# The Derby 2027: Racetimes, TV Coverage & Raceday Guide _The Derby at Epsom Downs — the original classic, the ultimate test for 3-year-old colts. Race times, ITV coverage, course notes and how to follow the runners on Derby Day._ *Source: [https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/derby/](https://stablebet.co.uk/racing-news/derby/) · last updated 2026-08-23* # The Derby 2027 The **Derby** at Epsom Downs is the original classic — first run in 1780 and the race that gave its name to every other "Derby" in world sport. One-and-a-half miles on Epsom's unique undulating, camber-shifting, left-handed course — the most physically demanding test on the British flat calendar and the ultimate championship for 3-year-old colts. Run on the **Saturday of the Derby Festival** each June (a two-day meeting with the Oaks on Friday and the Derby on Saturday), it's one of the five British Classics alongside the 2000 Guineas, 1000 Guineas, Oaks and St Leger. Winner gets a share of the £1.5m prize fund and their name engraved on the trophy first lifted in 1780. For the **2027 edition**, the scheduled raceday is **Saturday 5 June 2027**. Declared runners, going update and off-time are published on the morning of the race — this page updates automatically as each detail is confirmed. ## At a glance - **Course**: Epsom Downs (left-handed, undulating, 1m 4f classic course) - **Distance**: 1 mile 4 furlongs 6 yards - **Grade**: Group 1 (Classic) - **Prize fund**: ~£1.5m, winner takes ~£850,000 - **Broadcast**: ITV1 (free-to-air UK) - **First run**: 1780 Epsom's course is the strangest in British flat racing — the track climbs, swings left at Tattenham Corner with significant camber, then runs downhill to the line. Stamina + handling ability + class; the Derby demands all three. Read on for the 2027 race details, history, how to watch, and a full Derby Day guide. ## 2027 race details # 2027 race details The 2027 Derby is scheduled for **Saturday 5 June 2027** at Epsom Downs, the Saturday of the two-day Derby Festival. | Detail | Value | |---|---| | **Race date** | Saturday 5 June 2027 | | **Off time** | TBA | | **Going** | TBA | | **Field size** | TBA | | **Distance** | 1 mile 4 furlongs 6 yards | | **Grade** | Group 1 (Classic) | | **Prize fund** | ~£1.5m | ### Trials and build-up The road to the Derby runs through three classic trials: - **Dante Stakes** (York, mid-May) — the most reliable Derby trial of the modern era. Dante winners have gone on to win the Derby repeatedly (Motivator 2005, Desert Crown 2022). - **Chester Vase** (Chester May Festival, early May) — 1m 4½f around the tight Roodee. Chester form translates well because both courses have camber and bend. - **Lingfield Derby Trial** (Lingfield, early May) — run on Epsom-like gradient/camber profile; a direct prep for horses who need the specific Epsom experience. Five-day entries close around 1 June. Final declarations (48-hour) are on the Thursday of race week. This page reflects the confirmed declared runners once they're posted. ### Ante-post markets Derby ante-post books open in the winter, firm up through the Guineas Festival (early May) and settle after the Dante (mid-May). Guineas winners who drop back (or extend) to 1m 4f often feature — City of Troy (2024) is the modern template. Each-way value tends to be strongest at 10/1–20/1 after the Dante and before the Derby declarations. ## History and notable winners # History and notable winners The Derby was first run in **1780**, founded by the **12th Earl of Derby** and the **4th Baronet Bunbury** — according to legend, the two tossed a coin to decide whose name the race would carry, and Lord Derby won. The race has been run every year since (bar wartime gaps and the 1918 move to Newmarket's July Course during WWI). It's the older and more prestigious of the two great 1m 4f classics — the Irish Derby (Curragh, late June) was founded in 1866 as Ireland's counterpart. ### The legends **Shergar** (1981) won the Derby by **ten lengths** — still the record winning margin. His subsequent kidnapping in 1983 remains the most famous unsolved crime in British racing history. **Sea The Stars** (2009) was the one-season wonder that redefined what a classic 3yo could be — 2000 Guineas + Derby + Eclipse + Juddmonte + Irish Champion + Arc, unbeaten in all six at 3. His Derby was the most stylish of the modern era. **Galileo** (2001) became the most influential stallion of the 21st century — his Derby win over Fantastic Light launched a career at stud that produced Frankel, New Approach and countless Group 1 winners. **Golden Horn** (2015) and **Masar** (2018) are modern examples of the Dante-Derby template — progressive 3yo, first Group 1 at York, confirmed at Epsom. **Workforce** (2010) won the Derby and Arc in the same year — unusual because the Derby demands stamina with handling, while the Arc demands pure stamina. Only a handful of horses have pulled off both. **City of Troy** (2024) — Aidan O'Brien — gave Ballydoyle its ninth Derby win, a modern record. O'Brien's dominance of the Derby in the 21st century (Galileo 2001, High Chaparral 2002, Camelot 2012, Ruler of the World 2013, Australia 2014, Wings of Eagles 2017, Anthony Van Dyck 2019, Serpentine 2020, Auguste Rodin 2023, City of Troy 2024) is unparalleled. ### What wins the Derby Epsom's 1m 4f classic course rewards: - **Genuine 1m 4f stamina** — the uphill finish after Tattenham Corner catches out horses who don't truly stay - **Balance + adaptability** — Epsom's camber on the turn is fiercer than any other British track; horses without balance get pushed wide - **Class** — Group 1 form at 3 over 1m 2f or 1m 4f is the prerequisite - **Guineas pedigree** — a strong Guineas performance (win or close second) transfers to the Derby distance surprisingly often ### Recent roll of honour *This section updates after each year's running — see [/racing-news/](/racing-news/) for the most recent Derby result article.