The Epsom Derby, with its top prize of £1m, takes place on Saturday at 4pm.

The favourite, Benvenuto Cellini, looks a solid bet. He stays, appears to have pace and balance and I cannot see Ryan Moore picking any of the other six Ballydoyle runners over him.

If it comes to a dogfight I like Maltese Cross, who has three times been headed and fought back. I see Ancient Egypt running a big race but, at one fifth the odds, those two still do not represent great value.

However, if you like Maltese Cross because he keeps winning then you also have to like 66-1 shot Causeway, a lazy type who has won his past four. It is probably worth checking whether he is declared on Wednesday, but it would not be the biggest surprise to me were he to run a big race.

My horse-by-horse guide to the 2026 Epsom Derby

Action – 16-1

Owner: Mr M Tabor, D. Smith and Mrs John Magnier
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
A Ballydoyle Frankel colt who is one win from six starts. Was only half a length behind French Derby runner-up Hawk Mountain in Futurity last year, so in the unlikely event there is mud underfoot it would not be detrimental to his chances. Solid 2¾ lengths behind Item in Dante, though ostensibly there to set the pace for Christmas Day. Could run well but carries head high and usually finds at least one or more too good.

Alderman – 200-1

Owner: Mrs J Wood 
Trainer: Richard Hannon
Thrice raced maiden who finished 4½ lengths second to former Derby hope Water To Wine at Newbury in a one-mile-three-furlong maiden on last start. Will start at a huge price. In theory no chance but how often do we see a long-priced placed horse in the Derby? Almost annually.

Ancient Egypt – 12-1

Owner: Amo Racing Ltd
Trainer: Charlie Johnston
Amo has twice finished second in the Derby and Johnston also filled that spot last year with Lazy Griff. This £1.1m colt also looks good each-way value. His only defeat came at two when he was well beaten in the Royal Lodge by 2,000 Guineas winner Bow Echo.

There is reason to suspect he was below par that day, but he returned to Newmarket in spring to land the Listed Newmarket Stakes over a mile and a quarter by two lengths. Was 16-1 that day. Should improve for the extra quarter-mile and looked comfortable at Epsom in a gallop round the course last week.

A Taste of Glory – 150-1

Owner: Green Team Racing 
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Last of six in Lingfield behind Derby hopes Maltese Cross and Bay of Brilliance. Owner loves a crack at this race and has a couple of long-priced seconds but it is hard to see this one picking up too much prize money.

Balzac – 150-1

Owner and trainer: Mrs Jane Chapple-Hyam
German-bred colt who looks a bit below the level required to win a Derby, but there’s always a long shot in the money in this race. Was 2¼ lengths behind Maltese Cross on juvenile debut, won on all-weather before finishing third in Epsom and Lingfield trials but 6¾ behind Maltese Cross last time when slow-run race did not help. A bit further at a better gallop might help. Trainer’s ex-husband won it twice.

Bay of Brilliance – 12-1

Owner: Valmont 
Trainer: Ralph Beckett
Wide-margin Redcar novice winner at two in silks that have become pretty familiar in recent seasons, if not quite at this level. A half-brother to Ebor and Cheltenham winner Absurde. If you take his neck defeat by Maltese Cross in the Lingfield trial – first time out this season, as opposed to the winner’s second start – at face value, this colt’s odds are a complete anomaly. If Maltese Cross is 8-1 I am not sure why Bay of Brilliance was 16-1. Makes him a value bet if nothing else. The trainer is no stranger to Classic success with Oaks and St Leger wins.

Benvenuto Cellini – 7-4

Owner: Brant/Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Westerberg 
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Ireland
Named after a 16th-century sculptor, goldsmith and author. Big white-faced chestnut Frankel colt who will be easy to spot coming down Tattenham Hill. Won a Group Two well on third of four starts at two, but then got stuck in the mud in the Futurity. Was 4½-length winner of the Chester Vase so trip no problemo and he looked well balanced. Not sure how instant his gear change is, but the end result was good. Promoted to Derby favourite before Vase and even more worthy of that position, afterwards particularly with Constitution River having gone to France.

Causeway – 66-1

Owner: Mr M Tabor, D Smith and Mrs John Magnier 
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Ireland
Under-the-radar Ballydoyle colt who is the winner of the last four of his five starts. Dam didn’t do much, but is a half-sister to Magical and Rhododendron, so from a good family. Lazy type who would probably have the cheekpieces on if he lined up at Epsom. Was carded to go to Royal Ascot, so must be doing something to change the trainer’s mind.

