Derby Day at Epsom. (Pic: Courtesy of Jockey Club Racecourses).

By Simon Jackson

AIDAN O’Brien runners City Of Troy and Los Angeles head 16 declarations for the Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

O’Brien targets his 10th win in Britain’s premier Classic race, which this year carried prize money of £1.5m and where O’Brien will be represented by three runners, City Of Troy (11-4), Los Angeles (10-3) and Euphoric (40-1).

Their main rival may be 4-1 shot Ancient wisdom, representing Charlie Appleby who won the Derby with Masar in 2018 and with Adayar three years later.

The selection was second in the Dante Stakes at York and has been well-supported this week. Ancient Wisdom, winner of the Futurity Stakes at Doncaster, was beaten six lengths by Economics in the Dante (10.5 furlongs) is expected to appreciate the step up in distance.

Of the other leading contenders, Lingfield Trial winner Ambiente Friendly (6-1) may prove a popular alternative in an open-looking Derby.

Ambiente Friendly’s trainer James Fanshawe said: “The Derby is the Derby and a lot of things are judged on its result. It’s the premier Classic and we are really thrilled to have a runner in it.

“It has stood the test of time and it is a great prize. It’s a real privilege to have a horse good enough to be going there with a chance, having won his trial well over the Derby trip, and there’s a real buzz in the yard having a contender.

“Ambiente Friendly was an immature two-year-old and an elegant, later maturing type. You would hope he would get stronger as he gets older, and the real revelation was how he went around the corner at Lingfield and stayed the mile and a half. He won his trial in a good time, and he seems to have come out of the race in good shape.”

2024 BETFRED DERBY
Epsom 4.30. 1m 4f

Confirmed runners and riders (16)

Ambiente Friendly      (Rab Havlin)
Ancient Wisdom          (William Buick)
Bellum Justum            (Oisin Murphy)
City Of Troy                 (Ryan Moore)
Dallas Star                  (David Egan)
Dancing Gemini          (Dylan Browne McMonagle)
Deira Mile                   (Jim Crowley)
Euphoric                      (Declan McDonogh)
God’s Window            (Kieran Shoemark)
Kamboo                      (Richard Kingscote)
Los Angeles                (Wayne Lordan)
Macduff                       (Rossa Ryan)
Mr Hampstead            (Sean Levey)
Sayedaty Sadaty        (Tom Marquand)
Tabletalk                      (James Doyle)
Voyage                        (Pat Hobbs)