* ## TV coverage and how to watch # TV coverage and how to watch The 2027 Derby is live on **ITV1** (free-to-air in the UK). ### UK terrestrial — ITV1 / ITVX ITV Racing's Derby Day coverage typically runs **from 12:30pm** on Derby Saturday, carrying all seven races from Epsom plus cross-course action from Musselburgh or Newmarket. The Derby itself is the flagship race, usually off around **4:30pm**; the exact off-time for 2027 is **TBA** once confirmed. ITVX carries the coverage live and on demand after the event, free to UK viewers. The Derby broadcast regularly attracts over 2 million UK viewers. ### Racing TV **Racing TV** carries the full two-day Derby Festival (Friday Oaks + Saturday Derby, 14 races total) with extensive pre- and post-race analysis. For ante-post and form-analysis detail, Racing TV is the richer feed. Subscription or day-pass required. ### Sky Sports Racing Sky Sports Racing does **not** hold rights to the Derby Festival — Epsom is on Racing TV and ITV on this weekend. Sky Sports Racing will show the other Saturday fixtures complementing Epsom (typically Chester or Nottingham). ### International - **Ireland**: Racing TV (via UPC / Sky Ireland) or ITV if local rights apply. - **US**: NBC Sports occasionally carries the Derby with US commentary; Racing TV's American feed for the full meeting. - **Australia**: Sky Thoroughbred Central carries selected UK flat classics. - **Japan**: JRA Green Channel with Japanese commentary (Japanese horses have entered the Derby in recent years). ### Replays ITVX (free) and Racing TV (subscriber archive) keep the race available on-demand. The Racing Post, ITV Racing and Epsom's official YouTube channels post the Derby video within hours of the result. ### Off-time reminders Derby Day has tight TV schedule discipline — the Derby off-time is published months in advance and rarely moves. Expect the advertised **TBA** to shift by no more than 1–2 minutes unless a stewards' delay intervenes. ## Derby Day at Epsom # Derby Day at Epsom ### Getting there Epsom Downs Racecourse is at **Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5LQ** — on the North Downs, 15 miles south-west of central London. Three stations within walking distance: **Epsom Downs** (Southern, closest to the course, 5-minute walk), **Tattenham Corner** (Southern, at the course's southern end), **Epsom** (town centre, 25-minute walk). Drivers: A24 from the M25 (Junction 9). Derby Day traffic is heavy — arrive before 10am or face queues. Free parking on the Downs; premium parking (on the Hill, closer to the stands) paid. ### The enclosures Four tickets for Derby Day: - **Queen's Stand** — the premier enclosure with the best views, parade ring access, hospitality options. Dress code applies. - **Duchess's Stand** — main grandstand with excellent rail views. - **Tattenham Enclosure** — iconic location overlooking Tattenham Corner (where the runners swing into the straight). Budget option with standing room on the Hill. - **The Hill** — free access, picnic-style, directly across from the stands with big-screen viewing. The traditional Derby Day "people's enclosure." Derby Day tickets sell out earlier each year — book by late April through epsomdowns.thejockeyclub.co.uk. ### On the day - **Gates open** around 10:00am. - **First race** is usually 1:30pm. - **The Derby** is race 4 or 5 on the card, typically off around **TBA**. - Parade ring is packed 30 minutes before the Derby — get in position early. - **The Hill**: Epsom's unique free-access Downs area is a Derby Day tradition. Picnic blankets, open-top buses, and the whole of South London seem to turn up. The famous "People's Derby" atmosphere is on the Hill, not in the stands. ### Dress code **Queen's Stand**: morning dress or formal lounge suits for men; day dress + hat for women. Strictly enforced. **Duchess's Stand**: smart-casual (jacket + shirt for men recommended). **Tattenham / Hill**: no dress code. Derby-Day fashion is a tradition but not mandatory. ### Food and drink Hospitality packages in Queen's Stand (Turf Club, Jubilee Suite etc.) are premium-tier. Duchess's Stand and Tattenham have food stalls and bars. The Hill is bring-your-own picnic — that's the tradition. ### Betting Tote facilities and on-course bookmakers across all enclosures. ATMs on-site but expect queues — Derby Day is one of the top-three betting days of the British flat year. Bring cash for the rails. Our [bookmaker comparison guide](/bookmakers/) covers online alternatives if you'd rather place from your phone. ## Sources & verification Race details, dates, prize money and trends in this piece were cross-checked against: - [Wikipedia — Epsom Derby](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsom_Derby) - [Epsom Downs Racecourse — official site](https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/epsom-downs/) - [Racing Post — Derby Festival](https://www.racingpost.com/news/festivals/epsom-derby/) [Source: cross-referenced as of the lastUpdated date in this article's meta.yaml.]