£470 for a family of four? Epsom has lots of issues but reducing scandalous kids’ prices should be an easy win

The Derby was once known as the people’s race – but if you wanted to attend on Saturday and have your son or daughter share in the full magic of Derby day, it would have cost you at least £135.

For a child aged between five and 17, the cheapest ticket allowing access to the parade ring was £50 on Derby day. A place in the Queen Elizabeth II Stand? That’ll be £70, for a child. For a family of four, the prices were £270 and £470 respectively.

There were more affordable tickets in the Upper Tattenham Enclosure, and even a family festival on the Hill – not that many people even wanted to go there, seemingly – but let’s be honest – if you’re hoping to introduce children to the true wonder of a raceday, seeing the horses up close, feeling the energy of the paddock, watching the finish by the post, it would have been a poor substitute anyway.

Lee Mottershead:

'It's dead everywhere' - one of racing's crown jewels is being tarnished by Epsom's crowd crisis    

Sad to say, but a sport that struggles with perceptions of elitism and access is, intentionally or not, sending a message: if you want to bring your child along to the Derby, we don’t want you mixing in the grandstands.

Allowing youngsters access to the parade ring is so crucial in capturing their imagination; seeing the horses up close and realising just how magnificent these animals are. I could sit in a parade ring and admire the beauty of racehorses for hours upon end; it’s a big reason why I love this sport. But when the entry price for children becomes a barrier, we risk losing those formative moments.

Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom. Many courses offer free entry for children – even Royal Ascot allows under-18s in for free with a paying adult, including access to the Queen Anne enclosure. That’s exactly the sort of exposure we should be giving the next generation: free access to the sport at its most glamorous and exciting. 

It begs the question why Epsom has taken a different route. I’m sure the course will study the attendance data from the two days and spot a glaring gap in the younger age brackets. The question is whether that will concern it. It certainly concerns me.

Read more on the Derby:

'He can have his effort upgraded significantly' - expert analysis of the Betfred Derby 

'Ryan said Delacroix was taken out of it very early' - Aidan O'Brien reflects on the fate of his beaten Derby runners 

'Overpriced and unconsidered' - more Classics on the agenda for syndicate-owned 50-1 Derby second 

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