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For the length of the parade ring side accessible to the public 84% is in the "main" Dutchess enclosure and 16% in the Queen’s Stand enclosure.
Paul, I have to say I’m finding the accuracy of your measurements converted in percentages slightly scary.
Have you actually had the measureing tape out
For the length of the parade ring side accessible to the public 84% is in the "main" Dutchess enclosure and 16% in the Queen’s Stand enclosure.
Paul, I have to say I’m finding the accuracy of your measurements converted in percentages slightly scary.
Have you actually had the measureing tape out
I am not sure what the answer is regarding admission prices. It is a barrier to people. It was £20 for a dire card at Fontwell yesterday and £21 for today’s card at Goodwood.
Now Sandown last Thursday was good value, with entry £10 if booked in advance and £10 for Premier entry for RUK subscribers. It was a good card and a decent crowd compared to the card the previous week when the weather was much better. They also ran a Facebook fan campaign and had a box for people to use etc so the marketing/management are at least showing some initiative and trying to engage with a new audience.
I will be going on Oaks day but the Saturday is just too manic for me and its easier to enjoy from the comfort of my own home.
I look at admission prices in two ways….
1). It’s overpriced for classic meetings, especially for your
average man on the street, but the organisers aren’t bothered as
they know they’ll be wealthy people who will pay whatever it costs.2). You get what you pay for and even if the premier enclosures cost
you say £50? I’ll probably have at least £50 on the first Race anyway…You get what you pay for….
£20 admission for Fontwell and £21 Goodwood this weekend, what bargains, eh?
That near £2 million card at Auteuil yesterday must have been pretty rubbish then – it only cost 8 Euros to get in.
…You get what you pay for….
£20 admission for Fontwell and £21 Goodwood this weekend, what bargains, eh?
That near £2 million card at Auteuil yesterday must have been pretty rubbish then – it only cost 8 Euros to get in.
The prices for Fontwell and Goodwood yesterday sound excessive, I was referring to Classic meeting prices in the posh enclosures, great racing, fantastic atmosphere and lastly, full of quality Totty!
I’m not a big fan of flat racing and that includes the Derby but I moved down to live roughly 15 mins traing journey from Epsom last year so am tempted to go along with the wife and boys (12 and 15).
I’m therefore not really wanting to fork out nearly a couple of hundred pound for something that I’m only half interested in so does anybody know what the situation is with the Tattenham Straight enclosure.
It’s only £20 per adult, kids under 17 go free and from what I can gather from the web site it’s just a long stretch of grass that runs along the straight – I’m guessing till the grandstands get in. You can take your own food etc if you wish
The weather is supposed to be nice so was thinking of doing the picnic thing and just enjoying the atmosphere rather than treating it as a normal days racing.
I would like to be able to at least see part of the race in the flesh and the whole race in some form – even if only on a big screen.
Any help much appreciated.
Cheers, Lee
It’s not so long ago that the entire centre of the course at Epsom was free for all to see the race. I went several times, Teenoso, Slip Anchor, Golden Fleece, etc, and it didn’t cost a carrot to get to the inside straight.
As usual, it is the management putting a false premium on occupying a piece of land that has been a public right of way, by Royal mandate, since the middle ages.
I stopped attending when they started fleecing people for the privilege of standing near the rail.
Is it still free to watch the race from the hill at Tattenham Corner railway stn?I went to the Derby last year to see Sea The Stars in the flesh. If you do not purchase a Queen Stand badge, for which you must wear top hat and tails if you are a gent, you will not be allowed in the section where the Winner’s Enclosure, and the winnning post are located. You will therefore have a Duchess Stand badge which does get you to the parade ring, but only on one side of it, the other side of it is in the Queen’s Stand enclosure.
From the Duchess Stand you are not actually able to see much of the end of the races, as they take place in front of the Queen’s Stand. And worse, you will not be able to see the winner of any race enter the Winner’s Emclosure because that is teeny weeny, and bang smack in front of, well actually underneath, the Queen’s Stand.
Only one horse can enter that as well, so placed horses are not of any consequence at Epsom it seems!
I was VERY disappointed in Epsom while their ‘refurbishment’ was going on. Badges for the meetings were not reduced during this time but access everywhere sure was and the place was a building site. It looked like they had made little effort to show a race meeting of calibre was taking place. I attend the Oaks every year and buy Queens Stand badges and really enjoy it as if you are in the Quuen’s Stand you have good viewing and can wander down to see the winner and the placed, who unsaddle on the rail. The only other occasion I attended the Derby I went with a party who had Queen’s Stand badges and dressed accordingly. It was lovely and uncrowded, a bit like the Royal Enclosure.
However I do think that Epsom is shooting itself in the foot by having such an outdated Winner’s Enclsoure and by such poor viewing for those who do not buy top wack badges or annual membership.
I also noted at the last two meetings I attended that a whole section of the stands by the parade ring are roped off for ‘VIPs’ and are mostly empty. Who do Epsom consider might use this viewing area? Anyone with a horse running would have a paddock badge surely? And VIPs are entitled to paddock, boxes etc so why would they need this area. I doubt if the Queen would want to stand there! It’s empty and punters are squashed into a small space because of this.
The Derby used to matter a lot to ‘common’ people. It’s no wonder it does not anymore in the way it once did, and it is a real shame.
I never did see much of Sea The Stars except the few times he went round the parade ring. And as he whizzed by The Duchess Stand and disappeared out of sight near the Winning Post. He was paraded, but only in front of The Quuen’s Stand, natch. Shame as this horse was so brilliant for racing and the very many people, like mayself, who came just to see him, had no chance to celebrate his win.
Epsom missed the best opportunity they had for a horse to get a standing ovation like they often do at Cheltenham. Do these courses not talk to each other?
