List of British racecourses

This List of British racecourses gives details of both current and former horse racing venues in Great Britain. There are, as of 24 January 2015, 59 racecourses operating in Great Britain (excluding Point-to-Point courses). In addition, there are two former racecourses which have been mothballed pending a decision over their future. There are currently no plans for them to operate fixtures but the basic racecourse infrastructure remains intact.

Current racecourses

The following British horse racing courses are in operation as of 24 January 2015:

Racecourse	Location	Country	Code	Surface	Opened	Owner	Notes
Aintree Racecourse	Merseyside	England	National Hunt	Turf	1829	Jockey Club
Ascot Racecourse	Berkshire	England	Mixed	Turf	1711	Ascot Racecourse Ltd.
Ayr Racecourse	Ayrshire	Scotland	Mixed	Turf	1907
Bangor on Dee Racecourse	Flintshire	Wales	National Hunt	Turf	1859	Chester Race Company
Bath Racecourse	Somerset	England	Flat	Turf		Arena Racing Company
Beverley Racecourse	East Riding of Yorkshire	England	Flat	Turf	1767	Beverley Race Company
Brighton Racecourse	East Sussex	England	Flat	Turf	1783	Arena Racing Company
Carlisle Racecourse	Cumbria	England	Mixed	Turf	1904	Jockey Club
Cartmel Racecourse	Cumbria	England	National Hunt	Turf	1856
Catterick Bridge Racecourse	North Yorkshire	England	Mixed	Turf	1783
Cheltenham Racecourse	Gloucestershire	England	National Hunt	Turf		Jockey Club
Chelmsford City Racecourse	Essex	England	Flat	Polytrack	2015	Syndicate headed by Fred Done[1]	Opened as Great Leighs in 2008, closed in 2009, reopened 2015
Chepstow Racecourse	Monmouthshire	Wales	Mixed	Turf	1925	Arena Racing Company
Chester Racecourse	Cheshire	England	Flat	Turf	1539	Chester Race Company
Doncaster Racecourse	South Yorkshire	England	Mixed	Turf	1614	Arena Racing Company
Epsom Downs Racecourse	Surrey	England	Flat	Turf	1661 (or earlier)	Jockey Club
Exeter Racecourse	Devon	England	National Hunt	Turf		Jockey Club
Fakenham Racecourse	Norfolk	England	National Hunt	Turf
Ffos Las Racecourse	Carmarthenshire	Wales	Mixed	Turf	2009	Arena Racing Company
Fontwell Park Racecourse	West Sussex	England	National Hunt	Turf		Arena Racing Company
Goodwood Racecourse	West Sussex	England	Flat	Turf
Great Yarmouth Racecourse	Norfolk	England	Flat	Turf		Arena Racing Company
Hamilton Park Racecourse	Lanarkshire	Scotland	Flat	Turf
Haydock Park Racecourse	Merseyside	England	Mixed	Turf		Jockey Club
