It's a 2400-metre staying event run over the left-handed switchback track at Epsom, near London, a unique assignment designed to test a three-year-old colt's stamina, speed, agility and temperament in a pressure-cooker environment.

First run in 1780, it has, over the past 250-odd years, spawned myriad equivalents all over the world. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then this race has no equal where compliments are concerned.

And in the early hours of Sunday morning a new Epsom champion will be crowned - and this year could it have an Australian flavour?

The Melbourne Cup's most successful owner Lloyd Williams is no stranger to international success, having been a part-owner of last year's Ascot Gold Cup winner, Order of St George, who also was placed in the prestigious Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

His colours, the famous dark blue with white armlets and cap, will be carried in The Derby by Rekindling, a son of High Chapparal, who was the sire of Australian champion galloper So You Think.

The three-year-old is trained by former Derby-winning rider Joseph O'Brien, for whom this will be a first runner in the Epsom Classic, and will be ridden by Irishman Wayne Lordan, who has already enjoyed classic success this season having won the English 1000 Guineas on Winter.

O'Brien is the son of the man widely regarded as the world's best trainer, Aidan O'Brien, and The Derby is a real family affair. Aidan will start six colts in the race, including the pre-post joint favourite Cliffs of Moher, who will be ridden by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Ryan Moore.

Joseph's jockey siblings Donnacha and Anastasia, known as Ana, also have rides in the race, partnering the well-fancied Venice Beach (Donnacha) and the outsider The Anvil (Ana), who may well be the pacemaker for the O'Brien team.

When Joseph won the first of his two derbies on Camelot, for his father, they became the first father-son team to train and ride a Derby winner. They followed up two years later when Australia also scored at Epsom, so the Williams entry could not be in better hands.

Can Rekindling win?

Bookies have him priced up at 25-1 - not one of the rank outsiders, but not one of the favourites either.

Rekindling has had two runs this season, scoring first time out over 2000 metres in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown, usually one of the more informative Irish trials. On that occasion he finished ahead of Capri and Douglas MacArthur, two of his rivals at Epsom both of whom are now at shorter prices than him.

Next time out he ran a slightly disappointing fourth in the Dante Stakes at York in England, traditionally the strongest Derby trial of all, behind two of his Derby rivals in Permian and Benbatl. In his favour is that he is lightly raced and could improve. Against is that he needs to show a fair bit of improvement, although he should appreciate the step up in distance.

Williams is staying in Australia, but his son Nick is expected to be at Epsom.

"Its exciting to have a runner in the race. I am from the southern hemisphere, but it would be a dream to have the winner," Williams snr said earlier this week.