so now its THE DERBY FESTIVAL

CHESTER FESTIVAL, YORK FESTIVAL ITS EVEN THE GUINEAS FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND,  BLOODY EVERY RACE DAYS SEEM TO BE FESTIVALS

I noticed that description too. I live near Epsom, but no Epsom Festival please. The traffic, the noise and the inconvenience are too much on a saturday already. Anyway, apart from The Derby race itself the supporting races do not amount to much either.

Horseracing fans can have them in their backyards, but no lager louts and substance abusers, plz.

Derby, Oaks and Coronation Cup plus not a lot else.

It was always the July meeting in recent years it’s become the July festival,it’s only the gravy mob who call them festivals all those racegoers who went to York last week went to the Dante meeting and when they discuss with friends and family  about there return in August it will be to the ebor meeting not the ebor festival.

The flat season goes

Lincoln meeting
Craven meeting
Guineas meeting
Chester
Dante meeting
Epsom
Royal Ascot
Plate meeting
July meeting
Glorious goodwood
Ebor meeting
St leger meeting
Western meeting
Cambridgeshire meeting
Champions day

They can call it a Great Festival if they run the Derby back to a wed.

the DERBY festival would struggle to fill half of Saturdays ARC WEEKEND card let alone ARC DAY,the supporting races are basically pathetic, and wierdly its only the derby and oaks that pundits/comms bedwett about the track,never gets mentioned for the other races,point made by Dan barber on sunday

I still enjoy the fixture I know there’s quite a lot of average races but derby day is still special.

Derby Day is indeed special. I wholly support that. I think Derby Day ought to include The Oaks race too; The Oaks cannot support itself as a race day. This is also good for the residents, most businesses and workers in and around Epsom; race days only drive away regular shoppers in the area.

No matter what the gravy-trainers eg Racing Post or bookie sponsors may call it - a festival or even a carnival - it's still a race meeting usually known for a specific race eg Derby, Dante, Eclipse, Guineas, King George, Champions, Ebor, etc; Royal Ascot is Royal Ascot because of the patronages of the King and Queen.

You cannot polish a turd esp when the turd is in a spiral decline, and associated with bookies - the scourge of society.

So much negativity, it’s called branding the sport needs to be shown and made to appeal to the opposite of this.

No mention of the Cheltenham rip off festival or the Festival for the sake of it and filling pockets again - Punchestown!

I wonder if the silly people will allow fireworks before the off ?

Disco music is bad enough tbh….hideous imv..

Unbelievable that day form I was genuinely scared for a few seconds as were many others who on earth came up with that idea obviously the care of the horse should have been considered but also the times we live in.

It would have been funny to see Animal Rising go there that year or any other , try their stuff and meet the travellers!

I've never considered going to the Derby. I don't like Londoners, jellied eels or Londoners eating jellied eels.

I must admit I’d have a bash at eating most things but not a chance of trying jellied eels

Jellied eels is a delicacy mainly for the older East Enders. The newer ones are more likely into chapatis, curries, kebabs, pizzas, etc.

The Derby is a good afternoon out, but I'd not call it a festival. There's nothing festive about Derby Day eg no music, no good food stalls like in Borough Market, etc, but only racegoers present, and sometimes the unsociable lager louts.

May 21, 2025 -- 10:07AM, jimnast wrote:

I must admit I’d have a bash at eating most things but not a chance of trying jellied eels

It’s actually made a comeback and my friend has a successful shop in West London, not my cup of cha but as said before re: punting styles - each to their own.

Absolutely delashay

Impossible never been to borough market would it be like Camden Town ?

As for larger louts Imp a friend who lived up Knightsbridge opposite Harrods on the corner of the road where there was a wine bar bought by Ecclestone for one his daughters some time ago. Had to ditch the huge flower pot in their basement because of the people coming out and lashing into it after a night out! - It all smells the same once it’s passed through you and has the same effects no matter price or colour!

Can we have a mass generalisation thread next chaps and chappettes?!

No he’s in west London from White City originally. Where the pub the old General Smuts is now a mosque that has calls for prayers booming out!

How times change and the definition of what is.

Borough Market is something of a foodie paradise and is very different to Camden Market I believe is more fashion and clothing inclined. The former is not cheap but great with a few friends not adverse to sampling various types of quality street food. A good introduction to friends from outside London who are interested in food, and a day out in London. Next stop could be Chinatown.

Hard to imagine the worlds best three year olds some highly strung trained to the minute and punted for a right few quid.

The big chief of the pudding race gives the go ahead for loud noise and flash….

I wouldn’t allow the brain to boil the kettle tbh….

Thanks impossible I’m in London the two days before royal Ascot I’ll have a visit and sample the foods .

