'Something pretty dramatic had to happen - it feels like Epsom is on the cusp of something really quite exciting'

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Plans to reinvigorate Epsom and Britain's premier Classic the Derby have been welcomed by one of the town's biggest trainers, who can see a seismic change coming for the historic training centre.

George Baker has been sending out runners from the beautifully renovated Downs House Stables in Epsom since the start of the year and provided the home of the Derby with a welcome Royal Ascot winner when Get In landed the Wokingham in June.

A forward-thinker who runs a successful satellite yard in Bahrain alongside Downs House, Baker sees no reason why Epsom cannot become the thriving racing centre of old and thinks the plans revealed by the Jockey Club last week, aimed at rejuvenating the Derby festival, are a good place to start.

"Since the Derby this summer, there's been a real sense around the place that there's a genuine commitment to a proper shake-up," Baker tells The Front Runner, "and to see the news last week was fantastic. There was certainly a feeling amongst the racing community in Epsom that something pretty dramatic had to happen."

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 programme on Derby day, containing two Group 3s and five handicaps alongside the Classic, also drew criticism.

After Friday's announcement from the Jockey Club, next year’s Derby will be worth £2 million, an increase of £500,000, with pay-outs down to tenth place. The Coronation Cup has also been moved back to Derby day on the Saturday, when it will be worth £1m (up from £450,000) and sponsored by Coolmore.

Down House Stables in Epsom is home to trainer George BakerCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

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.

"It's great to see the emphasis on the infield and free parking across the site," says Baker. "Hopefully it's something that will engage with the local community because I definitely had a sense when we first arrived in Epsom at the beginning of this year that people weren't looking forward to the Derby.

"The Derby was being approached with trepidation and if we can have a trip switch and actually get the local community engaged and see it as an enormously fun two days out, we can hopefully get them up on to the Hill and enjoying themselves with their mates. It wants to be stripped-back, raw fun and it is great to see the team at Epsom engaged with what they have to do."

Baker likes what he has seen so far from the track's general manager Jim Allen, who seems set on reversing the declining attendance on the Hill and who has created a partnership with boxing promoter Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, with the aim of putting on "the best fan zone the sport has ever seen" for those on the infield.

"It was a tough gig to have this year as his first Derby but I love Jim's positivity," says Baker. "Getting Frank Warren on board is clever to my mind and it's not just about Epsom. It's got to be London's race again and if you could get that huge catchment engaged in the race it would make a huge difference. It's definitely not beyond salvation and, if we can get the wider community on board, it will be a fantastic event again."

Lambourn's Derby victory this year was witnessed by a crowd of just 22,312Credit: GROSSICK RACING

Allen hopes to see 40,000 people attend next year's Derby and is aiming for 100,000 people across the two-day festival by 2030, and Baker loves the fact his targets are ambitious.

"I love it when people go large and much prefer going on that sort of basis rather than settling for 40 or 50,000. Let's go big and make it big," he says.

"We've thrown the doors open at Downs House to the public twice since we've been here and on both occasions the place was absolutely packed with locals. There is a strong groundswell of positivity and all credit to Jim Allen, Brian Finch previously and Andy Hornby, the new chairman, for really grasping this. It needed to be done and it feels like we could be on the cusp of something really quite exciting.

"Hopefully people will now see that Epsom is a fabulous training centre and collectively we're hoping we can get it right back on the map."

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Read these next:

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

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

Jockey Club lodges objection to building proposal on Epsom land owned by Cheltenham chairman and club member 

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