Lingfield Park is an all-action racecourse and resort that caters for all tastes with racing on the Flat, over jumps and on the all-weather making it the busiest racecourse in Europe.
With over 75 fixtures across the year, it's always busy at Lingfield and the track is rarely without action.
In recent years, Lingfield has become home to the Winter Million Festival in January, while it also stages the All-Weather Championships consolation card on Good Friday and, with a location close to the borders of Surrey, Sussex and Kent, the track remains very popular.
Here's our guide to Lingfield Park.
What | Lingfield Winter Million Festival |
Where | Lingfield Park Racecourse, Surrey |
When | January 2024 (full dates TBC) |
How to watch | bet365 Sports Live Streaming, ITV & Sky Sports Racing |
Flat
- Winter Derby
- Hever Sprint Stakes
- Spring Cup
- Chartwell Fillies' Stakes
- Lingfield Oaks Trial
- Lingfield Derby Trial
Jumps
- Sovereign Handicap Hurdle
- Fleur De Lys Steeplechase
- Surrey Grand National
Lingfield is a triple-purpose racing venue but, for the most ardent of racing fans, it is probably best known for the synthetic Polytrack on which they race all year round.
The Winter Derby is a key spring Listed event, alongside the Hever Stakes and the three-year-old only Spring Cup.
Moving onto the turf track, Lingfield's Oaks and Derby Trials come at a perfect pre-Epsom interval, usually in early May after the Newmarket Classics. Between them, the Lingfield trials have produced 11 subsequent Epsom Classic winners.
Over jumps, action at Lingfield has been boosted in recent times by the addition of the Winter Million Festival in January.
The three-day event comprises one day of all-weather racing flanked by two National Hunt cards. A festival like no other, with £1m worth of prize money on offer across the three days, it takes place on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday and has been broadcast live on terrestrial television in the UK.
Lingfield Park Resort holds the distinction of being the only racecourse in the UK to stage racing of all three types – Flat Turf, Flat All-Weather and National Hunt.
Lingfield's left-handed all-weather track is laid out inside the turf track and measures just less than a mile-and-a-quarter round while it is essentially sharp in nature.
It is mostly flat in nature but it rises towards the end of the back straight and there is a downhill turn to the home straight which can have a catapult effect as the horses spin off the final bend at pace. Strong-travelling types with a turn of foot are often favoured here.
On grass, the Round course is about a mile-and-a-half in length and it intersects the 7½-furlong straight nearly half a mile out. Once more, the downhill turn into the straight potentially favours those racing prominently.
The National Hunt circuit is also left-handed and undulating in nature, though fences are typically regarded as being straightforward to negotiate. Testing conditions are commonplace and a handy racing position is often the way to go.
As well as being a popular racecourse, Lingfield Park Resort also boasts an onsite luxury 116-bedroom hotel & Leisure Club and a challenging 18-hole Golf Course, providing a fantastic leisure resort in the heart of Surrey.
As with many racecourses nowadays, the dress code is relaxed. Lingfield encourages patrons to dress smartly, though only sporting team shirts and offensive fancy dress are not permitted.
With a lot of AW racing taking place in the winter months it is important to dress for the elements – this includes waterproof coats, appropriate footwear, and warm accessories such as hats and gloves – when attending these racedays at Lingfield.
Food options at Lingfield include the Piglets Pantry in the Grandstand Bar serving sandwiches, hot pies and hot drinks, the Swing Grill offering delicious hot dogs and the Brasserie, a popular casual-style eatery over hot and cold food. For the traditionalist, Lingfield also boasts it's very own Fish and Chip Shop.
The Grandstand Bar, Syndicate Lounge and The Courtyard join the popular Music Major Bar – named after a frequent runner at Lingfield – in offering variation for liquid refreshment, while hospitality packages are available in the Trackside Restaurant, the Premier Viewing Lounge and Lingfield's private hospitality suites.