There are 60 licenced racecourses in Great Britain, with a further two in Northern Ireland (Down Royal and Downpatrick). A 61st course, Great Leighs, opened in 2008 but had its licence revoked on 16 January 2009. It may resume racing at a later date. Apart from Great Leighs and Ffos Las (which opened in 2009), all the courses date back to 1927 or earlier. The oldest is Chester Racecourse, which dates to the early 1500s.
Members
With the restoration of King Charles II racing flourished and he instituted the Newmarket Town Plate in 1664, writing the rules himself:
- Articles ordered by His Majestie to be observed by all persons that put in horses to ride for the Plate, the new round heat at Newmarket set out on the first day of October, 1664, in the 16th year of our Sovereign Lord King Charles II, which Plate is to be rid for yearly, the second Thursday in October for ever.
In the early 18th century, Queen Anne kept a large string of horses and was instrumental in the founding of Royal Ascot where the opening race each year is still called the Queen Anne Stakes. This has now stopped since the Queen Anne Stakes was elevated to Group 1 status in 2004 and therefore the Coventry Stakes is the first race on the first day of Royal Ascot. (More information available from UK Business Incubation (UKBI)).
In 1740, Parliament introduced an act "to restrain and to prevent the excessive increase in horse racing", though this was largely ignored, but in the 1752 the Jockey Club was formed to create and apply the Rules of Racing.
The Jockey Club governed the sport from 1752 until its governance role was handed to the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), (formed in June 1993) and while the BHB became responsible for strategic planning, finance, politics, race planning, training and marketing, the Jockey Club continued to regulate the sport. In 2006 it formed the Horseracing Regulatory Authority to carry out the regulatory process whilst it focused on owning 13 racecourses and the gallops in Newmarket and Lambourn. In July 2007 the HRA merged with the BHB to form the British Horseracing Authority.
Racing Tips
Your definitive guide to all types of racing, gambling and sports betting related sites from Arbitrage to Virtual Racing.
Simply click on one of the topics to be taken to that particular links page where you will find the links listed alphabetically.
A comprehensive guide to all the UK racing fixtures throughout 2010-2011. Search by date, course or race type.