Authorized (horse) appeared at the time to be the best performance in any of the 2007 Trial races for the Epsom Derby and Authorized was made favourite for the race. Media attention ahead of the Derby focused on Frankie Dettori who, despite winning all the other British Classics at least twice each, had so far failed to win the Derby in 14 attempts. For the race itself, run at Epsom Downs Racecourse on 2 June 2007, Authorized was a clear favourite at odds of 5 to 4, and justified the odds by winning by five lengths in a fast time. Dropped back
Coronation (British horse) Coronation's odds for the Derby were cut from 10/1to 9/1. In the final build-up to the Derby, Rawlinson entrusted the horse to a professional trainer, Isaac Day, who was based at Northleach, Gloucestershire. At Epsom on 26 May, Coronation started 5/2 favourite for the Derby, having been backed down from 4/1 in the hours before the race, in a record field of twenty-nine runners. He was ridden by Patrick Conolly (or Connolly), a jockey who had won the 1834 Derby on Plenipotentiary. The weather was warm and sunny and the customary huge crowd – described by the "Sunday Times" as