Epsom Derby Past Winners

A Brief History of the Epsom Derby

The Stanley family (or the Earls of Derby) had a deep-rooted love of horse racing, with James Stanley initially instituting the sport on the Langness Peninsula in a race known as the ‘Manx Derby’.

This inspired the Derby, which was inaugurated on Thursday, 4th May 1780. The first-ever race was won by a colt owned by Sir Charles Bunbury, who banked prize money of £1,065.15. The first four iterations were contested over the final mile of the Orbicular course at Epsom, but the race has increased slightly in length over the years.

The Derby has always been held at Epsom apart from two brief periods during both World Wars. Between 1915 and 1918 and 1940 and 1945, the race was run at the similarly iconic Newmarket course.

Throughout history, this race has witnessed incredible drama and some superb performances. The legendary Lester Piggott remains the most successful Derby rider, recording nine wins between 1954 and 1983.

He first triumphed with Never Say Die in 1954 and rode the brilliant Nijinsky to superb effect in 1970. Interestingly, this year saw Nijinsky count his win at Epsom as one of six Group 1 triumphs, as he also prevailed in the Gladness Stakes, 2,000 Guineas, Irish Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and St. Leger Stakes.

The leading Derby trainer is current operator Aidan O’Brien, who has fielded nine winners. These have all come since the turn of the century, including the 2023 victor Auguste Rodin and the outstanding Camelot in 2012.

The Most Recent Epsom Derby Winners

As the Derby is only open to three-year-old fillies and colts, no runner has ever recorded consecutive victories in the race. So, the last ten races have all produced a different winner, including Auguste Rodin last time out.

Five of the previous ten Epsom Derby winners have been trained by the O’Brien, while Charlie Appleby has fielded two victorious runners during the same period. Ten different jockeys have triumphed since 2014, including Joseph O’Brien, William Buick, Frankie Dettori and Ryan Moore.

Overall, Ryan Moore remains the most successful jockey since the turn of the century, riding his way to three wins and eight placed finishes from just 18 outings. He also enjoys a prosperous partnership with the O’Brien stable.

What are the Most Popular Epsom Derby Betting Markets?

Parimatch publishes highly competitive Epsom Derby odds while offering a diverse selection of wager types and betting markets. But what are the most popular Derby betting markets, and how are they usually priced?

• Race Winner: This is always the most popular horse racing betting market and undoubtedly the most straightforward. Simply place a back bet on the horse that you think will win based on your analysis of the form, conditions, and past performances at Epsom. We’d also recommend backing favoured runners as early as possible, as this unlocks the highest value and most competitive prices.
• Each-Way Bets: With an each-way runner, you can back a fancied runner to both win and place simultaneously. This requires you to split your stake amount between these two potential outcomes. While you’ll receive a reduced payout if your runner wins, you can also bank incremental payouts if they place second, third or fourth.
• Place Bets: Place bets are similar to each-way wagers, but only back runners to finish in one of several designated places. Usually, this means backing a horse to finish in the top two, three or four, although this number may vary depending on any promotions that may be in play when you place your wager. You may typically initiate several place bets ahead of the Epsom Derby and similar races.

Derby Insights – How to Pick a Winner at Epsom

Before we go, we thought we’d also highlight some interesting insights from the most recent Epsom Derby renewals and the winning runners. This may help you to pick future winners or at least identify the best value odds and markets:

• Favourites Don’t Always Win in the Derby: In the 20 Derbies between 2003 and 2023, the starting favourite only prevailed on seven occasions. Just three favourites triumphed between 2014 and 2023, while the latter race saw 4/1 front-runner Arrest place 10th in a field of 14. This reflects the typically competitive nature of the Derby field, so analyse all the odds carefully before making your selections.
• The Highest Price Winner Since 2003 Had Odds of 40/1: ‘Wing of Eagles’ was one of six Aidan O’Brien entries in the 2017 Derby and the least fancied among his stablemates. However, he ultimately prevailed at odds of 40/1, with this the biggest price of any Derby winner since 2000. This creates a range of starting odds to select potential winners and create a viable betting strategy while highlighting that surprise results occur at Epsom.
• All Winners Since 2003 Have Achieved an RPR of 87+ in Their Previous Race: Between 2003 and 2023, all Derby winners had achieved an RPR of 87 or higher during their previous race. The RPR (Racing Post Ratings) are based on a runner’s ability in relation to their weight carried, and a number above 100 is excellent. Keep your eye on this when picking a potential Derby winner, especially when comparing seemingly runners who are otherwise evenly matched.

Whoever you choose to back in the Epsom Derby, it’s crucial that you gamble responsibly and within your means. To help you, we’ve created our own Safer Gambling Portal, which includes tools such as deposit limits and provides guidance on how to manage your betting activity.