Epsom Downs Racecourse caters to an estimated 150,000 each year and is recognised as one of the highly-regarded horse racing venues that the UK has to offer. It kicks off at the start of June each and every year, lasting two days.
Located in Surrey, Epsom racecourse is used exclusively for horse racing and is a staggering 2,400 metres long, amounting to over a mile and a half of space for these thoroughbreds. Unlike a lot of the four-day festivals we see in other major horse racing events, the Epsom Derby Festival only last two days, where it’s made up of a Ladies Day on the first day and the massively anticipated Epsom Derby on the second, with the second day always taking place on the first Saturday of June.
The Epsom Derby, also referred to as the Derby Stakes and the Investec Derby, is the most notable run to take place at Epsom and has gained legendary status since being inaugurated in 1780. This is a Group 1 flat horse race and consists of a run over one mile, four furlongs and six yards, with it crowning the best of the best based on who finishes in that all-important first place position. The Epsom Oaks, or Oak Stakes, is another race that takes place here and has become another staple in the British horse racing calendar.