Hexham Racecourse	Northumberland	England	National Hunt	Turf
Huntingdon Racecourse	Cambridgeshire	England	National Hunt	Turf		Jockey Club
Kelso Racecourse	Scottish Borders	Scotland	National Hunt	Turf	1822
Kempton Park	Surrey	England	Mixed	Turf & Polytrack	1878	Jockey Club
Leicester Racecourse	Leicestershire	England	Mixed	Turf
Lingfield Park Racecourse	Surrey	England	Mixed	Turf & Polytrack	1890	Arena Racing Company
Ludlow Racecourse	Shropshire	England	National Hunt	Turf
Market Rasen Racecourse	Lincolnshire	England	National Hunt	Turf		Jockey Club
Musselburgh Racecourse	East Lothian	Scotland	Mixed	Turf	1816	Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee
Newbury Racecourse	Berkshire	England	Mixed	Turf	1905
Newcastle Racecourse	Tyne and Wear	England	Mixed	Turf		Arena Racing Company
Newmarket Racecourse	Suffolk	England	Flat	Turf		Jockey Club
Newton Abbot Racecourse	Devon	England	National Hunt	Turf
Nottingham Racecourse	Nottinghamshire	England	Flat	Turf		Jockey Club
Perth Racecourse	Perth and Kinross	Scotland	National Hunt	Turf
Plumpton Racecourse	East Sussex	England	National Hunt	Turf
Pontefract Racecourse	West Yorkshire	England	Flat	Turf
Redcar Racecourse	North Yorkshire	England	Flat	Turf
Ripon Racecourse	North Yorkshire	England	Flat	Turf
Salisbury Racecourse	Wiltshire	England	Flat	Turf	Mid-16th century
Sandown Park Racecourse	Surrey	England	Mixed	Turf	1875	Jockey Club
Sedgefield Racecourse	County Durham	England	National Hunt	Turf		Arena Racing Company
Southwell Racecourse	Nottinghamshire	England	Mixed	Turf & Fibresand		Arena Racing Company
Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse	Warwickshire	England	National Hunt	Turf
Taunton Racecourse	Somerset	England	National Hunt	Turf
Thirsk Racecourse	North Yorkshire	England	Flat	Turf
Towcester Racecourse	Northamptonshire	England	National Hunt	Turf
Uttoxeter Racecourse	Staffordshire	England	National Hunt	Turf		Arena Racing Company
Warwick Racecourse	Warwickshire	England	National Hunt	Turf		Jockey Club
Wetherby Racecourse	West Yorkshire	England	Mixed	Turf
Wincanton Racecourse	Somerset	England	National Hunt	Turf		Jockey Club
Windsor Racecourse	Berkshire	England	Flat	Turf		Arena Racing Company
Wolverhampton Racecourse	West Midlands	England	Flat	Tapeta		Arena Racing Company
Worcester Racecourse	Worcestershire	England	National Hunt	Turf		Arena Racing Company
York Racecourse	North Yorkshire	England	Flat	Turf

