The Jockey Club announced yesterday that The Cazoo Derby Festival at Epsom Downs (Friday 4th and Saturday 5th June) will receive a prize money injection for 2021.
The Cazoo Derby Festival is seeing a 12% prize money increase across the 11 non-Group One races, meaning that no contest is worth less than £40,000 over the two days and no handicap is worth less than £50,000. The prize funds for the three Group One contests are unchanged, with The Cazoo Derby worth £1,125,000, Cazoo Oaks £375,000 and Coronation Cup £315,000.
Andrew Cooper, Head of Racing and Clerk of the Course at Epsom Downs said: “It has been a difficult time for us at The Jockey Club, as it has been for everyone, and in several ways that remains the case. Racegoers generate around 50% of our revenues and so with them away from our 15 racecourses for so long our finances have been significantly impacted and remain so as the pandemic continues.
“However, now we are starting to be allowed a very limited number of spectators back, we are immediately taking the opportunity to boost prize money. Therefore I am pleased to confirm we are able to increase the value of the non-Group One races across both days of The Cazoo Derby Festival by 12%.
“Owners who put so much into the sport have been incredibly patient during the pandemic and this period of huge uncertainty. All of us at The Jockey Club are keen that as soon as the financial picture improves we see that reflected in prize money funding, which is always a top priority at Jockey Club Racecourses.”
