Delacroix serves as the mount for jockey Ryan Moore in a field of nineteen horses for the Epsom Classic race.
In the upcoming 2025 Betfred Derby, The Lion In Winter, once a odds-on favorite, faces a challenge on its comeback at Epsom. With a wider draw than many rivals at stall 19, it'll be an uphill battle to bounce back from a Dante Stakes defeat, especially since Ryan Moore has chosen Delacroix as his mount instead.
Aidan O'Brien, the colt's trainer, has three horses entered in the Derby: The Lion In Winter, Delacroix, and Lambourn, who will be ridden by Colin Keane, Wayne Lordan, and Ryan Moore, respectively. Stablemate Delacroix is stationed in stall 14, while Lambourn is stationed in stall 10.
Charlie Appleby's Ruling Court, the 2000 Guineas winner, lines up in stall 7. With the addition of 72-hour declarations, the race builds more anticipation, marking the first time this has ever been implemented.
Godolphin blue will see two runners: their 2000 Guineas fourth-place finisher, Tornado Alert (11), and Ralph Beckett's Pride Of Arras, who's unbeaten and arrives from a smooth Dante Stakes win, widely drawn in stall 16.
John and Thady Gosden have strong chances with Damysus (15) and Nightwalker (5) who finished second and fifth in the Dante. French competitors hail from two stables: Midak (4) for Francis-Henri Graffard and New Ground (17) for Henri-Francois Devin. Both horses are supplemented for the race on Monday.
Charlie Johnston enters Lazy Griff (3) and Green Storm (8). Al Wasl Storm (13), Nightime Dancer (9), Rogue Impact (1), Sea Scout (18), Tennessee Stud (12), and Tuscan Hills (6) complete the list.
Epsom's clerk of the course, Andrew Cooper, anticipates the ground to ride on the easy side of good for the Derby weekend, with more rain potentially on the way. However, he warns that the conditions could change rapidly on race day.
The 2021 race details for "The Lion In Winter" are not available in the current sources, as no draw or jockey information has been published for that year's running. It's possible the horse did not participate in the 2021 Derby. The information provided here pertains only to the 2025 running.
Horse-racing will see intriguing competition in the 2025 Betfred Derby, as racing enthusiasts brace for a thrilling experience. Aidan O'Brien's Delacroix, riding in stall 14, and Charlie Appleby's Ruling Court, lined up in stall 7, could provide exciting horse-racing action, given their respective performances in prior races.