Closed racecourses

There are two racecourses in Britain which still exist, but are currently closed and do not operate any thoroughbred racing fixtures.

• Folkestone Racecourse - Kent; temporarily closed in December 2012
• Hereford Racecourse - Herefordshire; closed in December 2012

Arena Racing Company ceased operating at Hereford and Folkestone in December 2012.^[2][3] It is not known whether either will reopen for thoroughbred racing in some form. Hereford, which is owned by Herefordshire Council, still hosts Arabian racing fixtures.^[4]

Former race courses

Through the centuries, racing has taken place at various courses throughout Britain which have since closed down. Some were very significant in their day and held major races which persist to this day. For example, the flat season's traditional curtain raiser, the Lincolnshire Handicap was once held at the racecourse that gave it its name in Lincoln but is now held at Doncaster.

Closed during 20th century

Between 1900 and 1981, 97 racecourses closed their doors.^[5]

Racecourse	Location	Country	Code	Opened	Closed	Notes
Alexandra Park Racecourse	North London	England	Flat	30 June 1868	8 September 1970
Atherstone Racecourse	Warwickshire	England
Banbury Racecourse	Oxfordshire	England
Bogside Racecourse	Scotland	Scotland	Mixed	7 June 1808	10 April 1965
Bromford Bridge Racecourse	Birmingham	England	Mixed	1894	21 June 1965
Buckfastleigh Racecourse	Devon	England		21 June 1883	27 August 1960	The dilapidated main grandstand survives, and is a well known local landmark, and the fields around it are still in use for point-to-point races.[6]
Chelmsford Racecourse	Essex	England		Bef. 1840	April 1935	An oval course, just under 2 miles in circumference[7]
Chesterfield Racecourse	Derbyshire	England
Croxton Racecourse	Leicestershire	England
Durham Racecourse	County Durham	England		Bef. 1840		Held three day meeting at beginning of May[8]
Eglinton Racecourse	County Londonderry	Northern Ireland
Eridge Racecourse	East Sussex	England
Gatwick Racecourse	West Sussex	England		1891	1940	The land is now part of Gatwick Airport.
Harpenden Racecourse	Hertfordshire	England			Bef. 1914	The land is now the site of Bamville Cricket Club.
Hurst Park Racecourse	Surrey	England		1890	1962
Ipswich Racecourse	Suffolk	England	Mixed	1710	29 March 1911	In 1840 it was holding a two day meeting in early July, highlights of which were a 100gs Queen's Plate (dating from at least 1727) and a Town Members' Plate for 50 sovs[9]
Lanark Racecourse	Lanarkshire	Scotland		c. 12th Century	October 1977
Lewes Racecourse	East Sussex	England		Bef. 1727	September 1964	Situated on the chalk downs near the town, it was also home to the East Sussex Hunt. Held a Royal Plate Race for 6 year olds from 1727 at the latest. A stand was erected in 1772. In 1840, the course was "one of the finest four mile courses in the kingdom". Races took place in mid-August.[10]
Lincoln Racecourse	Lincolnshire	England	Flat	1773	1965
Maghull Racecourse	Merseyside	England
Manchester Racecourse	Lancashire	England	Mixed	1681	7 November 1963	There was racing at three successive sites in Manchester, the last being at Castle Irwell. Various plans to create a new racecourse on rural land such as Kersal Moor have been touted in recent years.[11][12]
Melton Racecourse	Leicestershire	England
Northampton Racecourse	Northampton	England		Bef. 1840	1904	A one and a half mile oval, with a straight half mile run in. In 1840 was holding a two day meeting at the end of August.
Plymouth Racecourse	Devon	England		c. 1827	4 September 1930	A spring meeting was held in May, and a grand two day meeting in August[13]
Portsmouth Racecourse at Farlington	Hampshire	England		1891	1914	Closed at the outbreak of World War I and turned into an ammunition dump for the War Office.
Portsmouth Racecourse at Paulsgrove	Hampshire	England		1920s	c.1946	The land was redeveloped as a housing estate.
Rugby Racecourse at Clifton-upon-Dunsmore	Warwickshire	England				Still used annually for point-to-point races
Shincliffe Racecourse	Durham	England		1895	c.1913
Shirley Racecourse	West Midlands	England				The land is now the home of Shirley Golf Club
South Brent Racecourse	Devon	England
Stockbridge Racecourse	Hampshire	England		1839	1898	Dates given are for most significant incarnation of the course. There had been racing at another site in Stockbridge from 1775 or earlier[14]
Stockton Racecourse	Teesside	England		September 1855	16 June 1981	This was the third course in Stockton. The first dated from 1724[15]
Torquay Racecourse	Devon	England
Totnes Racecourse	Devon	England			1939	Requisitioned by the Admiralty, it was sold in the early 1950s. At this course long distance steeplechases involved crossing the River Dart and the Totnes-Newton Abbot road. Sometimes called the Totnes and Bridgetown races[16]
Whitehaven Racecourse	Cumbria	England		1852
Wrexham Racecourse	Denbighshire	Wales				In 1840, it was holding a two day October meeting which included a 100 sovereign Gold Cup[17]
Woore Racecourse	Shropshire	England
Wye Racecourse	Kent	England		29 May 1849	2 May 1974

Operating during 19th century

Many courses that were prominent in earlier times did not survive into the modern era. The list below is a selection of these, taken from Whyte's History of the British Turf. Where dates are not given for closure, it is possible they were still extant in the 20th century. No distinction has been made between enclosed courses of the type that are familiar now and those that were run over unenclosed courses, more akin to point-to-point racing. Indeed, some of these racecourses or parts of them are still used for that purpose.

