Frank Warren ‘transferring heaven and earth’ to make Epsom Derby an excellent time out
Boxing impresario Frank Warren has teamed up with the Jockey Club to launch DerbyFest – as the Epsom Derby faces an uphill battle to draw the crowds to the world’s greatest horserace
The infield at Epsom Downs is free to the public(Image: PA)
The stunning Downs at Epsom are hosting an outdoor summer festival, where Pixie Lott tops the bill – oh, and there’s the planet’s finest horserace. And it won’t cost you a single penny to enter.
Naturally, the Betfred Derby, the absolute pinnacle of thoroughbred racing since its inaugural running in 1780, merits its position as the main attraction. Yet the Classic, once witnessed by masses of half a million at the legendary racecourse – Parliament was suspended so that honourable members could attend – is confronting a steep challenge to pull in the crowds on its own.
“The first time I went to the Derby was in 1964,” remembers Frank Warren, the showman whose Queensberry Promotions have collaborated with Epsom’s proprietors, the Jockey Club, to create DerbyFest.
“My dad was a bookmaker, and my uncles were. They had a couple of pitches inside and on The Hill. All sorts of things were happening – everyone was there, having a great day out – and it was the Derby that brought it all together.
“When this opportunity arose, we grabbed with both hands. I really do feel it’s a privilege to get involved”, reports the Mirror.
DerbyFest spans the two days of Epsom’s Classic meeting, which kicks off with the Oaks on Friday. The objective is straightforward: to revive the allure of what many within horseracing still consider to be the sport’s arena at its most powerfully captivating.
Surrounded by the Epsom racecourse horseshoe, The Hill has traditionally served as the gauge for the race’s popularity. Previously, a massive expanse of people concealed the downland grass from sight – William Powell Frith’s 1858 masterpiece Derby Day portrays every pleasure-seeking slice of society – but the carpet has worn thin to mere strands.
The Hill, being public ground, doesn’t contribute to Epsom’s revenue, yet Warren spots tomorrow’s racegoers amongst this weekend’s newcomers.
“From Epsom’s perspective it’s about opening this up to a new generation – finding the punters of tomorrow,” adds the 74-year-old, who through his day job in boxing has managed the likes of Tyson Fury, Frank Bruno and Naseem Hamed.
“I’m an old geezer, but it’s about bringing in a new audience, getting them into the spirit of the event – a historic event. You can bring your own picnic, have a bet, and it’s 100 per cent free to get in. Even the parking!
“All you have to do is go to the Jockey Club website – thejockeyclub.co.uk – and get the tickets from there.”
Boxing is experiencing a surge in popularity, though Warren has navigated its peaks and troughs since staging his first licensed bout 46 years ago, and also helped inject vital energy into the unfashionable early era of London’s Docklands.
“Many years ago, that was when we built London Arena,” he recalls. “A lot of the newspapers – they are based there now! – were anti-Docklands, saying it was a difficult place to get to.
“I got Sinatra, we had Pavarotti – other acts were there – and it became a very successful venue.”
The 2025 Derby won by Lambourn, an 11th victory in the test for Aidan O’Brien, took place before just 22,312 paying customers. More than 53,000 were in the stands to watch Galileo triumph, a first for the Ballydoyle trainer, in a quarter of a century ago.
But Warren, with a swagger fostered by five decades in the hype business, throws out talk of terminal decline.
“This is a major sporting event, a great tradition that is moving with the times,” he asserts. “I hope, and I believe, it’s going to be like going back to when I was that kid, working with my dad.
“We’re successful in what we do and I want this to be a success – we will move heaven and earth to make it happen.”
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