Dave Massey enjoyed a winning day yesterday at Epsom on Oaks Day, and is back to look at the best bets ahead of Derby Day on The Downs. Read his exclusive preview for kwiff below.
Dave Massey’s Huge Derby Day 2025 Preview
Derby Day 2025: Mademoiselle (2.10) – NAP
I’m quite keen on the chances of Mademoiselle here. I liked her physically at two but she just needed time to grow into her frame, and she did that well in the second half of the year, winning decent novices at Thirsk and Southwell. She might have had a small issue, given her season ended fairly abruptly in August, or maybe they knew they had a well handicapped one for this year and just decided to put her away and give her time to strengthen up.
Either way, her excellent second to Ruby’s Profit on her reappearance at Goodwood not only signified she’s trained on, but handled a downhill track well in the process. She’s yet to tackle soft ground but as a daughter of Blue Point I’d say there’s a fair chance she’ll go on it, and indeed might even improve again for it.
Derby Day 2025: Ruling Court (3.30) – Take On
Let’s try and get Ruling Court out of the frame in the Derby. The 2000 Guineas winner has had his Newmarket win franked in some fashion by Field Of Gold since, but this isn’t about whether his form is good enough – it clearly is, but whether, by 3:30pm on Saturday on ground likely to be riding soft by this point, whether he’ll stay. And if William Buick knows he’s done at the furlong pole, how hard is he going to be on him, with other targets this summer on the agenda? Sire Justify, for all he’s got City Of Troy in the bag, seems to produce 1m-10f horses in the main, and I can see him drifting on the day. I’d be happy to lay him three places at 2.4 and under.
Derby Day 2025: Best Each Way Bets (5:40)
I like a couple in the last, as we’ll surely have had plenty of rain by now, and that leads me to Eye Of Dubai (5.40), trained by the Quinns, who had the winner of this with Mr Wagyu Three runnings ago. A very consistent sort in the main, his record on ground good to soft or slower according to Timeform reads 221331331, which would lead you to think he’s a cracking each-way bet here as long as that rain has fallen.
Better still, he’s drawn next to likely pace angle Get it, who normally blasts off in front, and whilst Get It does have a bit of form with cut in the ground, his best efforts have come on top of the ground. Eye Of Dubai should get a great tow into this then, and get first crack at the pacemaker. But the each-way selection, again assuming the rain has hit hard, is Solar Aclaim (5.40), who needs it properly deep but was only a length behind Eye Of Dubai on his first start for Julie Camacho at Doncaster in November.
Forget his run on the all-weather in April, he’s not an all-weather horse and that was merely a run to keep him on the go; these conditions should be much more his thing, his full Timeform record on soft or slower reading 12113634, and there are more races to be won with him under the care of Camacho this season.
By Dave Massey
Please note that the information provided in this Derby Day 2025 tips article is for entertainment purposes only. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided. Any action you take upon the information on this article is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any losses and damages in connection with the use of our article. We do not encourage gambling and remind you to gamble responsibly.
18+ | BeGambleAware.org