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I went to the Derby last year to see Sea The Stars in the flesh. If you do not purchase a Queen Stand badge, for which you must wear top hat and tails if you are a gent, you will not be allowed in the section where the Winner’s Enclosure, and the winnning post are located. You will therefore have a Duchess Stand badge which does get you to the parade ring, but only on one side of it, the other side of it is in the Queen’s Stand enclosure.
From the Duchess Stand you are not actually able to see much of the end of the races, as they take place in front of the Queen’s Stand. And worse, you will not be able to see the winner of any race enter the Winner’s Emclosure because that is teeny weeny, and bang smack in front of, well actually underneath, the Queen’s Stand.
Only one horse can enter that as well, so placed horses are not of any consequence at Epsom it seems!
I was VERY disappointed in Epsom while their ‘refurbishment’ was going on. Badges for the meetings were not reduced during this time but access everywhere sure was and the place was a building site. It looked like they had made little effort to show a race meeting of calibre was taking place. I attend the Oaks every year and buy Queens Stand badges and really enjoy it as if you are in the Quuen’s Stand you have good viewing and can wander down to see the winner and the placed, who unsaddle on the rail. The only other occasion I attended the Derby I went with a party who had Queen’s Stand badges and dressed accordingly. It was lovely and uncrowded, a bit like the Royal Enclosure.
However I do think that Epsom is shooting itself in the foot by having such an outdated Winner’s Enclsoure and by such poor viewing for those who do not buy top wack badges or annual membership.
I also noted at the last two meetings I attended that a whole section of the stands by the parade ring are roped off for ‘VIPs’ and are mostly empty. Who do Epsom consider might use this viewing area? Anyone with a horse running would have a paddock badge surely? And VIPs are entitled to paddock, boxes etc so why would they need this area. I doubt if the Queen would want to stand there! It’s empty and punters are squashed into a small space because of this.
The Derby used to matter a lot to ‘common’ people. It’s no wonder it does not anymore in the way it once did, and it is a real shame.
I never did see much of Sea The Stars except the few times he went round the parade ring. And as he whizzed by The Duchess Stand and disappeared out of sight near the Winning Post. He was paraded, but only in front of The Quuen’s Stand, natch. Shame as this horse was so brilliant for racing and the very many people, like mayself, who came just to see him, had no chance to celebrate his win.
Epsom missed the best opportunity they had for a horse to get a standing ovation like they often do at Cheltenham. Do these courses not talk to each other?
Great post Fairybridge and just about confirmed my fears that you don’t see much for £50, i’ll be selling my tickets on the day and be using the hill for free.
Isit possible to get to the 12f start to film some of the runners?
Probably easier to get a drink on the hill and bet too!
I think you can still go down to the start.
If I remember rightly, the start is served by Epsom Downs Stn. Dunno if it helps anyone, but it is a useful/useless factoid that might help someone lol
Yeah, it used to be ‘for the people’ but it now seems to be more ‘for the gentry’ and anyone else who can afford it.
What’s the name of that pub behind the stands, where there is a wishing well and they foretell the name of the winner? No day at the Derby is complete without a pint in that place. IF you can get to the bar lolDear paulostermeyer,
Can I refer you to Fairybridges for a response to your post.I could not do it half as well.(Sounds like a double negative but no it is not.)Fairy Bridge –
The Duchess Stand ticket gets you access to as much of the parade ring as you could possibly need. Same view of the paddock as a Queens Stand ticketholder. (But you only get to see the horses if the trainers take themn in tehre – Grrrrr)
The winners enclosure I agree is a problem. I’d much rather they unsaddled in teh parade ring, a la Cheltenham as has been suggested, but, given it is right below the Queen’s viewing area such a move is unlikely, at least not while the monarchy still have an active interest.
Although the finishing line is beyond the Duchess Stand you can still see it perfectly well from the Grandstand provided you are not on the concourse/lawn. I’ve watched from a variety of stances and have yet to fail to see the finish.
Epsom isn’t perfect (they could do with moving the road at the back of the grandstand about fifty yards and expanding outwards to create a sense of space) but for 50 quid (the price of a good night out) you’ll get to see an absolutely unique and historic sporting occasion, close up and personal.
You are correct, if you are up in the grandstand part of The Duchess Stand you can see the end of the races. However, if you have waited so long in the parade ring to see any horses then by the time you attempt to get into the Duchess Stand it is so crowded (also due to the rain) that you have to watch from the lower steps or the lawn, from which viewing is very poor.
I disagree about the parade ring though, as I mentioned a great part of it is taken up by this roped off section for mythical ‘VIPs’ which is empty of them, and the part of it near to the statue of Generous, on the lawn which is less crowded is only for annual members, or those with day badges for the Queen’s Stand and if you are a male, wearing top hat and tails.
I was a member of Epsom the year Galileo won, I was also a member of the Epsom Racing Club and did not find that the course management were supportive of either. That was Stephen Wallis who is now at Newmarket so perhaps new management are better. He seemed only interested in corporate and annual members got nearly as little for their money as the public did. Most of the Queens Stand became turned over to corporate and annual members were given a tent on the lawn across from the winning post. Once I left Epsom and became an ordinary member of the public with a husband who did not wish to dress up in the heat, we found that the course did not really cater for the general public either. Especially the year they were under refurbishment when it was not only ugly, but hard to get about, and no money was taken off admittance. Poor show.
I do agree that the Derby is an experience and one not to be missed in your life. I just think it is sad that Epsom, and the Derby are not what they once were. Masses of history there – and I love that.
I recommend that everyone go at least once, and if you get lucky and find a good vantage point perhaps you would return.
I’m going tomorrow, so although I continue not to particularly like the course, the horses are top calibre and that will make me attend.
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