Potential Outsiders for the 2023 Derby

As the big National Hunt races come to a close, attention now switches to a highly anticipated series of flat meetings. The event which will inevitably grab most of the media headlines takes in the Epsom Derby.

Saturday June 3rd is the date this year and, while there are some strongly fancied horses in contention, there are some possible outsiders who can come through to cause an upset.
Clear Leader

"Epsom Racecourse" (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) by diamond geezer

Every Epsom Derby has a favourite, but this year’s highest ranked runner is at shorter odds than most. Auguste Rodin leads the pack and is available ahead of the race at just 2/1.

Those looking to place horse bets on this prestigious flat race will then find a gap to the chasing pack which is led by Imperial Emperor at 10/1. The market continues through Flying Honours at 16/1 and Silver Knott at 20/1, but they may have their work cut out to catch the favourite.

Auguste Rodin has won three of his four previous outings on the flat. The other race yielded a second place finish, so there’s clearly some form and momentum coming into the Derby. That runners up slot came on his maiden run, so Auguste Rodin has three wins in succession, most recently at Doncaster in October.

It’s an exceptional record, but will there be a genuine challenge from within the chasing pack?

Tied in Knotts

There is some interest in Silver Knott in the lead up to the race. With six outings to date, this is a horse with relatively good experience. His record is mixed with three wins, but this contender has yet to finish outside of the top four.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, those three wins include success at Newmarket last October. While that form guide shows some inconsistencies, there should be interest here among each way backers at the very least.

Going the Extra Mile

"Sea The Stars’ Derby" (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) by CharlesFred

After some debate, trainer Charlie Johnston has confirmed that his Dubai Mile horse will be lining up for the Epsom Derby. This is another outsider option, but Dubai Mile has already impressed with a win in the Group 1 French race, the Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

There has been talk over a potential Breeders Cup entry, but the focus is on Epsom for now.

Dubai Mile has three wins and a second place from his last four outings and his form suggests a possible chance at the Derby in June.

You Need Hans

Another horse with a mixed record is Hans Andersen. Another Aidan O’Brien runner, this three-year-old won in his last outing at Leopardstown in April. Hans Andersen now has two wins and two second place finishes in the last 12 months.

The horse was piloted by Ryan Moore last time out, but this top jockey is set to switch to the favourite Auguste Rodin.

The statistics tell us that Auguste Rodin has that consistent run of wins. Form among the chasing pack is mixed by comparison, but there are some genuine threats, and the 2023 Epsom Derby is far from a foregone conclusion.