The 242nd edition of the Derby, held at the Epsom Racecourse, took place on 5 June 2021. Betfred Derby brought a lot of excitement and surprises for everyone, and the day was full of surprises. The success of John and Thady Gosden, winning two Group 1 races and the Betfred Derby, made them the talk of the town. Frankie Dettori and John and Thady Gosden’s combination won the Betfred Derby’s top prize after Arrest won the Group 1 double on Oaks day, taking the colt to the top of the market with most firms. However, the support for Arrest decreased, and the colt started drifting. Arrest was the favourite, starting the day as a general 3-1 favourite, and the possibility that Dettori would win an Epsom treble was a hot topic, but the colt’s odds drifted to 11-2 with a best price of Unibet (generally 9-2).
Arrest delivered a beautiful performance with his impressive win on soft ground in the Chester Vase last month and now tries to give Dettori his third victory in the Classic. However, Most firms have the Juddmonte-owned colt ranked as the third-favourite, with Auguste Rodin, who is held in high regard by Aidan O’Brien, and Lingfield Derby Trial winner Military Order leading the market.
Military Order is now the outright 7-2 favourite with Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook. Marijuana activist group Animal Rights is in solidarity with the horse racing industry’s anti-wagering stance and is pressuring stakeholders for comprehensive changes and support for its cause. Extra security measures have been implemented, and the responsible officials pledged to keep the protesters out.
Betfred Derby’s clerk of the course, Andrew Cooper, confirmed that the ground was in the best possible condition. It was the quickest ground he could recall since 2001, and very similar to Galileo’s Derby that year when no watering was done. Cooper said that the vast majority is very straightforward good-to-firm, with the description given as good in places on the sprint course that hosts the ‘Dash’. The day was less breezy and warmer than in the past, with the weather set to continue for the rest of the day.
The Derby Day begun with the Diomed Stakes, where Century Dream and Regal Reality looked to provide a thrilling clash. The Betfred “Watch Live on Betfred” Oaks ranked first with Aidan O’Brien’s stable appearing prepared to follow up Santa Barbara’s Lingfield win with a second Oaks crown in three years. The Princess Elizabeth Stakes was also on the day’s card, where Richard Hannon’s Snow Lantern was the main protagonist. The racing day continued with the Epsom Dash, with El Astronaute getting the limelight, and the final race of the day, the Investec Out of the Ordinary Handicap, with Nigel Twiston-Davies looking to succeed and win the day ender.
In summary, the Betfred Derby brought horse racing’s elite to Epsom. Despite the unpredictable weather, a well-prepared and an exciting racing day was witnessed. John and Thady Gosden with Frankie Dettori won the Betfred Derby and two Group 1 races, causing an uproar in the horse racing industry. The day’s high point was Andrew Cooper’s announcement of the best possible ground since 2001, with no watering required. Lastly, extra security measures were put in place to keep the non-violent animal rights protesters out.