White City? I know it fairly well. That estate was something in the 80's. But, for The BBC and possibly the dog track it would have been an easily forgotten place to most Londoners.

The Shepherds Bush Roundabout is 'iconic', once known as the "Magic Roundabout". God knows how traffic could have negotiated around it without the many road rages associated with today's traffic elsewhere.

Enjoy Borough Market 'jimnast'. The nearest Tube is London Bridge. Do watch your valuables eg mobile and wallet though.

Thanks for the advice impossible as I won’t use the underground how far a walk is it from Waterloo station ?

Safer having tea in Gaza jimnast tbh….imv….

It says 1m on 'google' from Waterloo Stn. I've never walked it but it's close by; driven past many times enroute to Hackney. A nice walk on a good day.

Borough Market is virtually next door/opposite London Bridge station.

The Borough Market is safer than most. Just be sensible - opportunist mobile/bag snatcher is never far away.

Form London is a great city no worse than many in the uk regarding safety although I will be back on the train before 8 pm

Form we have an area called Piccadilly gardens you wouldn’t won’t to be there at any time of the day.

Tin hat area jimnast….

Glasgow was the worst in Europe at one time until the heads got together…

Can doesn’t seem interested in people being cut down and robbed by colon type rodents tbh….

Glasgow is another great city as is Belfast but past reputations are had to forget by many people

Fair comment.

Edinburgh for me tbh….

Yes another great city I always enjoy the haymarket side of the city and for murrayfield is the best venue for the six nations.

Hi Jimnast

used to stop at the wellington opposite the station in waterloo for the royal meeting, sad to say haven't been since covid but hope to get back.

ristorante Olivelli is my recommendation

lovely to see you last week, now in the lakes for the week

regards Ronnie

Hello Ronnie as ever nice to see you also and enjoy the lakes

Restaurant noted

I went to the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. I was 16. The reason I remember it because it was the first time I'd seen a naked woman in the flesh. Joni Mitchell was there as well. She wasn't naked though. 

May 21, 2025 -- 10:38AM, impossible123 wrote:

White City? I know it fairly well. That estate was something in the 80's. But, for The BBC and possibly the dog track it would have been an easily forgotten place to most Londoners. The Shepherds Bush Roundabout is 'iconic', once known as the "Magic Roundabout". God knows how traffic could have negotiated around it without the many road rages associated with today's traffic elsewhere.

More so in the 70’s, the dog track was before my time. Think the many QPR supporters would disagree about it being forgettable. It’s something of a cult area Loftus Road and the Bush. I read a book recently called The White City set in the 80’s a good laugh. Terry Venables, Rodney Marsh, Stan Bowles are still legends there!
You’re right about the round about, I worked at the BBC amongst many other studios.

jimnast, re the horrendous fireworks derby,   Claire Balding must have an input into the stupid idea , shes was or still is  racecourse commitee director at epsom

And she grew up with racehorses elisjohn it beggars belief rest assured who ever made the decision will have just uttered the words lessons will be learned and just moved on .

Where the pub the old General Smuts is now a mosque

Fook me , I spent half my youth in that pub my mates dad was the Landlord for years

Unbelievable

Does this mean the song for the Derbi race
will start with the Irish anthem?

they once had an orchestra next to the winning post at kempton that played rossinis william tell overture as the horses legged it down the straight

bizarre and never repeated

No more relaxing days at the races now…..fkd.

Derby day was once a very Special day , when on a Wednesday the Whole Nation stopped ,and  women had Few bob on Lester ,radios would be on Full blast  in most work places

the Queen in attendance , Will Chazzer  and his Mrs be there on Saturday ?

It was British it was Special , long gone , along with a lot of other things  ..

Very relaxing and enjoyable day at haydock yesterday form good racing lovely weather most midweeks are absolutely fine.

May 22, 2025 -- 2:06PM, the old nanny ;-) wrote:

Where the pub the old General Smuts is now a mosque Fook me , I spent half my youth in that pub my mates dad was the Landlord for years Unbelievable

Is that for real Nanny? I’m meeting a guy today who used to go there with his mates and my dad. They told me many a mad story about the things that went on in there!

Remember a name Dickie G  - aka Slippers?

The area changed so much.

The Epsom Derby is the only UK flat race anyone overseas, or most people living in the UK for that matter, knows about.
Which begs the question..
Why arent the BHA doing more to promote it?

They chuck millions of pounds at carp ideas like the Champions day. Jockeys challenges, that £3.6m fresh marketing campaign they announced a few weeks back.
Sack all that off.
The States have about a 3 month lead up to the Kentucky Derby. Top quality trials every saturday night. We need the same for Epsom. The Lincoln meeting needs a trial. Maybe a couple on the All Weather during the winter. 100k to the winner, win and your in on Derby day. Maybe get a trial from France too. Even one in America.
At the very least it might stop so many Ballydoyle horses entering.

