Epsom Derby Antepost Betting: Top Outsiders The Epsom Derby is a little over a week away as eyes turn towards the second major set of Classics in Britain. The Epsom showpieces are deemed the ultimate test of balance, speed and stamina for a three-year-old and The Derby remains as the most coveted prize of all for any colt. With the countdown now almost complete, we've picked a couple of lively outsiders to consider at Epsom on Saturday June 7th. Epsom Derby Betting Selections Selection: Stanhope Gardens @ 21/1 with SBK Next Best: Lambourn @ 14/1 with SBK If you already have a SBK account, check out more of the best betting sites and online casinos O'Brien's star tops the market The leading contender going into the race is Delacroix, winner of a pair of Leopardstown trials this spring, the form of which reads extremely well. The Dubawi colt deserves to head the market at this remove and is now one of five remaining contenders in the mix for the Master of Ballydoyle as Aidan O'Brien goes for a hat-trick of Derby wins and a record-extending 11th overall. The Lion In Winter, long touted as a Classic horse for this year since he impressed in the Acomb at York last summer, missed the Guineas at Newmarket after a small setback and was beaten in the Dante at York. Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy, the last two Epsom winners, have shown that an O'Brien colt can soon leave behind a tame reappearance. The filly Lake Victoria has done likewise this season after her impressive Irish Guineas win. Delacroix and The Lion In Winter are joined towards the head of the market by Newmarket's 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court and the Dante scorer Pride Of Arras - the quartet with strong cases on merit. Beckett's other Hope worth a look Ralph Beckett won the Dante with Pride Of Arras and that runner could be his main Derby hope, but STANHOPE GARDENS is no forlorn chance for the Kimpton Down Stables handler. The son of Ghaiyyath won a Beverley maiden last August and then stepped up in grade to finish a neck second in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket. That Group 3 was won by Delacroix, now the Derby favourite, and just a neck split the pair at the line with a gap back to Nightwalker in third. That sort of form puts the Marc Chan-owned colt in the mix and he had no issues winning his comeback at Salisbury, after which connections said this was the next target. He's a generous price in comparison to his stablemate and he could run into a place or better. Lambourn no back maker The O'Brien-trained favourite is the key form line for the Derby. He won the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown in March, with stablemate LAMBOURN in second spot as the trainer had a one-two-four in that Group 3 over 1m2f. It has proved a very strong contest. The winner won again in the Derby Trial over course and distance. Fourth home Puppet Master won the Lingfield Derby Trial and the fifth, Joseph O'Brien's Wemighttakedlongway, bagged a Navan Group 3 on his next start. Lambourn, meanwhile, went to Chester and finished strongly over the extended mile-and-a-half trip on the Roodee to win the Chester Vase from Lazy Griff in good style. He has plenty of stamina and that effort was another step up. Whether he has the class to win the Derby is debatable, but he could easily be good enough to hit the frame. His form is strong and there is likely better to come from him over this sort of trip.
