Twenty colts, including a £75,000 supplementary entry and 10 trained in Ireland, remain in the running for the 2024 Derby at Epsom on Saturday after Monday’s five-day declaration stage, and Aidan O’Brien’s City Of Troy, beaten at odds-on in the 2,000 Guineas earlier this month, still heads the betting at about 9-4. The memory of the favourite’s dismal showing at Newmarket, however, may persuade many backers to hunt for a viable each-way alternative, and the good news for value-seekers is that there will be a long list of dark horses and live outsiders to consider.
There have been many Derbys in the past that revolved around one horse and one performance, but the performance in question has tended to be an impressive success, in the Guineas or one of the traditional Epsom trials. To back the favourite for the 2024 edition, however, punters need to forgive a blowout, which for betting purposes at least should make for a fascinating contest.
