The Derby's declining attendances: just how far have crowds dropped at Epsom this century?

This year’s Betfred Derby was the first that Jim Allen, Epsom’s general manager, had attended since Sinndar won the Classic in 2000.

• Derby prize-money boosted to £2 million and Coronation Cup returns to Saturday slot in bid to reinvigorate Epsom’s big day  

Allen, who took on the top job at Epsom in October 2024, said the changes that had happened in the 25 years since he had previously been at the course were noticeable, particularly the drop in attendance.

As Allen spearheads a team at Epsom and the Jockey Club seeking to return the Derby to its pre-eminent status in the British racing calendar, we chart the demise of its popularity visually to show what they are seeking to recapture.

2001 – Galileo
Attendance: 53,177

Galileo wins the 2001 Derby in front of a massive crowd

After 46,409 people had watched Sinndar win the first Derby of the new millennium, the race reached its high watermark the next year as more than 50,000 came to watch Galileo succeed.

Serpentine was Galileo’s final Derby winner, landing the behind-close-doors running in 2020, but the late super sire’s last winner without crowd restrictions, Anthony Van Dyck, raced in front of 38,044 spectators in 2019, a contraction of 28.5 per cent in fewer than two decades.

2005 – Motivator
Attendance: 48,206

Double decker buses and crowds filled the infield when Motivator scored in 2005

While down from the high of Galileo, crowds were still robust four years later when Motivator became the first – and so far only – syndicate-owned winner of the Derby.

Attendances remained above 40,000 for the next two years before dropping to 38,250 in 2008, when New Approach take the prize in the colours of Princess Haya of Jordan.

2010 – Workforce
Attendance: 35,325

A thinner attendance is apparent on the infield during Workforce's Derby win in 2010

Ryan Moore won his first Derby in front of what was then the smallest crowd since Dr Devious won the 1992 Classic on a Wednesday in front of 26,178 people.

The rider was at his brilliant best that weekend, completing a Classic double, memorably saying after winning the Oaks on Snow Fairy that “it’s not the Derby”.

2015 – Golden Horn
Attendance: 31,709

Golden Horn won the Derby under Frankie Dettori but attendances were on the slide

Crowds initially rose slightly after Workforce’s win before plummeting back down for Frankie Dettori’s second, and final, triumph in the Derby on Golden Horn as part of the rider's resurgence.

Attendances did climb again after this edition of the race, but once again failed to reach pre-2010 levels.

2022 – Desert Crown
Attendance: 37,278

Crowds returned to Epsom to see Desert Crown win in 2022Credit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The first Derby that was open to the public for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic delivered what has proved to be, to date, a sort of last hurrah for the race.

Serpentine and Adayar had won while the restrictions had been in place, and with the constraints lifted people returned to watch Sir Michael Stoute win his last Derby with Desert Crown.

2025 – Lambourn
Attendance: 22,312

Lambourn wins the Derby in front of a near-empty infieldCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Attendance figures compiled by the Levy Board go back to 1989. In that time, barring the two Covid-19 years, there has never been such a low turnout as there was for this year’s Derby.

Lambourn, winner of the Chester Vase but relatively unheralded, made all of the running under Wayne Lordan to give trainer Aidan O’Brien his sixth Derby victory in the last nine years.

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