What gets me is calling the Derby by the sponsor's name. The BetFred Derby eg. It should be The derby,

sponsored by betfred. In the past we had the Cazoo Derby. WTF are Cazoos? A race for 3yold Cazoos!

We also had The Ever Ready Derby. In America this caused howls of laughter as there was at the time

a huge investigation into the use of 'batteries' by one or two Mexican jockeys!

The BetFred Derby

Looks and sounds dreadful tbh…

Names dont Ring a bell del , Landlord was Paddy Gallagher ran it  for Years, I didnt drink in there a lot , I knew the family , I let his son and a few of our Mates know it was Now a Mosque

disbelief TBH  ,  White City was Mainly English Irish and West Indians in the 70s  , went there about 15 Year Back now Mainly Somalians ..

It was a rough old place back in the day but in the Main every one got along


I used to go to the Dogs Loved the place  , sadly that went Sideways as well

I've only ever been to one derby and it was on a Wednesday so I can at least say,I went to the real derby,piggott won on tenoso and no I didn't back it,bought in to that Irish horse carlingford loch loving the heavy ground

^^^ proper Derbys that people actually gave a fk about

teenoso was a super horse , won a superb king george the following year on firm ground, not bad for a heavy ground plodder according to some, it was a brill lester ride as well

what was the name of the other wragg group 1/KG horse a fews later in same colours, ?

was it Pentire

yep,little terrier

So many festivals.  Anything above one day is now a "festival".

missed the break in king george and came there cruising .   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J3kEPUcJ-M

proper horses and races those days

Wednesday was special as one would need to take a day off work to attend. As such, only horseracing enthusiasts would attend; no lager louts. Also, these days the best horses do not always turn up for commercial reasons (Coolmore specific).

as ivs said so many times, coolmore have desroyed flat racing and now mullins on the sticks, and yet they still cant get a real great between them, a dancing brave, an arkle, frankel. red rum, dessie ,best mate, kauto,  no one hardly  remembers any of their horses

Wednesday was special as one would need to take a day off work to attend ..... and one would not need to work out which one of aiden's eight was going to pop up ....

shergar, golden fleece, slip anchor, sinndar,generous ,sharastani, nashwan  , erhaab etc  they roll off the tongue, but coolmores lot are easily forgetable

The Minstrel

i'd be surprised if aidan remembers wings of eagles or serpentine !...no doubt i can recall most of the wednesday derbies i ever watched . much , much more than saturdays . we used to have a big spread in a pub and closed doors for the afternoon. a great event . one of racing's worst ever decisions moving the day . ever .

May 23, 2025 -- 2:32PM, the old nanny ;-) wrote:

Names dont Ring a bell del , Landlord was Paddy Gallagher ran it

Here’s a story I’ll share about slippers…. He’d dress as a vicar and go to each post office

The old fashioned way a crime

I never liked him

Windsor

Serpentine only retired from racing back in October a long time after he won that farcical derby.

i've just had to look him up jimnast . so thats where he went . derby winner who gets beat 28 times in 31 races !

There’s been well over 200 derby’s Windsor it can’t be possible there was a worse derby or a worse derby winner in all those races.

The Derby still survives despite efforts to popularise it.

May 23, 2025 -- 2:32PM, the old nanny ;-) wrote:

Names dont Ring a bell del , Landlord was Paddy Gallagher ran it

Not sure why my reply hasn’t posted twice now

My friend said the name Paddy and that he was a bit of a misery!! Had two big Irish Wolf hounds that’s jump up at the bar, said you didn’t go near them!

My dad and uncle liked the dog track too, small world thanks for sharing )

The pie and mash shop that my friend owns is at the top of Percy road on the Uxbridge road, eels are optional!

Good luck with your punting today.

despite the fact ITV/racing tv will bang on about it 24/7 for a week,can anyone name the last horse people/punters would be confident it might have won derby/oaks if it wasn't for the track, looking back is it possible it was the 100,000 + people on the infield,hanging over rails,far bigger funfare,jamboree etc that was the reason horses might not have performed, trainers seem to prefer n,market,York,sandown as preps rather than lingfield,Chester these day so the track/course obviously doesn't make them lose any sleep,
might have been GOSDEN who I remember when commenting  on CECIL,s  TENBY,s derby its all over he,ll win, HE,ll GO ROUND THERE AND ROUND TATTENHAM CORNER LIKE A BARREL ROLLING DOWN A HILL
obviously he was 100% wrong