1) Golden Horn (2015) - My 5th Derby, John Gosden's son of Cape Cross went into Epsom with an unbeaten record and duly put subsequent Irish Derby hero Jack Hobbs in his place on a boiling June afternoon. Victory in the Eclipse was followed up by a surprise defeat in the International before winning his 3rd Group 1 in the Irish Champion Stakes. I was at Longchamp to see Frankie's masterclass on the Derby winner when he claimed the Arc from the front in one of the greatest performances in the history of the race. Defeat at the hands of the following year's Arc winner Found at the Breeders Cup on soft ground did little to dampen the great colt's legacy and he goes down as the best Derby winner since Sea The Stars.
2) City of Troy (2024) - Aiden O'Brien had sent out many a Derby winner before City of Troy came around but from the moment he bolted up in the Superlative Stakes in 2023 there was an air of something new around the stunning son of Justify. I saw the flashy colt hack up in the Dewhurst that Autumn and we went into the winter thinking we could well finally have a triple crown winner to look forward to. Things went to pieces in the Guineas but just as 12 months before the star colt in Ballydoyle bounced back to form to win the Derby with a classy run from the rear. It maybe wasn't the best Derby ever run but he backed up this victory by winning the Eclipse on softer ground than was ideal. But it was his outstanding track-record setting win in the International that he will probably be best remembered for. A stacked field lined up at York but City of Troy led all the way to see off the mighty Calandagan by a length with the subsequent Arc winner Bluestocking a further 7 lengths behind. It's a shame he didn't run again in Europe as I still believe we never quite got to see the best of him.
3) Auguste Rodin (2023) - Another Coolmore colt who spent the winter as favourite for Epsom. Bred to be a superstar being by Japanese legend Deep Impact and Locking Stakes winner Rhododendron (also 2nd to Enable in the Oaks), Auguste Rodin was already a Group 1 winner when he lined up for the Guineas. Disaster struck at Newmarket but the stunning looking champion put up a stellar display in the Derby, producing a withering run down the outside to mow down King Of Steel. It was a good running of the Epsom classic; Arrest (10th) would go on to finish 2nd in the St Leger, Waipiro (6th) won the Hampton Court Stakes on his next start, White Birch (3rd) won the following year's Tattersalls Gold Cup and King Of Steel won the Champion Stakes that season. Auguste Rodin would continue to throw in shockers on occasion but did go on to win the Irish Champion Stakes and the following year's Prince of Wales's Stakes. It was his outstanding win in the Breeders Cup Turf at the end of his 3 year old career that will go down as his most memorable performance though. He cemented himself as a proper champion that day. He never shone at Ascot but he ended his career by going down a neck in the 2024 Irish Champion Stakes trying to concede 6 pounds to Economics, showing he held his class throughout 3 seasons, claiming a group 1 at 2, 3 and 4.
4) Australia (2014) - The 2014 Derby winner was certainly bred to to the job being by Derby winner Galileo and Oaks winner Ouija Board and duly got to business early by winning a Group 3 as a 2 year old, slamming future Group 1 winner Free Eagle by 6 lengths at Leopardstown. The chestnut colt didn't run again until the Guineas but still started just 5/2 and ran a stormer to finish 3rd to Night of Thunder and generational talent Kingman. After being beaten less than a length in one of the 21st Century's best Classics, the latest Ballydoyle goliath was hammered off the boards for Epsom and ran out a ready winner from subsequent St Leger winner Kingston Hill. Future Champion Stakes winner Fascinating Rock was back in 8th. Australia would be Joseph O'Brien's last Derby winner in the saddle but he did go on to land the Derby double by winning at the Curragh and then put up a fantastic display to win the International at York from The Grey Gatsby. It was one of the best performances in the race and although the runner up got revenge in the Irish Champion Stakes, that runner benefitted from a Ryan Moore masterclass and Australia perhaps wasn't at his best that day. Injury would rush the magnificently bred Classic winner into he breeding sheds where he would go on to sire a future Derby winner but he left us feeling that we hadn't had the chance to see the best of him and goes down as another 'what could have been' Derby hero.
