The 2022 Derby – the most prestigious of the five Classics and the richest flat horse racing in the UK – returns to Epsom Downs Racecourse today, Saturday 4th June. The two-day festival starts on Friday, but the showpiece Derby itself is today, with a start time of 4.30pm, so place your bets! UK viewers can watch free on ITV.
The horses will soon be making their way to the parade ring ahead of the 4.30pm start time, so now's the time to back your hunch and hopefully back a winner.
Make sure you know how to watch a free Derby live stream from where you are.
Date: Saturday 4th June 2022
Start time: 4.30pm BST / 11.30pm ET / 1.30am AEST
Venue: Epsom Downs Racecourse, Surrey
FREE stream: ITV Hub (UK)
Watch anywhere: ExpressVPN
Ireland stream: Virgin Media Player
Australia stream: Foxtel
For three-year-old colts and fillies, the Derby has run on the first Saturday of June since 1780 and not even the COVID-19 pandemic stopped flat racing's most prestigious event, albeit a month late in July 2020. Won last year by Adayar, the 2022 winner will net a cool £850,000 and the chance to follow in the hooves of legends like Shergar and Galileo.
One of the society events of the year, the 2022 Derby sits in the middle of the Queen's Jubilee Weekend, though her Majesty is expected to miss the big day for just the third time in her 70-year reign. It also comes a week after Lester Piggott, who won the race a record nine times, died at the age of 86 and it seems certain the legendary jockey will be remembered in some form.
This year's betting lies predominantly with two horses. Desert Crown is the favourite, with odds as short as 13-8 with some bookies but take a look at our Epsom Derby tips section below for more details if you fancy a flutter. Morning rain in Epsom means the ground has eased from yesterday to good, good to soft in places. That should prevent no great problem to favourite Desert Crown.
Ready to see the world's finest nags battle it out over 1mile 4 furlongs and 6 yards of Epsom Downs in flat racing marquee event? The race starts at 4.30pm BST today, 4th June. Check out the Epsom Derby runners and make sure you know how to watch a free Derby live stream from where you are.
The 2022 Derby Saturday racecard
2.00pm The Cazoo Handicap Stakes
2.35pm The Princess Elizabeth Stakes (sponsored by Cazoo)
3.10pm The Cazoo Diomed Stakes
3.45pm The Simpex Express 'Dash' Handicap Stakes
4.30pm The Cazoo Derby
5.15pm The World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap
5.45pm The JRA Tokyo Trophy Handicap Stakes
Francesca Cumani and Ed Chamberlin (below) will present coverage of Derby day, alongside the likes of Jason Weaver, Johnny Murtagh and Steve Cauthen and Love Island's Chris Hughes.
The big race will also be live on RacingTV (TV and app). You can find Racing TV on Sky Channel 426 and Virgin Media Channel 536.
Watch a 2022 Derby free live stream
Good news: the 2022 Epsom Derby is free to watch on ITV Racing ITV Hub will provide a free live stream.
Outside the UK this Saturday? You can use a VPN to access the Epsom derby free on ITV Hub from anywhere. Fully explained details just below...
How to watch the 2022 Derby abroad using a VPN
Even if you have subscribed to the relevant 2022 Derby rights holders, you won't be able to use them when outside your own country. The service will know your location based on your IP address, and will automatically block your access.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) helps you get around this obstacle. A VPN creates a private connection between your device and the internet, such that the servers and services you’re accessing aren’t aware of what you’re doing. All the information passing back and forth is entirely encrypted.
There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. As a rule, we’d suggest a paid-for service such as ExpressVPN which offers a 100 per cent risk-free money back guarantee. If you're not happy with the service any time within the first 30-days, then you can cancel with no penalties at all.
How to use a VPN
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. ExpressVPN is the one we recommend.
2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access. For the Derby, you may wish to choose 'London' for ITV Hub.
3. Then head over to ITVHub on your browser or device and enjoy the free Derby live stream.
Australia: 2022 Derby live stream
Aussie racing fans can subscribe to premium TV provider Foxtel to get their Derby fix. The race will be shown on Sky Thoroughbred Central.
Sadly, Kayo Sports does not currently carry Sky Thoroughbred Central and there's still no confirmation as to when it might arrive on the popular over-the-top streaming service.
Brits abroad with a TV license can stream the Derby for free using a VPN. We recommend ExpressVPN.
Ireland: 2022 Derby live stream
Horse racing fans in the Republic of Ireland should canter over to Virgin Media One to watch live coverage of the 2022 Grand National. The channel will also provide a free live stream via the Virgin Media Player.
Outside Ireland this weekend? Irish nationals travelling abroad can use a VPN to access Virgin Media Player without being blocked. We recommend ExpressVPN.
The 2022 Epsom Derby starters and odds
List of all Epsom starters and odds:
Desert Crown 7/4
Stone Age 7/2
Nations Pride 6/1
Changingoftheguard 10/1
Piz Badile 10/1
Walk Of Stars 16/1
Westover 20/1
Star Of India 22/1
Eydon 25/1
Nahanni 25/1
Royal Patronage 33/1
West Wind Blows 33/1
Sonny Liston 50/1
Masekela 66/1
Glory Daze 100/1
Grand Alliance 100/1
El Habeeb 100/1
Hoo Ya Mal 200/1
The 2022 Epson Derby tips
Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Desert Crown is the favourite who won the recent Dante Stakes at York by three and a quarter lengths and will be ridden by regular mount Richard Kingscote, despite the jockey's lack of experience at the Epsom Classic.
Next up is Stone Age, sired by 2001 winner Galileo, who had his own big win at the Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown in early May and is priced around 7-2 with bookmakers. Trainer Aidan O'Brien is already the most successful in Derby history and will hope he has another potential victor on his hands after another of his charges Luxembourg, the Queen's fancy for the event, pulled out with muscle problems. O'Brien also has Changingoftheguard, further progeny of Galileo, who at 9-1 is also featuring prominently in the betting after winning well at the Chester Vase.
Nations Pride, trained by last year's winner Charlie Appleby, is only recently confirmed in the race, is the third-favourite and is one of owner Godolphin’s three-strong squad which also features Walk Of Stars (16-1) and Nahanni (25-1), the latter looking a decent each-way punt.
Piz Badile (10-1) won the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown at the start of April, with Walk Of Stars (16-1), Westover (20-1), Star Of India (22/1) and Eydon (25-1) also worthy of note.
Rather stick your pin on a random outsider? Sonny Liston has a puncher's chance at 50-1 and Grand Alliance is priced at 100-1, while the Andrew Balding trained Hoo Ya Mal is currently the biggest outsider at 200-1.
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