DELACROIX is now as low as 2/1 clear favourite for Saturday’s Derby at Epsom following Monday's confirmation and supplementary entry stage.

The Leopardstown Derby Trial winner is one of 20 horses still engaged and he is expected to be partnered at Epsom by Ryan Moore.

Moore has ridden the Derby winner on four previous occasions, including the most recent two editions on Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy.

Delacroix will be one of up to four Aidan O’Brien-trained runners in the 2025 renewal and goes to Epsom on the back of two impressive trial wins at Leopardstown this season - the same route as taken by Derby winners Galileo and High Chaparral in 2001 and 2002.

Sinndar (2000) and Harzand (2016) each won one of the Leopardstown spring trials before their Epsom triumphs.

A spokesperson for Aidan O’Brien told The Irish Field: “If they come through their last pieces of work and tests then our three Derby runners will be Delacroix, The Lion In Winter and Lambourn.” On Monday those three were confirmed for the Derby along with stable companion Puppet Master, winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial.

The Lion In Winter was Derby favourite since last August, when he won a Group 3 race at York, but he was slow to come to hand this spring and failed to settle in the Dante Stakes at York earlier this month, finishing sixth, beaten by four lengths.

The Lion In Winter drifting out to as big as 10/1 for the Derby with bookmakers and on Betfair on Friday but has shortened back to around 6/1 over the weekend.

Punters may recall that Aidan O’Brien’s two most recent Derby winners - Auguste Rodin and City Of Troy - both went to Epsom on the back of disappointing performances in the 2000 Guineas.

Lambourn is also a realistic contender. Noted staying on well when second to Delacroix in the Ballysax Stakes, he appeared to appreciate the step up to a mile and a half when winning the Chester Vase comfortably.

Ruler Of The World won the Chester Vase in 2013 before landing the Derby for Moore and O’Brien.

A significant French-trained supplementary entry was confirmed on Monday. Midak, unbeaten in three starts for trainer Francis Graffard, was added to the field at a cost of £75,000 and will represent the late Aga Khan, who is being posthumously being honoured at Epsom this year. A son of Footstepsinthesand, Midak was a very impressive winner of a 10-furlong Group 3 race at Saint-Cloud on May 9th.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan told Racing TV: “He’s unbeaten in three starts, we know he gets the trip, he’s got the right kind of character to be able to handle Tattenham Corner and all the noise that comes with the Epsom Derby.

“It’s nice to have a runner this year because the race is being run in honour of my father and he’s done everything he should to be a valid runner in the Epsom Derby.”

She added: “When Midak won his last race, I asked Francis ‘this is a Jockey Club horse isn’t it’ and he said ‘we can’t as you have another runner for that race and there is also another horse in our stable’.

“I then asked ‘what are you thinking of doing’ and he just looked at me and replied, ‘Epsom’. We all thought it would be lovely to have a runner in the race and he has ticked all the boxes and there is no reason not to run him.”

New Ground, trained for Juddmonte by Henri-Francois Devin, was also supplemented. By New Bay, the colt finished a close third to Cualificar in the Prix la Force in April and the winner boosted that form when taking second in Sunday's Prix du Jockey Club.

Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon is confident he will thrive for stepping up in trip.

He said: “His form is good and we think he is crying out for a mile and a half. We could have taken him to Chantilly, but decided to wait to go to Epsom. He’s in great form.”

Joseph O'Brien has left in Tennessee Stud, a Group 1 winner in France last year but well beaten when third behind Delacroix and Lambourn in the Leopardstown Derby Trial.

The ground at Epsom was described as 'good' on Monday morning. Some rain is forecast in the area every day from Tuesday but with uncertainty currently as to what the volume will be. Thursday is potentially the wettest day. Temperatures are forecast to be "generally high" for the week.

