Epsom Derby is a term that usually refers to the Derby Festival of racing that takes place at Epsom Downs racecourse every June. The festival spans two days: the Friday is known as Ladies Day (because lots of ladies make a point of attending the Epsom Downs racecourse in all their finery, which means plenty of big hats) and the Saturday itself is known as Derby Day (because of the feature race on that day, which is referred to as the Vodafone Derby). The 2009 Epsom Derby runs from 5-6 June.

Those who enjoy horse betting online look forward to the Epsom Derby as a particularly exciting racing festival because it attracts plenty of top-quality runners which makes for good competition and some tasty betting odds. The basic principles of picking winners apply here at the Epsom Derby just as much as they do to any other race meeting, but there are some additional guidelines that you would do well to observe. These are:

• The Epsom Derby is a flat racing festival, so the speed of runners is always worth considering. It can be useful to get a copy of the Racing Post instead of relying on your usual newspaper form cards because the Racing Post publishes speed figures for each runner (these are known as Topspeed Ratings) and these can help you identify the runners in each race that have the best turn of foot. As a rule, a horse with good recent form and a high Topspeed Rating (relative to the other runners) is a better bet at the Epsom Derby than one with mediocre form or an average speed rating. It sounds like an obvious point, but you’d be surprised at how many people participating in horse betting online fail to consider speed in the slightest.

• The feature races at the Epsom Derby festival will be the most challenging as far as picking winners in concerned. Again, this is an obvious point as far as seasoned horse betting enthusiasts are concerned, but many amateurs make the mistake of concentrating on the headline races whilst at the same time ignoring the potentially easier pickings of the smaller races. By all means have a stab at the Vodafone Derby itself, but be sure to take a look at the other races on both Ladies Day and Derby Day to see if there isn’t an obvious form pick to get your teeth into.

• The higher odds available about Epsom Derby runners make it possible to bet on several runners in a race and still make a profit if one of them wins. For example, you could bet £10 on each of three horses priced at 3/1, 4/1 and 5/1 and if the 3/1 shot won you would make £10 profit overall (you would make £20 or £30 profit respectively if the 4/1 or 5/1 shot won). This approach is just as valid as betting on a single selection to win outright, so if you think it would be more useful to you, feel free to give it a try as you see fit.

Make no mistake, the Epsom Derby is one of the biggest festivals in the racing calendar, and even if you don’t place a bet you’re sure to enjoy the thrill of the event as a spectator sport. If you do decide to place a bet on the Epsom Derby, take a look at our Bookmakers page so that you can collect a nice bonus in the process!