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.