Oaks plans

All going to plan, there will be three Ballydoyle runners in next Friday’s Oaks at Epsom. Minnie Hauk, Giselle and Whirl all won recognised Oaks trials in Britain in recent weeks but they are all preceded in the betting by Desert Flower, Godolphin’s unbeaten 1000 Guineas winner trained by Charlie Appleby.

Godolphin will also supplement Elwateen, who finished fourth in the 1000 Guineas for trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

The French-trained Calandagan is the odds-on favourite for Friday’s Coronation Cup. So impressive in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, the Aga Khan-bred gelding has finished second on his three subsequent starts at York (City Of Troy), Ascot (Anmaat) and Meydan (Danon Decile).

Jan Breughel is likely to represent Coolmore in the Coronation Cup. Last year’s St Leger winner looked in need of the outing when second over 10 furlongs at Curragh in April.

The ground at Epsom was described as on the soft side of good yesterday. A warm weekend is forecast in the area with unsettled conditions expected from next Tuesday.

Oaks betting: 13/8 Desert Flower, 9/2 Giselle, 5 Whirl, 8 Minnie Hauk, 9 Elwateen, 10 Revoir, 20 Wemightakedlongway, 25 Qilin Queen.

Derby betting: 9/4 Delacroix, 7/2 Ruling Court, 4 Pride Of Arras, 6 The Lion In Winter, 10 Damysus, 12 Lambourn, Midak, 16 Stanhope Gardens, 20 Nightwalker, 25 New Ground, 33 Tornado Alert, 50 Lazy Griff, Tennessee Stud, 66 Puppet Master, Sea Scout, Tuscan Hills, 100 Al Wasl Storm, Green Storm, Nightime Dancer, 200 Rogue Impact

Betfred Derby (In Honour of His Highness Aga Khan IV) (Group 1) 1m 4f 6y.

3.30pm, Epsom Downs, Saturday 7th June

Current Going: Good

Al Wasl Storm (IRE) 3 9 2 Green Team Racing Owen Burrows David Probert

Damysus 3 9 2 Wathnan Racing John & Thady Gosden James Doyle

Delacroix (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor Aidan O'Brien Ireland

Green Storm (IRE) 3 9 2 Ahmad Al Shaikh Charlie Johnston

Lambourn (IRE) 3 9 2 Mrs John Magnier,Mr M.Tabor & Mr D.Smith Aidan O'Brien Ireland

Lazy Griff (GER) 3 9 2 Middleham Park Racing & Mr G Griffiths Charlie Johnston C. Soumillon

*Midak (FR) 3 9 2 Aga Khan Studs Scea Francis-Henri Graffard France Mickael Barzalona

*New Ground 3 9 2 Juddmonte Henri Francois Devin France Alexis Pouchin

Nightime Dancer (IRE) 3 9 2 Stall Perlen Ab Richard Hannon Sean Levey

Nightwalker 3 9 2 Juddmonte John & Thady Gosden Tom Marquand

Pride of Arras (IRE) 3 9 2 Mrs David Aykroyd Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan

Puppet Master (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr D. Smith, Mrs J. Magnier, Mr M. Tabor Aidan O'Brien Ireland

Rogue Impact 3 9 2 The Rogues Gallery James Owen Luke Morris

Ruling Court (USA) 3 9 2 Godolphin Charlie Appleby William Buick

Sea Scout (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr Abdulla Al Mansoori Simon & Ed Crisford Harry Davies

Stanhope Gardens (IRE) 3 9 2 Marcstown Ltd and New Chelsea Ralph Beckett

Tennessee Stud (IRE) 3 9 2 Westerberg,Tabor,Magnier,Smith Joseph Patrick O'Brien Ireland

The Lion In Winter (IRE) 3 9 2 Mr M. Tabor, D. Smith & Mrs John Magnier Aidan O'Brien Ireland

Tornado Alert (IRE) 3 9 2 Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor Oisin Murphy

Tuscan Hills (FR) 3 9 2 Amo Racing Limited Raphael Freire David Egan

* supplementary entries