UK racecourses: guides to every British course

How many racecourses are there in Great Britain?

Great Britain has 59 licensed racecourses, from Ascot and Cheltenham to small country tracks like Cartmel and Fakenham. They differ enormously: left-handed or right-handed, flat or undulating, sharp or galloping, turf or all-weather. Those differences decide which horses win — and they are why course form matters.

Flat, jumps and dual-purpose tracks

Some courses stage only Flat racing, such as Newmarket and Goodwood; others only jumps, such as Cheltenham and Kelso; and many race under both codes through the year, such as Ascot, Aintree and Haydock.

Britain's all-weather racecourses

Six courses race on synthetic surfaces that can be used in almost any weather: Chelmsford City, Kempton, Lingfield, Newcastle, Southwell and Wolverhampton. They keep British racing going through the winter.

Famous UK racecourses and their big races

Cheltenham hosts the Festival every March, the high point of the jumps season. Aintree stages the Grand National, first run in 1839. Royal Ascot in June is the centrepiece of the Flat summer, alongside the Derby at Epsom, Glorious Goodwood and York's Ebor meeting.

Using course form to find winners

A horse with a C next to its name on a racecard has won at the course before; D means it has won over the distance, and CD both. Tight, turning tracks such as Chester and Epsom suit handy, quick horses; long, galloping courses such as Newbury and York favour stayers with a long stride. Each Bets & Horses course page sets out its layout, its draw biases and today's racecards.

UK racecourses: FAQs