Racecourse	Location	Country	Code	Opened	Closed	Notes
Aberystwyth Racecourse[18]	Cardiganshire	Wales		not known	not known	A mid-August meeting was well and fashionably attended on a meadow near Gogerddan about three miles from the town.
Abingdon Racecourse[19]	Berkshire	England		not known	not known
Ashford Racecourse[20]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held a one day meeting in September, with a £50 town plate being the principal race
Bedford Racecourse[21]	Bedfordshire	England		not known	not known	Two annual meetings recorded in 1840
Belford Racecourse[22]	Northumberland	England		not known	not known	Run at a course one mile south-west of the town, on the site of what is supposed to have been a Danish camp. Formerly at Beadnell.
Bibury Racecourse[7]	Gloucestershire	England		not known	not known
Bicester Racecourse[23]	Oxfordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a day-long meeting at the end of September, including a Town Plate of £50
Birmingham Racecourse[24]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Held a 'poorly-attended' two day meeting in early October
Bishop's Castle Racecourse[25]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Near Ludlow, it held a day's 'inferior' racing in mid-July
Blandford Racecourse[26]	Dorset	England		not known	not known	Held a meeting towards the end of August which included the 100 sovereign Dorsetshire Gold Cup
Bodmin Racecourse[27]	Cornwall	England		not known	not known	Held one day's racing in September
Brecknock Racecourse[28]	Brecknockshire	Wales		not known	not known	A course near the town, with a 'commodious' stand held races for two days in late September
Brenwood Racecourse[29]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing at the end of September
Bridgenorth Racecourse[25]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held a two day meeting at the start of August; the course was in bad repair in 1840
Bromyard Racecourse[30]	Worcestershire	England		not known	not known	Held a day long race meeting in mid-August
Burnley Racecourse[31]	Lancashire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing in the middle of August, including a Gold Cup of 100 sovs
Burntwood Racecourse[29]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held one day's racing in mid-October
Burton-upon-Trent Racecourse[29]	Staffordshire	England		From 'a very early period'	not known	Held a two day meeting at the end of August which included the Bretby Cup, given by the Earl of Chesterfield
Burton Constable Racecourse[32]	Worcestershire	England		not known	not known	A small hunter racecourse
Buxton Racecourse[27]	Derbyshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing in June
Canterbury Racecourse[20]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held on Barham Downs, within 3 miles of the city. Had a 'commodious stand'. Was awarded a King's Plate by George II in 1729.[33]
Cardiff Racecourse[34]	Glamorganshire	Wales		not known	not known	Held mid-July meetings for two days.
Cheadle Racecourse[35]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held one day's 'inferior racing' at the beginning of September
Chesterfield Racecourse[36]	Derbyshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing at the start of October
Clifton and Bristol Racecourse[7]	Gloucestershire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing at the beginning of May
Clitheroe Racecourse[37]	Lancashire	England		1821	not known	The first record of racing was 1617 http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Clitheroe%20Racecourse.html the link has a map too.
Coventry Racecourse[24]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Two day race meetings were held in March with a Silver Cup and £100 in prize money
Croxton Park Racecourse[38]	Leicestershire	England		not known	not known	Held amateur races at the beginning of April
Dorchester Racecourse[39]	Dorset	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing in the middle of September
Dove House Races at Harrow-on-the-Hill[40]	Middlesex	England		1836	not known	Held in mid-August
Dudley Racecourse[41]	Worcestershire	England		not known	not known	Held two days racing at the end of June
Dumfries Racecourse[42]	Dumfriesshire	Scotland		not known	not known	Alternately held the Caledonian Hunt meeting, along with Ayr, Edinburgh and Musselburgh
Egham Racecourse[43]	Surrey	England		not known	not known	Situated on the plain of Runnymede where King John signed the Magna Carta, Egham races were often attended by royalty. The course was a two mile flat oval.
Eglistoun Park[44]	Ayrshire	Scotland		not known	not known
Enfield and Pinner Races[40]	Middlesex	England		not known	By 1836	Replaced by Dove House meeting