5) Adayar (2021) - The 2021 Derby was run with a limited crowd; I was lucky enough to be on course and was able to see a surprise winner who went on to prove himself an above average one. Adayar was the first Derby winner sired by Frankel and the towering colt went into the race with a strange profile for a Classic winner being that he'd twice finished runner up in recognised trials at Sandown and Lingfield. A 16/1 shot for Epsom glory under Adam Kirby, Adayar burst up the inside rail to run out a ready 4 1/2 length winner from the classy Mojo Star and Irish Derby/St Leger hero Hurricane Lane (unlucky not to win the Arc). It was a good Derby as even the well beaten favourite Bolshoi Ballet would win 2 Grade 1s in America. Godolphin's colt would go on to become the first Derby winner since Galileo to follow up in the King George when defeating the brilliant Mishriff by 1 3/4 lengths at Ascot with Oaks hero Love back in 3rd. Adayar ran a cracker on his next start to finish 4th in the Arc after looking the winner 2 furlongs out, perhaps the lack of a prep run and the soft ground cost him victory that day. Injury would stop him from repeating his form over the next couple of seasons but he did nearly win the 2022 Champion Stakes. His brilliant win at Epsom and classy performance in the King George against his elders marks him as a good Derby winner.
6) Camelot (2012) - Camelot was a champion 2 year old who claimed Group 1 glory at Doncaster on only his 2nd start. He started favourite and duly delivered in the Guineas before bolting up in the Derby at Epsom to provide Joseph O'Brien with his first Derby win in the saddle. Dreams of Triple Crown glory were alit for the son of Montjeu and after completing the Derby double at the Curragh on his next start he was sent back to Doncaster in search of immortality. A poor ride from Joseph probably cost Camelot the Triple Crown although the trainer blamed himself for not running a pace maker. Enke was the winner at Doncaster and never repeated that form afterwards for his disgraced trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni. Camelot would nonetheless start 2/1 favourite for the Arc on his first run against older opposition but he probably left his run behind in Yorkshire and he could only finish 7th behind Solemia. Camelot would gain a win as a 4 year old on his seasonal debut in a Group 3 but was beaten when long odds on in the Tattersalls Gold Cup by Al Kazeem and was once again behind that rival in the Prince of Wales Stakes. Injury curtailed his career thereafter but he has since gone on to gain much success in the breeding sheds, producing not only an Arc winner but a Derby winner himself. Camelot would go down as a decent Derby winner but failure to win an all-aged Group 1 marks him down as somewhat of a disappointment.
7) Desert Crown (2022) - It's a challenge to rank Sir Michael Stoute's last Derby winner. The son of Nathaniel won on his only start as a 2 year old when bolting up by over 5 lengths at Nottingham in November 2021 and duly built on that to run out a ready winner of the Dante on only his 2nd start. Despite only 2 runs the mount of Richard Kingscote started 5/2 favourite for Epsom and put in in one of the Derby's best ever performances by swinging on the bridle while others were in trouble and sprinting away up the home straight to win as he liked. It was one of the most memorable Derby winning performances of all time and the form stacked up too with the 3rd placed Westover hacking up in the Irish Derby as well as nearly winning an Arc later in his career. Injury curtailed the rest of Desert Crown's season and although he did make the track one last time when finishing 2nd in the 2023 Brigadier Gerard to the brilliant Hukum, he wasn't anywhere near fit that day and unfortunately died later that year. Such a short career means it's hard to say how he will be remembered but the awesome display he put up on that glorious sunny day at Epsom in June means he must go down as a good Derby winner who was robbed of future glories.
