2025 Epsom Derby Festival Tips - June 6-7

"Everyone felt it was a nice thing to do" - Midak to represent Aga Khan in Epsom Derby

Jon Vine

Editor

Last updated: Tue 03 Jun 2025 09:52

Jon Vine 03 Jun 2025

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Midak represents France in 246th Epsom Derby
The race honors Aga Khan IV, with 10 Derby wins
Princess Zahra supplements Midak for a memorable event

Harzand carrying the Aga Khan's colours to Epsom Derby glory in 2016. (Getty)

France will be represented in the 246th renewal of the Epsom Derby, after Midak was supplemented into Saturday's Classic.

This year's Epsom Derby will be run in memory of Aga Khan IV, after he passed away earlier this year. The Aga Khan's famous silks have been carried to Derby glory on ten occasions, with the first triumph coming back in 1930.

Harzand was Aga Khan IV's last winner of the Derby. Princess Zahra Aga Khan - who now runs the Stud operation - was keen to have a runner in the race named in honour of her late father and news broke over the weekend that Midak has been supplemented into the contest.

Nemone Routh, racing manager to Princess Zahra, told the press on Sunday, "He worked very well last week and Francis (Graffard, trainer) is very happy with him so he'll work again tomorrow and if we're happy with him then the plan is to supplement."

"We definitely feel he will stay a mile and a half. Mickael (Barzalona, jockey) had a job pulling him up last time in the Greffulhe and his dam stayed 3,000 metres (a mile and seven furlongs). "

"There are a lot of unknowns but we think he'll act around the track as he's a balanced horse. He's a big horse which is a bit of an unknown but Mickael thinks he'll act on the course and we believe he will stay."

"We're hopeful and we felt there was no obvious race for him before the Grand Prix de Paris and we didn't want to wait two months. We already had runners in the Jockey Club and, as the race is run in His Highness's honour, Francis spoke to Princess Zahra and everyone felt it was a nice thing to do."

Midak will be looking for his fourth win in a row when he makes his British debut at Epsom on Saturday. The bookies, however, aren't too optimistic about his chances, with bet365 quoting an opening price of 14/1 about Graffard's supplementary entry.

You can find the latest betting for the 2025 Epsom Derby here on our website.