Gloucester Racecourse[45]	Gloucestershire	England		not known	not known	A mile and a half oblong course in a meadow on the banks of the River Severn, with a straight, 400 yard run-in
Gorhambury Park Racecourse[46]	Hertfordshire	England		1838	not known	Had four courses ranging in length from 5 furlongs 136 yards to two miles
Great Marlow Racecourse[47]	Buckinghamshire	England		not known	not known
Hampton Racecourse[40]	Middlesex	England		not known	not known	Three-day meetings held in the middle of June on Moulsey Hurst next to the river
Hastings and St. Leonards Racecourse[48]	Sussex	England		1827	not known	Held a two day meeting at the end of September which included the Town Plate and St. Leonard's Plate, both of 50 sovereigns
Haverfordwest Racecourse[49]	Pembrokeshire	Wales		not known	not known	Situated on a common near the town called Portfield or Poorfield. Two day meetings were held at the beginning of August.
Heaton Park Racecourse[37]	Lancashire	England		not known	not known	Held three days 'excellent' racing in late September
Hednesford Racecourse[35]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Races were held on the 'heathy downs' at Cannock Chase which had long been famed for racehorses. A day long meeting was held in early July
Hertford Racecourse[50]	Hertfordshire	England		not known	not known	Races took place at the beginning of August for two days
Hippodrome Racecourse, Bayswater, London[51]	Middlesex	England		3 June 1837	not known	A 'vast establishment' also called the Metropolitan Racecourse
Holywell Racecourse[52]	Flintshire	Wales		3 June 1837	not known	Hunt races took place in the middle of October for two days.
The Hoo Racecourse[50]	Hertfordshire	England		1821	not known	Racing, mainly hunter chases, took place at the end of April and for a short time in the 1820s and 1830s the course was very fashionable
Kingston Racecourse[53]	Herefordshire	England		not known	not known	An 'inferior' racecourse, with meetings at the end of July
Knighton Racecourse[49]	Pembrokeshire	Wales		not known	not known	Held two day race meetings in mid-June.
Lancaster Racecourse[54]	Lancashire	England		not known	not known	Held a two day meeting in late July
Lee Racecourse[55]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held races that were only 'of local interest' in 1840
Leith Races[56]	Lothian	Scotland		1504 (or earlier)	1816	Races were held on the sands at low tide in late July or early August for four or five days, until the events were moved to Musselburgh. A 4 mile King's Plate was run at Leith from at least 1728[57]
Leominster Racecourse[53]	Herefordshire	England		not known	not known	Held meetings at the end of August
Lichfield Racecourse[35]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	The course was on the Tamworth road, about two miles from the city and raced at the end of March and in mid-September. Was awarded a King's Plate for 5 year olds by George II in 1748.[33]
Mansfield Racecourse	Nottinghamshire	England		21 August 1734	13 July 1874	The course was situated just over a mile east of the town, the area between the straights (which crossed both Eakring Road and Southwell Road) is still used for recreational purposes.[58]
Middleham Racecourse[59]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Races were held annually in November on Middleham Moor, but in 1840 they were deemed 'of little interest'. Middleham is still home to many racing stables.
Monmouth Racecourse[60]	Monmouthshire	Wales		not known	not known	Situated on the banks of the River Wye near the junction with the River Monnow on Chippenham meadow. A two day meeting was held in mid-October.
Morpeth Racecourse[61]	Northumberland	England		not known	not known	Races took place over two days at the beginning of September at Cottingwood to the north of the town.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Racecourse[62]	Shropshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Held a two day meeting in early August
Newport Racecourse[63]	Shropshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Held a two day meeting at the end of July
Newport Paynel (sic) Racecourse[64]	Buckinghamshire	England		not known	By 1840
Northallerton Racecourse[63]	North Riding of Yorkshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Racing took place in mid-October for two days, and included a £100 Gold Cup and £50 Silver Cup.
Oswestry Race Course	Shropshire	England		early 1700s or 1804[63]	1848	Racing started on the common west of the town over a unique figure-of-eight course. A grandstand was built at the start of the 19th century. but the last meeting was held in 1848. Its regular meeting was two days in September and included the Shropshire Stakes and a Gold Cup.
