>> Epsom Derby at Epsom Downs Racecourse |
June 7th 2008 |
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Since 1779 one of sports great spectacles has taken place at Epsom, Surrey, South of London. Watch the horses tackle the rollercoaster of the famous mile and a half course of Epsom Downs.
A carnival atmosphere and top class horse racing make the Derby a must do event on the sporting and social calendar.
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| Epsom Derby Details |
External Links |
| >> Epsom Derby Tour Option |
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| >> Epsom Derby Day Tour Itinerary |
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>> Epsom Derby 2008 Tour Option |
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| Epsom Derby Day Tour Package: |
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| Day Trip - Saturday 7th June 2008 |
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| Lonsdale Enclosure Group - £50 per person |
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| Party on the Hill Enclosure - £30 per person |
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| >> Epsom Derby Day Tour Itinerary |
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Saturday June 7th 2008
Departure from Stamford Brook, London is 10am for the one hour drive to Epsom Downs racecourse. During the journey we'll crack open the bubbly to get the party mood started. Upon arrival at Epsom
some of us will head directly into the Lonsdale Enclosure and the other half of us to The Hill where we take up position for the afternoon's racing. After the racing has concluded we will load up the coaches and make the journey back to London . Expected arrival is 7.30pm for the conclusion of the day trip.
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| >> General Details |
Lonsdale Pedestrian Enclosure
This enclosure was traditionally only available to open-top buses but in 2008 there is a large pedestrian area between the rails and the buses. With a prime position directly opposite the Queen's Stand and alongside the home stretch and the winning post, the Lonsdale Enclosure has a buzzing vibe and of course all the must-have food and drink stands and totes. The Lonsdale Enclosure also allows patrons to bring their own food and drinks and allows re-admittance so you can come and go between this track side enclosure and the fun fair festivities on the hill in the centre of the course!
The Hill
The Hill is the famous downland area at the centre of the Epsom Downs course. It is the heart of the party as many people flock to experience the funfair and market. It features all the facilities you need to really make the day fly – toilets, bookmakers, food & bars, not to mention music and rides! There is free access to the Hill for all those at the race course however please note there is no access to the rails. Picnics and drinks are not just welcome but encouraged!
History of Epsom and it's Derby
The town of Epsom first became famous for it's natural mineral water when a local farmer, Henry Wicker took his cattle up to a watering hole on the Downs in 1618. The alleged healing properties of the water brought crowds from London who wanted to escape the squalor in return for the country air.
1661 saw the first recorded race meeting to be held on the Downs and the tradition continued until the summer of 1779 when one of today's greatest sporting spectacles was established.
Edward Smith Stanley, the 12th Earl of Derby, organised a race for himself and his friends to race their three-year-old fillies over one and a half miles. He named it the Oaks after his estate. The race became so successful that the following year a new race was added for colts and fillies.
The title of the race was decided after the Earl of Derby and Sir Charles Bunbury, a leading racing figure of the day and friend of the Earl's, flipped a coin. So begun the inaugural running of the ' Derby ' won, incidentally, by Sir Charles Bunbury's horse Diomed.
The contest was held over a mile with the starting point in a straight line beyond the current five-furlong marker. Tattenham Corner was not introduced until 1784 when the course was extended to its current distance of a mile- and-a-half. |
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| >> Day Tour Package Includes: |
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 Return charter coach transport from central London [including bubbly on your journey there]
Lonsdale enclosure ticket [where applicable]
Services of a First Festival Travel tour leader
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| >> Tour Package Excludes: |
 Personal expenses
Meals |
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