Christmas Day – 25-1

Owner: Magnier/Tabor/Smith/Westerberg/Brant 
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Ireland
Headline writers would like this one to come in; Christmas Day in June etc. Overturned more fancied stablemate Pierre Bonnard in the Ballysax Stakes but if that was one step forward then Dante was one step back. Made to look a bit vin ordinaire in third behind Item and stablemate Action. Not sure where he is in Ballydoyle pecking order, but not at the top of it.

Endorsement – 66-1

Owner: D Smith, Mrs J Magnier, M, Tabor, Westerberg 
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Ireland
Knocking on the door in a couple of trials this season, half a length behind Christmas Day and then James J Braddock in Ballysax and Cashel Palace – both times as pacemaker. His job would appear to be pretty clear: make it a decent, level gallop for Ballydoyle’s more fancied runners.

Item – 10-3

Owner: Juddmonte 
Trainer: Andrew Balding
A Juddmonte homebred by Frankel who has several things going for him. He looks an uncomplicated ride, he has a nice attitude, he is unbeaten so we have not found his limits yet. The further he went, the better he went in the Dante on his first start of the season, winning with some authority. Trainer’s previous Dante winners did not go on to Epsom glory, Bonfire was sixth, The Foxes was fifth but, 55 years after Mill Reef won for his late father, Ian, Item has a solid chance.

James J Braddock – 10-1

Owner: Mr Kevin Blake Joseph 
Trainer: Patrick O’Brien
A £40,000 yearling owned by a racing pundit and named after the US world heavyweight boxing champion with an iron chin and whose middle name was actually Walter, but took the “J” because two previous champions had it as their middle name. Won a maiden by six lengths on the heavy but improved to beat Pierre Bonnard in his trial and looks like he could improve again for another two furlongs. Trainer won the race twice as a jockey. It is only a matter of time before he wins it as a trainer.

Maltese Cross – 8-1

Owner: Mr George Waud 
Trainer: William Haggas
A £350,000 yearling owned by the producer/director who brought us the 2006 movie Snakes on a Plane, this colt has developed a style of winning which is best summed up as “just”. His three wins from four starts have been by a head, a neck and a neck. Connections will not mind if it is only by an inch that he wins the Derby. He might never be flashy but he seems to get it done and it is hard to know what his limit might be. The last Lingfield Trial winner to go on to Epsom glory was Anthony Van Dyke in 2019 but it also threw up Adayar in 2021.

Pierre Bonnard – 7-1

Owner: Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg 
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Ireland
Named after the French painter who bridged the gap between impressionism and modernism. Smart two-year-old career saw him win the Zetland Stakes and Grand Critérium de Saint-Cloud on the heavy, putting himself in the Derby frame. But equine Pierre Bonnard has been bridging the gap between over-hyped and disappointing this season; well beaten by Christmas Day in the Ballysax, just beaten in the Cashel Palace by James J Braddock. Held in such high esteem by Ballydoyle, I suppose it would not be the biggest surprise if he produced it on the day but is not the stable’s first string now, that’s for sure.

Poker – 100-1

Owner: Amo Racing Limited 
Trainer: KR Burke
Expensive yearling who, thus far, has only helped cement Kia Joorabchian’s reputation as a big spender. It was always going to be a big ask to warrant his initial cost, but it has to be regarded as a disappointment that he is still a maiden after three starts and is looking a bit like 4.3gns’ worth of slow. Should win the odd handicap in due time but Derby looks ambitious.

Proposition – 100-1

Owner: Mrs John Magnier, Mr M Tabor and Mr D Smith 
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien, Ireland
Small colt who won a maiden in the mud at two and carried out pacemaking duties for Benvenuto Cellini in the Chester Vase. Went about 10 lengths clear and collared about a furlong and a half out. Front-runners, if given breathers at the right time, can stay in front for a long way in the Derby but, unlike 2020 Covid winner Serpentine who was 12 lengths clear at one stage in one of the worst Derbies ever run, usually get overhauled late on.

Rebel Rocker – 100-1

Owner: Miss Jennifer Dorey 
Trainer: Faye Bramley
One of the least experienced runners in the field with two runs to date. Not sired by a stayer but dam seems to put stamina into her offspring. Stayed on for second in Epsom trial, he would represent a first runner in the race for Faye Bramley. May improve for further but would appear short on required class at this level. Odds of 100-1 look about right.