8) Anthony Van Dyck (2019) - Seamie Heffernan's Derby winner is probably the first on this list who I'd mark down as an average winner. A group 3 and group 2 winner as a juvenile the son of Galileo's form tailed off towards the end of 2018 but won the Lingfield Derby Trial on his seasonal debut in 2019 to go to Epsom as a proper candidate. He scooted up the inside to win by 1/2 length in a bunch finish. It was one of the best renewals in hindsight; Japan (3rd) won the International later that year, Broome (4th) won the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud, Hardwicke and nearly a Breeders Cup Turf, Sir Dragonet (5th) won the Cox Plate in Australia, Circus Maximus (6th) won the St James' Palace Stakes, Moulin and Queen Anne, Sovereign (10th) won the Irish Derby and even last placed Telecaster went on to win the Grand Prix Deauville. As for Anthony Van Dyck himself; he never really built on the promise of his Derby win but would go on to finish placed in both the Irish Champion Stakes and Breeders Cup Turf later that season before beating Stradivarius in the Prix Foy as a 4 year old and finishing 2nd in the Caulfield Cup in Australia. He was only beaten a head by superstar Verry Elleegant that day when trying to give the great mare 8 pounds. He sadly broke down and died during the 2020 running of the Melbourne Cup but by being able to hold his form over 3 seasons he proved himself as a quality horse just not an exceptional one.
9) Harzand (2016) - This is where it start to gets difficult as we enter the realms of Derby winners who either didn't race on much after winning at Epsom or failed to achieve much. The 2016 Derby winner provided Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen with Epsom glory for the Aga Khan. Harzand was the first Derby winner by Sea The Stars and went into the race as a strong proposition having won the Ballysax Stakes back in April on only his 3rd start. He only ran the once as a juvenile, finishing 5th in a Gowran Park maiden but progressed rapidly in his classic year and won the Derby well from the well punted favourite U S Army Ranger. He enjoyed the soft ground that day and stayed on strongly. It was an OK running of the Derby as although the runner up never won again, the 3rd placed Idaho won a Hardwicke Stakes, the 8th placed Cloth Of Stars finished 2nd in an Arc to Enable, and the 12th placed Ulysses proved himself a top class talent as a 4 year old when winning the Eclipse and International. Harzand himself did win the Irish Derby on his next start to go 4 from 4 that season so far but ran poorly when favourite for the Irish Champion Stakes and again when fancied for the Arc at Chantilly. He won a good renewal of the Derby and did back it up at the Curragh but failure to even run well against his elders means he cannot rank that highly here.
10) Ruler Of The World (2013) - One of the best named Derby winners ever holds a special place in my heart as I strongly fancied him for Epsom glory and he delivered on my 3rd trip to see the blue ribband event. The son of Galileo provided Ryan Moore with his first winner for Coolmore and it was only the colt's 3rd run. He strapping chestnut didn't appear as a juvenile but broke his duck at the first time of asking in a maiden at the Curragh in April and only 2 months later was a classic winner after winning the Chester Vase in strong style on his 2nd start. It's fair to say it was a poor Derby that Ruler Of The World won as nothing in behind him that day went on to achieve much; the winner himself was beaten in the Irish version on his next start. He did however, nearly win a Prix Niel in September and was beaten less than a length by Farhh in the Champion Stakes. He would go one better in Arc trials as a 4 year old when winning the Prix Foy but disappointed on his last 2 starts in the Arc itself and the Champion Stakes. Ruler Of The World did perform well in a few subsequent races after Epsom glory but failure to win the Irish Derby just holds him below Harzand.
11) Pour Moi (2011) - My first Derby. It was a real let down as all the noise was around Carlton House finally winning the race for Queen Elizabeth II but it wasn't to be. Still, the race is memorable for Mikael Barzalona's celebrations before the winning line. The Coolmroe owned, French trained son of Montjeu was lightly raced going into Epsom, only winning a maiden as a 2 year old and finishing 3rd in a trial at Longchamp in April. Nonetheless he was well backed down to 4/1 and produced a strong withering run down the outside to mow down Treasure Beach on the line. He would never race again due to injury and so cannot rate too highly here but the Derby form worked out OK in the end; Treasure Beach (2nd) won the Irish Derby and performed well at the top level around the world thereafter, Carlton House (3rd) won the Brigadier Gerard and finished 2nd in the Prince of Wales's stakes as a 4 year old, Memphis Tennessee (4th) won the Ormonde Stakes the following year, and Masked Marvel (8th) won the St Leger.
