The Derby: Draw for £1.5m race using 'ping-pong' balls and cup cakes compared to village fete

The custodians of the Betfred Derby tried to win new fans within the local Epsom community on Thursday.

Ahead of the £1.5 million Classic, the richest horse race staged in Britain, the Jockey Club held the draw ceremony in Epsom town centre. With little of the glitz and glamour which precedes many of the sport’s other major international races, the event took place in Market Square close to a bronze statue of Aidan O’Brien great Galileo and the Wetherspoons pub, the Assembly Rooms.

Racing TV host Nick Luck acknowledged there was little sign around the town that the world famous Derby was just 48 hours away.

He said: “This is very much part of the Jockey Club’s drive to bring this historic race, the most historic race in world sport, closer to the people of Epsom, closer to the town.”

The draw for stalls positions for most races takes place behind closed doors at the offices of Weatherbys, racing’s secretariat. Yet for the Derby the the runners were allotted their stalls after numbered balls were drawn from tombolas by special guests, Frankie Foster, the ex-Love Island contestant who now fronts RacedayTV, and the mayor of Epsom.

Reaction on social media was not favourable with the racing manager of Leicester City owners King Power, who will be represented Bellum Justum in the Derby, among critics. Alister Donald posted on X: “Derby Draw, how embarrassing, badly written on ping pong balls, some cup cakes, looks like a village fete tombola!!!!! Think we need to watch how other countries do these things!!”

Former top jockey Ted Durcan replied: “All that was missing was for Brian Potter and the Phoenix Nights team to make a guest appearance.” Dermot Cumiskey, a TV producer who has worked on many of the sport's top races, said: “Numbers hand written on ping pong balls. Our greatest flat race has come a long way.”

A fan posted: “Just seen the draw for the Derby and at first glance assumed it was some kind of pretend one to set something up but no. Deary me just put horse racing out of its misery it’s dying a slow death.” Another said: "Nick Luck doing the derby draw from a wetherspoons smoking area was not on my 2024 bingo card."

In other countries the draw ceremony for big races can be lavish occasions with organisers of the Everest in Australia having previously staged the event on Sydney Harbour Bridge.

A spokesperson for Epsom Downs Racecourse said: “Horseracing plays an important role in the day-to-day life of Epsom, not only as a racecourse venue but as an equine training centre throughout the year.

“Taking the draw into the town centre gave local people the chance to find out more about the Betfred Derby Festival and is one of a number of new initiatives to involve the community more in celebrating an iconic event that happens on their doorstep.”T