5 Biggest Horse Racing Courses in the UK

5 Biggest Horse Racing Courses in the UK

The United Kingdom is home to some of the world’s oldest and most prestigious horse racing courses. The United Kingdom comprises England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Revealed on this page are just five of the UK’s biggest racecourses, all of which happen to be located in England. 

What are the UK’s five biggest horse race courses?

There are numerous major horse racecourses in the United Kingdom, but instead of listing them all, here are just five of the UK’s biggest, which some of you will already be familiar with by now. They include the following iconic venues:

• Cheltenham Racecourse
• Ascot Racecourse
• Epsom Downs Racecourse
• Aintree Racecourse
• Newmarket 

Each course has its own unique charm and is completely different from the next. 

These venues often make it into many people’s top 5 UK horse racecourses due to the types of races that are held at each venue, the track, the quality of the customer services, the high levels of hospitality, catering & hotels, how easy it is to get to these places, their parking situations, and much more. 

Honourable mentions

After visiting these top five horse racecourses, you may want to visit more top UK venues. If so, others include Chester Racecourse, York Racecourse, Goodwood Racecourse, Haydock Park Racecourse, and Windsor Racecourse, to name just a few. 

These racecourses host a wide range of today’s most notable flat and national hunt horse racing events throughout the year. 

What major horse races are still to come in 2023?

If you want to attend one of these venues to enjoy the thrills of race day, or if you want to bet online on any upcoming major horse races, some of the biggest events still to come on the UK horse racing calendar in 2023 are the following:

• August 23rd – 26th, York Racecourse: Featured races – York Ebor, Coolmore Nunthorpe, Darley Yorkshire Oaks, and Juddmonte International 
• September 2nd, Sandown Park: Featured races – Solario Stakes
• September 7th – 9th, Haydock Park: Featured races – Sprint cup
• September 16th, Doncaster Racecourse: Featured races – St Leger Stakes
• September 20th, Sandown Park: Featured races – Breeders’ Day
• October 5th, Warwick Racecourse: Featured races – The Autumn Meeting
• October 13th – 14th, Newmarket Racecourse: Featured races – Dubai Futures Champion Festival, Fillies’ Mile, Cesarewitch Handicap, Darley Dewhurst Stakes
• October 19th, Carlisle Racecourse: Featured races ‘Welcome to the Jumps Race Day at Carlisle’

You also have the ‘Season Opener’ at Wincanton on Thursday, October 19th at Wincanton Racecourse, ‘The Showcase 2023’ at Cheltenham Racecourse on October 21st to 22nd, and the ‘2023 Warrick Winter Festival’ on November 7th to 8th at Warwick Racecourse. 

Other notable events still to come in 2023 are the ‘2023 Afternoon Race Day at Aintree’ on November 11th at Aintree Racecourse, ‘The November Meeting 2023’ from November 11th to 13th at Cheltenham Racecourse, and the ‘2023 Ringle Creek Festival at Sandown Park’ from December 8th to 9th. 

If that’s not enough to keep you going, don’t forget about ‘The International 2023 at Cheltenham Racecourse’ from December 15th to 16th, the ‘Celebrate Christmas Raceday’ at Exeter Racecourse on December 21st, and ‘2023 Boxing Day Racing at Aintree’ on December 26th. 

Three more big events over the festive period include the Christmas Festival at Kempton Park, the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow, the Last Fling 2023 at Haydock Park, and racing at Wincanton. 

Are there any UK classics coming soon?

Yes. One of the biggest UK Classics you can look forward to over the coming weeks is the St Leger in September. The current odds-on favourite to win this race is Gregory at 9/4. Tower of London is priced at 4/1, and Savethelastdance is priced at 9/2. These odds came from the official Unibet website.