Tim Carroll 's Bio

Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following.

Epsom Racecourse – Track Analysis (Derby Stakes Day):

Epsom racecourse is unique in nature in that it is not a circuit, but a 2405m horseshoe shaped left handed turning track with a home straight of approximately 700m. All races further than 1403m start in the back straight, and races held over 1203m and 1403m start from chutes which join onto the large home bend on the left hand side of the course. Races over 1000m are run on a straight course from a chute which joins the straight, left to right for the viewer, which is considered to be the quickest 1000m in world racing. The course itself is a quirky layout that initially takes slight right-hander, then climbs right up a protracted steep incline – 45m through the first 1200m, all the way to the top of the Tattenham Hill – before descending towards the notoriously wicked Tattenham Corner, followed by a pronounced camber in the stretch run that drops away severely from the grandstand rail to the far side rail, with the course rising 11m yet again in the final 200m. On soft ground they often head to the grandstand rail upon straightening, in search of drier ground, and this gives an advantage to horses on the front who can make the first move. 

Seven turf races will be simulcast from the Derby Stakes Day this year.

For the 1000m 'Dash' Handicap, the stalls see low numbers toward the far side, which is the case for all races. They jump and go downhill until the closing stages where they meet an incline to the finish. There are very few races held over 1000m at Epsom during the course of the year, thus we don't have much to go on. However, it is considered there is no draw bias over this trip except in larger fields, where higher draws tend to do well, as riders can grab a spot close to the grandstand rail where the camber is slightly less severe.

For the 1203m 4yo+ 86-105 Handicap, they jump from a chute that joins the crown of the home bend. They then go around the turn, which is known as Tattenham Corner, before entering the straight for what is a downhill run before going slightly uphill over the closing stages. There is no draw bias as such, but due to the layout, riders can get boxed in from low draws, thus middle draws do tend to give more options.

Both Princess Elizabeth Stakes and Diomed Stakes are over 1703m, there is no draw bias. They jump from toward the end of the back straight, said loosely given it's snake like shape, and head uphill before coming onto the bend where the track levels out, they then go downhill onto Tattenham Corner, before entering the straight, continuing to head downhill before meeting rising ground toward the finish. The 2015m 3yo 0-100 Handicap start has similar characteristics to the 1703m start in that they start from half way up the back straight, head up hill, before meeting level ground as they swing onto the bend, then head downhill, onto Tattenham Corner, into the straight, where they are still going downhill before meeting rising ground over the concluding stages.

The World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap and the feature race G1 Derby Stakes are both over 2405m. Runners jump from the end of the horseshoe on the top right hand side of the track, and head uphill, turning slightly left not long after leaving the gates, they then head along the back straight, which is all uphill, until they meet the starting point of the bend. The first 1200m of the race sees a steep incline of approximately 45m in total, which levels out before heading downhill around Tattenham Corner. They then enter the straight, which continues downhill, before heading uphill over the concluding stages, and all of this on a straight with a severe camber, thus why Epsom is considered the ultimate test of a racehorse. Despite all its idiosyncrasies, it's generally a fair course in terms of the draw over 2405m. During the last ten years, the average field size of the Derby Stakes has been 13.5, with the average winning barrier in that time is 8.8. Of the last ten winners, eight have been ridden from midfield or held up, only SERPENTINE in 2020 has made all, and last year's winner, ADAYAR, tracked the speed. It's worth noting that Irish trainer, Aiden O'Brien, has won six of the last ten renewals, and only two of those were favourites.

Last year's Derby Stakes was run on good to soft ground with a field of 11 going to post. GEAR UP soon led from YOUTH SPIRIT in second, ADAYAR on the rail in third, with the favourite, BOLSHOI BALLET out wide in fourth spot. The race was run at an honest gallop, until Tattenham corner, where the pace lifted. At this point the first three, GEAR UP, YOUTH SPIRIT and BOLSHOI BALLET where all been ridden along, with ADAYAR looking for room on the rail. ADAYAR managed to get through on the inside and go to the front 400m out, with stable companion, HURRICANE LANE and outsider, MOJO STAR in pursuit. But neither could catch the son of FRANKEL, who powered up the hill to win by 4.5 lengths from MOJO STAR, with HURRICANE LANE place in third, in a time that was 0.85 seconds slower than standard.

Of the last ten renewals of the Derby Stakes Day, there has been good in the description on every occasion. Depite little precipitation on Saturday, the weather forecast is for mostly clear days leading up to the meeting, thus if the forecasts are correct, and from a recent historically perspective, it is likely the meeting will be run on good ground.

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