Oxford Racecourse	Oxfordshire	England		not known	not known	An oval of two miles, quite flat
Pontypool Racecourse[60]	Monmouthshire	Wales		not known	not known	Situated between the River Avon and the canal to Newport, Wales. A two-day meeting was held at the start of August.
The Potteries Racecourse[62]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a two day meeting at the start of August including a Stewards' Plate of 100 sovs.
Richmond Racecourse[65]	Yorkshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Racing took place for two days in mid-September on Whitcliffe Meadow, an area of common ground, which was "an excellent course".
Rochester and Chatham Racecourse[55]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held a two day meeting at the beginning of September
Royston Racecourse[50]	Hertfordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a one day meeting in the middle of May, for 'half-bred horses' of local interest only
Shiffnal Racecourse[66]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days of 'inferior racing' at the end of May
Shrewsbury Racecourse[66]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Situated on Bicton Heath, 2 miles west of Shrewsbury. It was 1 mile 185 yards round. Races took place in mid-September for 3 or 4 days and included a Queen's Plate of 100gs.
Southampton Racecourse[67]	Hampshire	England		not known	not known	Situated on Southampton common on land given by the corporation. Held a two day meeting at the beginning of August.
Stafford Racecourse[68]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	A one mile course, almost completely oval except for a quarter mile straight run-in. Held 'very inferior' races at the start of October.
Stamford Racecourse[69]	Lincolnshire	England		not known	not known	A mile in circumference on Wittoring Heath near the town, held a three day mid-June meeting.
Staverton Racecourse[30]	Wiltshire	England		not known	not known	A meeting of merely local interest was held at the end of April
Stone Racecourse[68]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting in early October.
Stowebridge Racecourse[41]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days of racing at the end of August. Had a Cup Stakes of £100 in value.
St. Albans Racecourse[70]	Hertfordshire	England		not known	c. 1838	Held at a place called Noman's Land. Home to the St. Albans' Steeple Chase. Racing ceased on the establishment of Gorhambury Park.
Swansea Racecourse[34]	Glamorganshire	Wales		not known	not known	Commonly called 'Swansea and Neath races', the course was on Cremlyn Burrows on the Neath Road. Meetings were held at the end of August.
Tavistock Racecourse[16]	Devon	England		not known	not known	An oval, hilly, two mile course with a one day meeting at the beginning of May
Tenbury Racecourse[41]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Racing of a 'very inferior' nature, with the principal race being a £50 plate.
Tiverton Racecourse[16]	Devon	England		not known	not known	Held a two day meeting at the end of August
Tunbridge Wells Racecourse[55]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held a well attended two day meeting at the end of August on the common
Upton-upon-Severn Racecourse[41]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Races took place at the end of August
Walsall Racecourse[71]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Raced at the end of September for two days.
Wem Racecourse[72]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held a 'very inferior' race meeting at the beginning of October
Wenlock Racecourse[72]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held one day's racing at the end of July
Weymouth Racecourse[39]	Dorset	England		1821	not known	Well attended meeting held at the end of August. The course was considered 'very good'
Winchester Racecourse[73]	Hampshire	England		Bef. 1727	Circa 1914 requisitioned during WW I and remains in military ownership	Races were held on Worthy Down, 4 miles from Winchester for two days in the middle of July. Held a Royal Plate race for 6 year olds from at least 1727.[33]

Closed during 18th century

Whyte's History of the British Turf (1840) lists 48 places where racing was discontinued in the latter half of the 18th century:^[74]

NB Racing is recorded at various of these places after 1840. There is also reference to a Royal Plate race being held at Guilford (sic) from 1727 at the latest and Burford from 1755.^[33]

Number of racecourses

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Whyte, James Christie (1840). History of the British turf, from the earliest period to the present day, Volume I. London: H. Colburn. Retrieved 1 May 2013.