Next year's Epsom Derby (G1) will be worth £2 million ($2.675 million) as part of a £6m investment by the Jockey Club (UK) to reinvigorate Epsom and Britain's premier classic, with the aim of attracting a crowd of 100,000 for the festival by 2030.
As well as boosting prize-money for the Betfred-backed Derby by £500,000 and extending payouts down to 10th place, Epsom has also moved the Coronation Cup (G1) back to the Saturday of the fixture, when it will be worth £1m (up from £450,000) and sponsored by Coolmore.
There will also be free entry for under 18s, free parking, temporary stands on the inside of the track, and the creation of a new area on the Hill to be called DerbyFest. This year's Derby drew a crowd of just 22,312, down 4,000 from last year, with attendances across the two-day meeting 7,500 lower than in 2024.
The race program on the 2025 Derby day, containing two group 3s and five handicaps alongside the classic, also drew criticism. Jim Allen, Epsom's general manager, responded by vowing changes would be made for future Derbys and that the racecourse had to "make ourselves more appealing."
The multi-million pound investment by the Jockey Club is being used not only to increase prize-money purses but to provide a wider range of facilities and enclosures for racegoers and to deliver a more 'premium' atmosphere for what is one of British racing's most significant fixtures.
Unveiling the changes, Allen said: "My own passion for the Derby and Epsom goes back many years to my own childhood, and while I was extraordinarily proud to have overseen my first Derby as general manager earlier this year, I couldn't wait to address some of the things that the team and I knew could be improved.
"The changes we are making, both on and off the track, would not have been possible without crucial input from racegoers, annual members, the local community, a number of stakeholders from right across the sport, and our sponsors Betfred and other partners, all of which have helped shape this painstaking review process.
"It is so important for us to be continually evolving and improving to give everyone the best possible experience across the two days. Ultimately, we want to deliver something that Epsom and the surrounding area, along with everyone connected with British racing, can feel truly proud of, and one which is befitting of the Betfred Derby festival's status as a world-class and prestigious event."
Enhanced marketing for the Derby, in Epsom and London, is expected as part of the plans for next year's meeting, with an initial target to draw a crowd of 20,000 on the Friday, when the Oaks (G1) is run, and 40,000 on the Saturday. Derby day will feature the Coronation Cup, a 5-furlong handicap known as the Epsom Dash, and Derby run back-to-back, while the 3-year-old Dash has been moved to the first race on the opening day.
In addition, the 7-furlong John Of Gaunt Stakes (G3) has been moved to Epsom from Haydock and will be run on Derby day, renamed as the Tattenham Corner Stakes.
Three new areas are being created for racegoers, one of which will feature bleacher-style seating on the inside of the course between the furlong marker and the line, which Epsom hopes will provide an elevated view of the closing stages of the race. The seating will not impact the iconic double decker buses that line the inner rail, with these set to be placed between Tattenham Corner and where the seating starts at the furlong pole.
Efforts are also being made to reverse the declining attendance on the Hill, an area in the center of the racecourse that is free to attend, a message the racecourse intends to promote more forcibly. The enclosure will have a new feature dubbed DerbyFest, which is being created in partnership with boxing promoter Frank Warren's Queensbury Promotions, with the aim of putting on "the best fan zone the sport has ever seen", according to Allen, with live music and entertainment.
Allen said: "This project started the morning after Derby day for many of us and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly on it.
"Our aim for Derby day in 2026 is to have somewhere in the region of 40,000 people across our paid enclosures and on the Hill. We know that historically it was said that 100,000 people would be at Epsom on Derby day, but while we want to aim high over the next five years a realistic yet ambitious target would be to achieve that number over the course of the two-day festival by 2030."
