The decaying crowds at the Epsom Derby in recent years have been a sorry sight for the sport, but with the help of Frank Warren promotions the buzz looks set to be reinstated.
The Queen Elizabeth II Stand sold out on Tuesday, making it the fourth stand to be sold out. The sole stand with general admission tickets available is the Upper Tattenham enclosure, with some hospitality areas on sale too.
Horse racing has pushed heavily in the last two years to regenerate the on course atmosphere. 24,000 have signed up via the Jockey Club for the inaugural ‘Derbyfest.’ The free fan zone, hosted by Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions, sees Pixie Lott and Lemar on stage for Derby Day,
Just 22,312 attended Derby Day in the paid enclosures last year. The lowest in modern history and a 41% drop from 2019. Elsewhere, The Hill, where all access and parking is completely free, has also seen 5,000 registered. Punters can see local music artists, and small businesses in the area will be running food and drink stalls.
Speaking at the Betfred Derby Draw in London, via Sporting Life, Frank Warren said:
“DerbyFest is going to be a fantastic day for everybody.
“We’re really, really pleased with the way it’s working. In some ways it’s new ground for us, but we are promoters, that’s what we do for a living. We’re used to delivering massive and world-class events that are shown and broadcast around the world. So getting involved in horseracing is just fabulous for us.
“It was mobbed and that’s what we want to bring back” – Frank Warren
The Derby is a race that has shaped the breeding of the thoroughbred throughout the years. The undulating, idiosyncratic course is the ultimate test for a race-horse, and the winner is stitched into racing immortality. A decline in the on-course participation at the meeting shouldn’t reflect the prestige of the race in the racing bubble, but a surge in crowds can once again reinstate its importance in the public canon.
Warren continued: “The Derby means a lot to me. When I was a youngster my Dad and my uncles were all bookmakers at Epsom. That was the old days of bookmakers when they used to chalk up the boards.
“I was going there from the age of 13. I did that for a number of years. My Dad, until he passed away, and my uncle, did the same thing. They had pitches on The Hill, and they had pitches on the ring inside as well. For a youngster, it was just brilliant.
“I remember that it was absolutely chock-a-block. It was mobbed and that’s what we want to bring back. That’s what we are working towards bringing back. That great day out, that great atmosphere and great fun day for everybody.”
The buzz for the Derby continues to build, as one horse is just 48 hours away from thoroughbred greatness.