Benvenuto Cellini and Item: Two Frankel colts in the Derby

Final field and draw details for Betfred Derby at Epsom

Horse Racing

Wed June 03, 2026 · 5 min ago

The field of runners and stalls positions have been determined for Saturday’s Betfred Derby, with 14 colts in contention.

The decision was made to bring the declarations forward another 24 hours from the standard Thursday morning slot in a bid to heighten engagement and interest in the Epsom Classic, part of a wider review which also sees a boost to the prize-money and alteration to the Saturday race programme.

The Derby is due off at 16:00 on Saturday afternoon and Aidan O’Brien, who has won the race 11 times in the past including the three most recent renewals, is set to be four-strong this time around.

Heading the Ballydoyle challenge is Chester Vase winner Benvenuto Cellini who will break from stall 12.

Pierre Bonnard has been the subject of market support in recent days and he will emerge from gate 8, while the other O’Brien runners to be declared are Action and Christmas Day, who have stalls 11 and 5 respectively.

Causeway, Endorsement and Proposition were taken out on Thursday.

Best of the home team, according to the market at least, is the Andrew Balding-trained Juddmonte star Item, who won the Dante Stakes at York and has been handed stall 3.

William Haggas’s Maltese Cross gets the inside gate in 1, while Ralph Beckett’s Bay Of Brilliance, the horse he beat narrowly in the Lingfield trial, will come from stall 9.

Ancient Egypt (10), Alderman (6), A Taste Of Glory (7), Balzac (2), Poker (4), Rebel Rocker (14) and the Joseph O’Brien-trained Leopardstown winner James J Braddock (13) complete the line-up.

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Betfred Derby final field (and draw TBC)

1. Action TBC (Stall: 11)

2. Alderman Pat Dobbs (Stall: 6)

3. Ancient Egypt David Egan (Stall: 10)

4. A Taste Of Glory Jamie Spencer (Stall: 7)

5. Balzac Silvestre de Sousa (Stall: 2)

6. Bay Of Brilliance Hector Crouch (Stall: 9)

7. Benvenuto Cellini TBC (Stall: 12)

8. Christmas Day TBC (Stall: 8)

9. Item Colin Keane (Stall: 3)

10. James J Braddock Dylan Browne McMonagle (Stall: 13)

11. Maltese Cross Tom Marquand (Stall: 1)

12. Pierre Bonnard TBC (Stall: 8)

13. Poker Rowan Scott (Stall: 4)

14. Rebel Rocker Rob Hornby (Stall: 14)

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