“Misty Downs” (CC BY 2.0) by ubrennah
Since the start of 2022, horse racing in the UK has focused chiefly on the National Hunt format. We’ve seen some key meetings taking place including the Cheltenham Festival while the Aintree Grand National produced its regular share of drama at the beginning of April.
Moving forward, flat racing will now take over for a period and there are some world class group ones in prospect. The most prestigious of these is the Epsom Derby, the biggest of the five classics, which has been held since 1780.
This ancient event welcomes racegoers back onto the Epsom Downs course while TV viewers and the wider betting community will be waiting for the off with high anticipation. Who will win the 2022 edition of the Derby? Here’s a list of the key runners and riders together with all the details you need to know for this year’s renewal.
Dates for the Diary
There have been many changes to the scheduling of the Epsom Derby over the years. For some time it was a midweek event but in recent times it has shifted to the first Saturday in June.
That theme has been kept for 2022 and this year’s event will go off on Saturday June 4th.
The Derby is a flat race for thoroughbreds which takes place over one mile, four furlongs and six yards of the Epsom Downs course. The race is for three year olds only and there is a set weight of 9 stone, with allowances in places.
With a prize purse reaching an impressive £1,125 million (GBP) in 2021, a strong field is always guaranteed but who is in the frame for the 2022 renewal?
The Runners and Riders
With just under two months left until the 2022 Epsom Derby gets underway, the current list of declared horses may be subject to change. Anyone looking to find a winner should therefore check news updates just in case there are any withdrawals.
At this early stage, the sportsbooks do appear to have identified a clear favourite. According to the best horse racing betting sites as sourced by sbo.net, Luxembourg is out in front and some way ahead of the chasing pack.
Behind the market leader, a number of horses are battling for the right to be second favourite. Reach for the Moon, Point Lonsdale and Native Trail are all available at similar odds.
With some time left before the runners assemble, there can be changes in the market and one or two of those horses could potentially drop out. As the weeks’ progress, Sbo.net will monitor the figures from their panel of bookmakers and update readers on the latest market changes.
Visitors to the website can assess those new odds while checking out breaking news stories and blog posts relating to the world of horse racing. It’s also possible to take that knowledge a stage further and anyone wanting to stake in the markets will be able to do so.
Each of the sportsbooks referenced within the pages of this site are ready to take on new customers. Following a quick and secure sign up process, there is likely to be a welcome offer to take advantage of.
Once verification has been completed, a range of funding methods is in place to get the account moving. Effective customer service can guide players through the process while mobile betting, live streaming and a choice of other sports are among the benefits moving forward.
It’s an ideal betting partner for horse racing but who will win the 2022 edition of the Epsom Derby?
The Favourites Assessed
We’ve seen that Luxembourg is a hot favourite to take the 2022 Epsom Derby but why is the horse so far clear of its rivals? Trained by AP O’Brien, this three-year-old colt has featured in three career races so far and has won on every single occasion.
While that may be a small sample size, it’s a seriously strong return and one that underlines why Luxembourg is at the top of the tree.
From the horses among the chasing pack, Native Trail may well be a solid contender. Interestingly, Native Trail is currently the favourite, ahead of Luxembourg, for the 2000 Guineas at the end of April.
Native Trail is also undefeated but, with five career outings under his belt, his record is even more impressive.
It may all come down to a fight between these two horses. 100% records are on the line here and something has to give. As the better sprinter of the two, Native Trail may be a sound option in the 2000 Guineas while Luxembourg may have the better chance in the slightly longer Epsom Derby.