2026 race details

The 2026 Derby is scheduled for Saturday 6 June 2026 at Epsom Downs, the Saturday of the two-day Derby Festival.

Detail	Value
Race date	Saturday 6 June 2026
Off time	TBA
Going	TBA
Field size
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

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/ for the most recent Derby result article.

TV coverage and how to watch

The 2026 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 2026 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

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 covers online alternatives if you'd rather place from your phone.