Newbury Racecourse Guide

Newbury is one of Britain's best-established racing venues, with all year round action coming at elite levels on both the Flat and in the National Hunt codes.

One of a strong cohort of venues located in Berkshire, racing at Newbury is dated back to 1805 and in modern times this superb facility hosts top-class racing and outstanding entertainment to match. 

The racecourse has its own railway station ensuring easy access for a track 'conveniently situated in the centre of the South of England'.

Here's our guide to Newbury Racecourse.

What	Newbury Winter Carnival 2023
Where	Newbury Racecourse, Berkshire
When	Friday 1st & Saturday 2nd December, 2023
How to watch	bet365 Sports Live Streaming, ITV & Racing TV

Key Races at Newbury

Flat 

- Fred Darling Stakes 
- Greenham Stakes 
- Lockinge Stakes 
- Weatherbys Super Sprint 
- Hungerford Stakes 
- Mill Reef Stakes 

Jumps 

- Game Spirit Chase 
- Betfair Hurdle 
- Denman Chase 
- Greatwood Gold Cup 
- Long Distance Hurdle 
- Coral Gold Cup 
- Challow Novices' Hurdle

Newbury is home to some of the key early season Classic trials in Britain, including the Fred Darling Stakes and the Greenham Stakes, while their highlight on the Flat comes in May via the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes – a part of the British Champions Series. 

The Lockinge was won in 2012 by the mighty Frankel, the standard-bearer for the modern European thoroughbred. 

After the Flat season Newbury changes code and National Hunt racing takes over, with their two-day Winter Carnival headlined by the Coral Gold Cup, the most prestigious staying handicap chase in Britain. 

That meeting also includes the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle, while over Christmas there is the Challow Novices' Hurdle – the final British Grade 1 race of the calendar year.

In the springtime, the Betfair Hurdle is another ultra-competitive Newbury handicap while other major jumps events at the February meeting include the Game Spirit and Denman Chases – the latter named in honour of the 2008 Gold Cup winner who famously matched Arkle in winning two renewals of what was then known as 'The Hennessy' in 2007 and 2009.

Track Layout 

Newbury is widely regarded as a fair course. It is galloping in nature and generally able to provide excellent ground all year round. Its proximity to the major training centre of Lambourn makes it a staple for some of the leading yards in British racing.

Left handed, Newbury's Flat circuit is ideal for the big, long-striding type and action tends to unfold on the stand-side rail or up the centre of the track. The straight mile course is undulating throughout and noted for a real absence of draw-bias.

Newbury's jumps track is one of the flatter layouts around. It is regarded as a stiff test of jumping but also a very fair one and is often viewed as a good place to bring novices' in order to gain experience over jumps. 

Visiting Newbury 

Like all the major UK tracks, Newbury strives to offer the best to racegoers. They have set themselves up as the benchmark for after-racing entertainment and often attract household names from the music world to play.

Through their on-site food and drink brand 'Taste Newbury' they deliver first class produce across retail, hospitality and corporate areas.

They have two excellent restaurants offering an exceptional level of cuisine, The Hennessy for fine dining & the Racegoers Restaurant for a lively atmosphere.

They have private hospitality suites with a variety of packages on offer as well as premium upgrades to the likes of the Berkshire Premier Club, the 1905 Stalls and the Parade Ring Lawn in summer. Their concessions offering includes a range of top quality outlets around the site catering for every need - ranging from fish and chips, pizza, pies and delicious curry's amongst others.