12) Lambourn (2025) - You could argue it's unfair to rank Lambourn below Harzand as both won the Irish Derby on their subsequent starts and Lambourn has won again since then however, the Coolmore colt somewhat stole the race at Epsom and it was a poor Irish Derby he followed up in. Still the son of Australia must rank above a few as he won the Irish Derby nonetheless and was perhaps over the top for the year when he disappointed in both the Voltigeur and St Leger. A win in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at the start of this year had us all wondering if he would finally build on his classic winning performances but he has since failed to fire in 3 subsequent runs and is constantly being sent off like a scolded cat from the front. His Derby win will live long in the memory as there aren't many all the way winners but he will go down as a below average winner and a disappointment.
13) Masar (2018) - The first winner in the Godolphin blue, Masar ran out a ready winner at Epsom to give Charlie Appleby and William Buick their first victories in the race. A classy 2 year old, the son of New Approach had won the Solario Stakes at Sandown and finished 3rd in both the Chesham and a Group 1 at Chantilly in 2017. Poor runs at the Breeders Cup and at Meydan followed that before a wide margin win in the Craven had him sent off favourite for the Guineas. He ran well to finish 3rd to Saxon Warrior there but built on that run to win the Derby in great style on his next start. It was a very good Derby that year with the 3rd placed Roaring Lion going on to prove himself a generational talent and Saxon Warrior also holding his form well at the highest level. Both of those were beaten by the trip more than the opposition though and after injury Masar would go on to beat only 1 horse home on his next 2 starts and therefore goes down as a below average winner who connections will feel they shouldn't have brought back to the track after his setback.
14) Christmas Day (2026) - It's hard to rank Ronan Whelan's Derby winner as he's still in training and has only run the once since but he won the Ballysax Stakes well and his run in the Dante can be forgiven as he was on the wrong part of the track. The son of Camelot was already a Group 3 winner as a 2 year old and the Derby form has already been franked by the runner up Maltese Cross winning the Grand Prix de Paris and Christmas Day himself ran a cracker to finish 2nd in the Irish Derby. In time he may rank higher but at the moment he's perhaps a somewhat fortunate winner of the Derby as not many handled the extreme conditions that day and has yet to gain another win.
15) Wings Of Eagles (2017) - The son of 2011 winner Pour Moi was a huge 40/1 winner of the Derby in 2017. I was on holiday in Japan this year so can't count to have witness the race and in fact never saw Wings Of Eagles run at all in part because of his curtailed career. Still he won during my period of Derby's and he unfortunately ranks very low on his list. Before Epsom glory he had only a maiden win to his name. The Ballydoyle colt had run well to finish 2nd in the Chester Vase but not many fancied him for Classic glory. It was actually a very good Derby that Padraig Beggy won as Reklinding (16th) won a Melbourne Cup, Salouen (13th) nearly won a Coronation Cup, Permian (10th) won the King Edward VII, Best Solution (8th) won a German group 1 and a Caulfield Cup, Capri (6th) won the Irish Derby and St Leger, Benbatl (5th) performed well at the top level all over the world and Cracksman (3rd) won 2 Champion Stakes. The fact that Capri and Cracksman managed to turn the form around in the Irish Derby and his overall form apart from Epsom victory was poor mark him as a below average winner.
16) Serpentine (2020) - The winner behind closed doors for Emmett McNamara and basically stole the race. Although a few in behind went on to achieve future wins at the top level (most notably Pyledriver int the King George) he was a poor winner who never went on to achieve anything of note and was gelded once shipped off to Australia.
