Newbury Racecourse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Newbury Racecourse

The Berkshire Stand and The Grandstand
Location	Newbury, Berkshire
Coordinates	51°23′40″N 1°18′2″W / 51.39444°N 1.30056°W / 51.39444; -1.30056
Date opened	26 September 1905
Screened on	Racing TV
Course type	Flat National Hunt
Notable races	Lockinge Stakes, Hennessy Gold Cup, Challow Novices' Hurdle

Newbury Racecourse is a famous place for horse racing and other events. It's located near the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. The racecourse has tracks for both flat races (where horses run on a flat track) and jump races (where horses jump over obstacles). It's home to one of Great Britain's most important annual flat races, called the Lockinge Stakes. This race is a "Group 1" race, which means it's one of the highest levels of competition in horse racing.

Horserace finishing at Newbury

Newbury Racecourse Road, view from the Nuffield Health Gym

The Story of Newbury Racecourse

Newbury Racecourse held its very first race meeting on September 26 and 27, 1905. This happened at its current spot in the Greenham area, on the south-east side of Newbury.

But horse racing in Newbury actually started much earlier! The first races were recorded in 1805. These were called "Newbury Races" and took place over two days at a place called Enborne Heath. This event continued until 1811. Then, it moved to Woodhay Heath and ran there until 1815.

The idea for the modern Newbury Racecourse came about 90 years later. A horse trainer named John Porter, from Kingsclere, suggested building a new racecourse in Newbury. At first, his plans were turned down many times. This was because The Jockey Club, which sets the rules for horse racing, had very strict requirements for new racecourses.

However, John Porter had a lucky meeting with King Edward VII. With the King's support, his new application was finally approved by The Jockey Club.

In April 1904, the Newbury Racecourse Company was created. They bought the land and started building the racecourse, including the main buildings and stables. This cost about £57,240 at the time.

The very first race at Newbury Racecourse on September 26, 1905, was the Whatcombe Handicap. A horse named Copper King, ridden by Charlie Trigg and trained by Charles Marnes, won this historic race. Marnes received a silver cup, and Trigg got a special gold-mounted whip.

It was also special because John Porter, the founder, trained a horse named Zelis to win a race on September 27. This was his only win at Newbury before he retired from training at the end of 1905.

Jump racing, also known as National Hunt racing, started soon after flat racing. In 1906, Newbury planned nine days of racing: six for flat races and three for jump races.

During the First World War, Newbury Racecourse was used for other purposes. It served as a camp for German prisoners of war.

In September 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Newbury Racecourse saw a big drop in its income. It lost 68% of its earnings in the first six months of that year. However, in January 2021, the racecourse helped the community by becoming a COVID-19 vaccination centre.

Fun Events at the Racecourse

Newbury Racecourse isn't just for horses! It also hosts exciting music concerts.

On August 14, 2010, the Irish pop band Westlife performed a concert there as part of their "Where We Are Tour." The concert was completely sold out! This helped bring a record 30,000 people to the racecourse for the racing event the next day.

Every year, the racecourse holds two special music nights. Many famous artists have performed there, including Jess Glynne, Olly Murs, Craig David, Rudimental, and Sir Tom Jones.

Getting There and Other Uses

Newbury Racecourse has its own train station. This station gets very busy with extra trains running on race days.

Besides racing and concerts, the racecourse is also a popular place for other events. People use it for:

• Conferences and business meetings
• Weddings
• Parties like Hen and Stag parties

Important Races at Newbury

Newbury Racecourse hosts many important races throughout the year. Here are some of the notable ones:

Image Gallery

Images for kids

• Cois Farraig jumps the last in front at Newbury

  Cois Farraig jumps the last in front at Newbury

• 

  Tony McCoy, JP McManus & Nicky Henderson