More than 28,000 racegoers including The King and Queen attended Betfred Derby Day at Epsom Downs, as Christmas Day delivered a 50th British Classic victory for trainer Aidan O'Brien.
A total attendance of 28,557 is the highest on Derby Day since 2022, and added to a Ladies Day crowd of 19,704 takes the two-day attendance to 48,261 - an increase of 10,662 (28 per cent) on last year.
There was a sold out Queen Elizabeth II Stand and Grandstand Enclosure, plus thousands more across the racecourse, in DerbyFest and on The Hill to see Bay City Roller win the £1 million Coolmore Coronation Cup and Christmas Day triumph in the Betfred Derby.
Jim Allen, General Manager at Epsom Downs Racecourse, said: “Derby Day always stays long in the memory and I’m sure today will be no exception. Alongside some brilliant action on track, the initial feedback we’ve had for the changes that have been made to the customer experience has been extremely positive.
“To sell out the standside enclosures in advance of Derby Day is testament both to the appeal this great race still has and the hard work of the Epsom and wider teams. The likes of Galileo's presented by O Beach and the work done by Queensberry have been a great addition and we hope that those who have joined us over the two days, whether trackside or on The Hill, will be back in the future as we look to build on this year.
“Clearly the weather did not get the memo, but ultimately when you run an outdoor event in this country, you are always slightly in the lap of the gods.
“What we are focusing on is the massive strides forward this year and the exciting platform it gives us for the future. This is year one of a five-year journey for this event and there will always be learnings we can take away and consider for 2027 and beyond.
“Ultimately we will be guided by our customers and what they tell us, but our initial reaction is that we’re delighted with the last two days as a first step back in the right direction. We are also extremely grateful to the support we have received from our sponsors, Betfred, over the two days and the passion they have for promoting the Betfred British Classics.”
