The Epsom Derby is the world’s greatest flat horse race, run by horses that are all three years old. Come to the Betfred Derby Festival for two days of great racing and fantastic hospitality in the stunning Surrey countryside.
Tattenham Corner Rd, Epsom KT18 5LQ | 31st May - 1st June | From 11am
This is the greatest flat horse racing event in the world, dating back to 1780.
Each horse is three years old and three years old only, meaning it is their one chance for immortality on the Epsom Downs race course; the classic race is run over a mile and a half, requiring the horses and their jockeys to mix top spped, stamina and balance.
Day 1 (31st May) is Ladies Day, when racing shares the stage with the pageantry of bright and colourful outfits, and ladies keen to show off at The Style Awards. After the racing there wil lbe a DJ set from Marvin Humes, amongst other performances.
Day 2 (1st June) is Deby Day, with a total of seven races, including the race that everyone is there for - the Betfred Derby - at 4.30pm.
You can enjoy it all in style, with a range of hospitality packages offering the opportunity to enjoy great racing, fine food and drink, plus live entertainment, in award-winning restaurants set across intimate and more lively stands and enclosures. Tickets range from £20 for a Family Festival ticket to £879 for a Chez Roux @ Blue Riband Hospitality Experience - for all the imformation you need click here.
Is there a dress code?
Horse racing events like the Epsom Derby are largely seen as opportunities to dress to impress, with ladies wearing elegant fascinators and/or hats, and men wearing a suit and tie or even top hat and coat.
As of 2023 The Jockey Club, which operates 15 race courses across the UK including Epsom, has relaxed what used to be a strict dress code to make the event more inclusive and accessible; Epsom does have dress code rules and specifications depending on which enclosure you are enjoying the proceedings from - for more information click here.
Betting
There are a few ways to bet on the horses:
The Tote: With the tote, you're not betting against a bookie; your stake goes into a pool, and like the lottery, your win depends on how many other winning tickets there are.There are totepool betting points throughout the racecourse.
Fill in a form with your stake, the type of bet and your horse – minimum bet £2 or tell the tote attendent what you want to bet on and how much you wish to stake.
The Bookies: Over The Derby Festival, bookmakers can be found in every enclosure, offering the real heart and soul of the horse racing experience - they're all different and it's worth shopping around for the best odds on each race. You can usually find them in front of the Duchess's Stand or by the rails.
When you make your bet, you state the number of your chosen horse and the stake - for example, 'Number 3, £5 to win'. The bookmaker will then repeat your bet, and you hand over your stake. You will then be given an itemised receipt with details of the bet and any winnings due – check this carefully, and return after the race to collect any winnings.
Betting Shops: There are also standard betting shops at various locations in the grounds. They'll accept bets on the races and on any other events, which is useful if you also want to place simultaneous bets on races at other courses.
There are also diffeent types of bet:
win-only: your horse must come first in the race and, because of that, your odds (and potential winnings) are higher.
Each-way: this is effectively two bets – one for your horse to win and one for it to be placed (1st, 2nd or 3rd). So a £5 each-way bet will cost £10.
Each bookmaker will display the terms on which they accept each-way bets on the top of their board.
Please gamble responsibly.