David Ord reflects on the changes to the Derby Festival announced by the Jockey Club

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Fri December 12, 2025 · 5h ago

Our columnist welcomes the improvements to the raceday experience announced by the Jockey Club for the Betfred Derby Festival.

The first instinct following the unveiling of the changes made to the Betfred Derby Festival is to applaud The Jockey Club.

Because they have sought the opinion of their most important people: The customers.

Dwindling attendances can’t be brushed under the carpet and the fact that only 22,000 were there to see Lambourn make all to win this year’s Classic felt like breaking point. Doing nothing wasn’t an option. Not that they were doing nothing mind.

A six-month review has led to a big increase in prize money over the two days, the Betfred Derby is now worth £2 million, the Coronation Cup £1 million. More Class One races, two eight-race cards and considerable World Pool support on both days.

That’s good news for the horsemen. But for the people we need to bring back to Epsom on the first Saturday of June, it’s the other changes that matter. And there are some significant ones.

Free car parking across all areas and enclosures is a very welcome move. It cost up to £40 previously to leave your car in a field for the afternoon.

Under-18s being admitted free into all General Admission enclosures is another positive step to try and bring the families back.

A covered area in the Grandstand Enclosure with live music will surely help with the younger racegoers who don't mind a pint and a dance as well as a bet. But it’s the Hill that needed to be brought to life again.

In the Derby’s hey-day that was the focal-point for the party, packed to the rafters with open-top buses and gatherings galore. The contrast in 2025 could not have been sharper.

READ: Jockey Club announce significant changes to the Betfred Derby Festival

The scene from Tattenham Corner in this year's Derby

But there’s a real drive to address this. With the partnership with Queensberry to create ‘DerbyFest’, musical acts and live entertainment, a sense of occasion seems to be returning to the middle of the course. And now people need to as well.

And that’s where the £6 million investment, the five-year plan, must pay off.

There’ll be a marketing overhaul, a stronger presence in terms of promotions and advertisements in the local area and central London, for starters.

People need to be talking about the Derby Festival, being made aware of what’s new, what’s on offer, right now. The 2026 calendars will be hung on kitchen walls up and down the land in a few weeks’ time.

The first weekend in June needs to be ringed on far more than it has been in recent years.

So, what does success look like? Well it's the needle moving north on attendance figures for the two days, starting next year and growing with every passing one.

The five-year plan takes Epsom through to the 250th renewals of the Oaks and Derby. 100,000 across both days for the 2030 renewals as a stretch target has been mooted.

It would be wonderful to think the event had gathered enough momentum by then to even make that a realistic aim. To do so might need a helping hand or two. Next year is the final one of Betfred’s current sponsorship deal. Talks are ongoing about a renewal.

And in the past the Derby has been one race that has attracted big-name backers, Ever Ready and Vodafone two that spring to mind.

But they were a long time ago. Is there a plethora of blue-chip or financial organisations ready to pick up the baton if the significant squeeze on bookmakers’ discretionary spend following the budget means that sector cries ‘no mas’?

We’ll see.

That's for the officials to worry about in the future. Right now, they’ve announced changes that should make a significant difference to the racegoer experience on Derby Day 2026.

We implored them to ‘Fill The Hill’ after this year’s party turned into a wake with racegoers resembling drenched mourners as they headed to the exits. It seems as though they listened.

How many other world-class events in this country can you attend for free, including now parking?

I'd venture to suggest none. A few reasons for rejection have been removed. Let’s hope Friday’s announcement begins what might be a long-term process to restore the Derby to its rightful place among the elite sporting days in this country.