Category: Racecourses

Nottingham Racecourse is nestled in the leafy green of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located 3 km away from the city just close to River Trent in Colwick Park. The venue actually has two racecourses, with one inside the other. They are both left handed and are about 1.5 miles round. The outer course has a straight stretching for 6 furlongs and is used through the summer. The inner course is meant for spring and autumn and has a straight running for 5 furlongs.

The course hosts thoroughbred horseracing and is easy to ride on with trouble-free turns and a small gradient. The last turn as you come into the homestretch is, however, much sharper. It is the kind of racecourse that suits well-balanced horses rather than those with long strides.

History of the racecourse

The racecourse had already begun operating as far back as 1773. Back then it was located at Nottingham Forest Recreation Ground. It was during this time when it held a Royal Plate race granted by the monarch.

The racecourse was moved to its present location in Colwick Park in 1892 and later on in 1965 the entire 293 acre venue was bought by a local corporation. The corporation then leased the racecourse to Racecourse Holdings Trust as it seemed to be in jeopardy of closing. Today it is owned by Jockey Club Racecourses and has undergone so many improvements that it won the Gold Standard from the Racehorse Owners Association in 2014.

Until 1996, the racecourse held National Hunt racing but abandoned it to focus only on flat course racing and also improve ground conditions. The racecourse hosts 23 meetings each year.

Notable races

The two races that are known to draw crowds are the Further Flight Stakes and Kilvington Fillie’s Stakes- which runs on the Ladies’ Day. Aside from these, there is a host of other themed events that provide excellent entertainment and of course the thrill of racing.

Other events

The beautiful scenery of Colwick Park is inviting and the venue offers lots of treat for an afternoon out at the races. The rooftop restaurant offers a scenic view of the racecourse and the park coupled with good food. The hospitality is great and various packages are available for private events.

The racecourse has come a long way from the tumultuous early days to a sprawling venue with excellent facilities. Visitors can now enjoy two magnificent stands; the grandstand and the Centenary stand as well as good parking.

Newton Abbot Racecourse is known for thoroughbred horse racing and is located on the north bank of River Teign, just a short distance to the north of Newton Abbot. The oval course is left-handed and covers 1 mile, 1 furlong and has seven fences for the circuit. The distance to the finish is a short run, which makes an easy ride in comparison to others around.

History of the course

The court held its first meeting back in 1866 after a sprawling 91 acres for the course was purchased. The racecourse wasn’t much when it began but was slowly modeled into a standard racecourse and in 1969 the first grandstand was officially opened by the Queen Mother. The inclusion of corporate facilities came later in 1990. The Lord Mildmay Memorial Handicap Chase is the most notable event in Newton Abbot’s calendar and never fails to attract crowds.

Greyhound races

Newton Abbot Racecourse used to host greyhound racing after the greyhound track in Kingskerswell was closed down. The track, which had an opening night on May 1974, hosted regular greyhound races until 2005 when the racecourse became fully focused on horse racing. The greyhound track had a grandstand that could be taken apart whenever there were horse races to be held.

Corporate events and hospitality

The course has come a long way since it opened its doors to outside events. The catering is top-class and there are plenty of corporate events held at the venue each year. Aside from horse racing, the venue also hosts other events such as antique fairs and car boot sales.

Sounds of the summer

The annual music festival held on the racecourse will be named Sounds of the Summer this year. The event is going to be headlined by the Grammy nominated UB40. The group, renowned for hits like Red wine, Food for thought and Cherry Oh baby will headline the event, which is set to have plenty of surprises for reggae fans.

With a race calendar running from March to October, the racecourse is always a buzz with activity. The splendid hospitality facilities have also made it a go to for all kinds of private functions.

Within the home of thoroughbred horse racing lies the Newmarket Racecourse. It is a 45,000 capacity facility owned by the Jockey Club Racecourses, ever busy because of its location within what is widely regarded as the headquarters of horse racing in Britain.

The course is located within a market town of Suffold county, around 65 miles North of the country’s capital.

History

Horse racing in general Newmarket dates back to the 1730s, but the course itself dates back to around 1740. Being in a market town, the initial races were organised by the traders in the locality, first as a leisure and later as a business venture. King James I used to go watch the races, leading to the introduction of the King’s plate race to add to the Town Plate.

The Town plate is still run to date over a 3 mile distance. Of interest is whether this is done as a legal requirement, as it is reported that King Charles II ruled in the mid-18th Century that it should be ‘run for ever.’

The course

There are two courses within Newmarket; Rowley Mile and July/Summer. Another minor course, the Round, is present but never used for major races. It is a flat course type, making it an ideal place to test actual speed and stamina of race horses.

Races

Newmarket hosts nine of 32 Group 1 races in the British racing calendar every year. It also hosts 1,000 and 2, 000 Guineas Classic races, plus several other pattern races.

Taghrooda and Kingman made names for themselves at The Newmarket in first half of 2010’s adding their names to a host of great horses who sharpened their profiles at the flat course.

Other events

The racecourse also hosts music and TV events. The Jacksons are expected to perform there in the summer, while BBC One’s Bargain Hunt show is expected to film at the Rowley Mile on June 4, 2017.