonagle, stall 12 A Group One winner as a two-year-old in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud, a race that has been won by plenty of top-class colts on the way to a glittering three-year-old career. So far so good in terms of his record at the highest level – Ruling Court, the 2,000 Guineas winner, is the only other in the field with a previous Group One success. On the downside, last season's Critérium – when Green Storm was second – had three runners and was probably the weakest in the race's history. Returned to action in Leopardstown's Derby trial, where he finished around six-and-a-half lengths behind Delacroix. He was noticeably weak in the market beforehand – the implication being that he should improve significantly for the run – but seven lengths is probably asking too much. The Lion In Winter Aidan O'Brien/Colin Keane, stall 19 The undoubted enigma of the race, not least as his trainer's Derby winners in the past two seasons have been bouncing back from disappointing runs on seasonal debuts. Unlike Auguste Rodin in 2023 and City Of Troy last year, however, The Lion In Winter has been passed over by Ryan Moore after surrendering his unbeaten record with a tame sixth behind Pride Of Arras in the Dante at York. He is bred to appreciate the step up in trip and handed Ruling Court the only defeat of his career, in the Acomb Stakes at York last August, but will struggle to get home if he again fails to settle. A draw in the widest stall may not help in that regard. Respected if only because he has the initials 'A.P.O'B' on his saddlecloth, but the Moore Factor – or rather, the lack-of-Moore Factor – has to be a concern. Tornado Alert Saeed bin Suroor/Oisin Murphy, stall 11 The racing landscape has changed significantly since Saeed bin Suroor saddled Lammtarra to win the Derby in 1995, in the earliest years of the Godolphin operation. The trainer's fortunes within the organisation have since waxed and waned, to the point where the man who won four UK trainers' championships between 1996 and 2004 is now a furlong behind Charlie Appleby, his near-neighbour in Newmarket, in the pecking order. Appleby has won two Derbys since Bin Suroor saddled his most recent runner in 2017 and having landed the Classic at the first attempt three decades ago his 24 runners since have all been beaten. Ran a fine race to finish fourth in the 2,000 Guineas and has Oisin Murphy, the reigning champion jockey, to do the steering. He took a strong hold to lead the field for the first six furlongs at Newmarket and looks more likely to appreciate a drop in trip than a step up to a mile-and-a-half. Tuscan Hills Raphael Freire/David Egan, stall six Kia Joorabchian has ploughed millions into his Amo Racing operation in recent seasons and been rewarded with a couple of placings for big outsiders in the Derby, but his only representative in this year's Classic may struggle. He is, at least, stabled in the right place for a potential winner, as his young handler has taken over at Sir Michael Stoute's Freemason Lodge stable in Newmarket after the legendary trainer's retirement at the end of last year. His form is well short of what is likely to be required as he seemed to struggle to get even the 10-furlong trip at York when finishing seventh in the Dante.
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Teenage star Billy Loughnane gets first ride in £1.5m Derby on huge outsider
The 19-year-old rising talent has been booked to partner the Charlie Johnston-trained Green Storm at Epsom on Saturday, one of two runners for the Yorkshire trainer Teenage talent Billy Loughnane is to make his debut in the £1.5 million Betfred Derby on a huge outsider. The 19-year-old has been on the path to stardom ever since he burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old. He claimed the apprentice championship in 2023, finished fourth in the senior Flat jockeys' championship in 2024 and earlier this year was crowned champion all-weather jockey. Loughnane ranks fourth in the 2025 title race with 16 wins, despite missing a significant chunk of the campaign due to suspension. Last summer he rode two winners at Royal Ascot and will have his first start in Saturday's Derby on the Charlie Johnston-trained Green Storm. He will be the same age as Walter Swinburn, Mickael Barzalana and Joseph O'Brien who each won the Derby as 19-year-olds. Green Storm recorded his only victory under Loughnane, winning a Yarmouth maiden by nine and a half lengths. Although he is a 200-1 chance, he is owned by Derby fanatic Ahmad Al Shaikh, whose Hoo Ya Mal finished runner-up at odds of 150-1 in the 2022 Derby. Al Shaikh also runs Al Wasl Storm while Johnston could also saddle 100-1 chance and Chester Vase second Lazy Griff (Christophe Soumillon) if the ground is satisfactory. Johnston said: 'I think Green Storm has been running here since the hammer fell in Goffs about 20 months ago. It's been the plan for a while. 'Billy won on him last year at Yarmouth and Ahmad was quite keen for a young and ambitious jockey to be in the saddle. 'He's only had 11 rides at Epsom so he's maybe not got quite the experience of a few of the others in there but I'm sure it's something he will be getting plenty of in the years to come.' Johnston will be saddling his first runners since he took over the training licence on his own after working jointly with his father Mark. Their best Derby finish together was with Dubai Mile, who was ninth in 2023. 'Although they are two outsiders, one is a Group 1 placed two-year-old and the other was a good second in an obvious trial and both warrant being there,' Johnston added. 'Lazy Griff is a little bit ground dependent. He will be looking for as much of the forecast rain as possible. If there is any good to firm he will probably bypass it. 'Green Storm will need to settle better than he did in the Feilden Stakes so the initial stages of the race will be key for him. I'm confident Lazy Griff has the requisite class to be in a race like this.'
