London Racecourses: Best Courses for Horse Racing Near the Capital

Simply put, Britain is a place that loves its horse racing. It is home to 60 active racecourses, from as far north as Perth in Scotland to as far south as Newton Abbot. No matter where you live, you are unlikely to be very far from your nearest course and this is especially true for anyone residing in London.

For the approximately nine million people living within the greater London area, plus all the rest residing close by, there are several racecourses within easy reach. As a result, a trip to the races is a great option for a fun day trip out, or possibly an evening trip for those racecourses that offer later meetings. If this sounds an entertaining prospect to you, keep reading as we give you all the key information for all the racecourses that are easily accessed from the English capital.

Technically speaking though, no racecourse is within the boundaries of Greater London. Kempton Park is touching the border but is on the other side while Sandown Park is extremely close too. Racecourses simply require too much room to feasibly reside in the heart of such a densely populated and urbanised city. If you are a London resident looking for a trip out though, you do have several locations within extremely easy reach. As well as Kempton and Sandown previously mentioned, there are several other well-located candidates worth considering.

Ascot

Ascot Racecourse is one of the most famous racecourses on the planet thanks to its royal connections. If you want to enjoy horse racing in the finest way possible, this is the place to be. After all, this is a racecourse that is quite literally fit for the Queen. Its world-renowned facilities are combined with some of the best flat races Britain has to offer. Offering 13 Group 1 races (the highest classification possible), no course in the country boasts so many elite-level contests each year. In addition to an unrivalled flat racing offer, Ascot also has some highly notable jump contests for those that prefer to see horses flying through the air.

Dress Code

Several of the enclosures at Ascot have a strict dress code, most notably the King Edward VII and Winning Post Enclosures and the Royal Enclosure (Royal Ascot only). The requirements can end up being very specific so it is always worth double-checking you are appropriately dressed before setting off. Although this is one of the fanciest racecourses in the country, rules are relaxed in the Windsor Enclosure should you not fancy getting dressed up too smartly.

Public Transport

Ascot Racecourse is incredibly accessible by public transport. There is a direct service from London Waterloo that runs to Ascot Station, stopping off at the likes of Clapham Junction and Richmond along the way. From Waterloo, the journey takes around one hour and once you are off the train there is a 10-minute walk to get to the racecourse. This train service usually runs twice an hour throughout the day so you will never be waiting too long at the platform.

Big Meetings

June’s five-day Royal Ascot meeting is the jewel in Ascot’s crown not only from a racing perspective but for the fact that each time it begins with a Royal Procession. There is not a ‘bad’ day of the meeting with a huge crowd, fancy frocks and very high-quality racing witnessed across each day. You do pay for the experience, however, with many tickets costing between £40 and £80 but as these regularly sell out, clearly they must be worth it.

British Champions Day is another highlight in the Ascot calendar and it is the richest single day of racing you will find in the UK. Some of the finest thoroughbreds around show up for this climactic fixture, making it a perfect destination for any fans of the sport. And, especially for those who have been following the fortunes of the leading runners in each category over the course of the flat racing season.

Finally, there is the King George Diamond Weekend, which is meeting often bathed in sunlight. The star of this show is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which is considered to be the best middle-distance race in Europe.

Epsom

Although it is far from the busiest racecourse in the UK, Epsom is a place that prioritises quality over quantity. Like Ascot, this is another classy establishment that allows punters the opportunity to really spoil themselves should they be in the mood. Even the basic experience though is something to savour as this is a racecourse that can produce an unrivalled atmosphere. There is room for up to 120,000 punters, spread out on both sides of the track, so you can imagine all the excitable noise that comes with this.

Epsom is also a great place to be if you want to see horses at their very fastest. Not only does the course attract some incredibly fast horses anyway but its downhill sprint track is the quickest in the world.

Dress Code

The basic dress code at Epsom is to come wearing something smart or smart casual. This means not picking things such as ripped jeans, sports shoes or vests. Stricter rules apply on the Derby weekend, which is the only day that the Queen’s Stand and Duchess’s Stand are not open to all racegoers. For anyone purchasing a Queen’s Stand Enclosure ticket, very specific dress requirements apply such as men wearing a black or grey morning dress with a top hat. Pay attention to this, otherwise you may be refused entry (or have your ticket downgraded).

Public Transport

There are direct trains arriving at Epsom from London Waterloo, Victoria and London Bridge with the journey time around 40 to 50 minutes. The station is located around a mile away from the racecourse so you can just walk the remaining distance or grab a taxi/bus (a shuttle bus service runs during the Derby Festival). You may also want to consider heading to Tattenham Corner station instead as this is just a stone’s throw from the racecourse. You can get here directly from London Bridge with the journey taking around 80 minutes due to the number of stops.

Big Meetings

The two-day Derby Festival which features on the first Friday & Saturday of June is the best that Epsom has to offer. This special meeting kicks off with Ladies Day, something which always attracts an assortment of wonderful fascinators and dresses. The focus on ladies also means it is the day of the Epsom Oaks, one of just two Classic races reserved for fillies. Following this, Saturday sees the world-famous Derby, which always seems to justify all the pre-race hype.

Kempton Park

For those who have never been to a racecourse before, Kempton is a fantastic place to make your first port of call. There is an abundance of racing that takes place here and with a standard general admission ticket costing just £14, you will not find many places nearby that can compete on price. Although its artificial course, used for flat racing, may not give a ‘traditional’ racing experience, it is so durable and weather resistant that cancellations are incredibly rare. In fact, it is only because there is a floodlit all-weather course here that Kempton is able to host so much racing.

Jumps racing still takes place on the old turf course so there is a real variety in the Kempton offering. It would be wrong to assume though that the number of fixtures means there is simply a cheap and cheerful course. Kempton Park is generally regarded as being one of the premier courses in the UK and it is one that was the site of a multi-million-pound renovation project that was finished in 2006.

Dress Code

There is no strict dress code at Kempton Park, even at feature meetings no rules are set although smart attire is encouraged. The only thing they politely request is to refrain from wearing anything very casual, such as ripped jeans, flip flops or football shirts.

Public Transport

With it being on the doorstep of London, it is no surprise that Kempton Park has great public transport links. Kempton Park station, which is all but a five-minute walk from the racecourse, is served by a direct train from London Waterloo that makes many small stops along the way. This service runs once every hour but in between these times, you can get the train to a nearby station such as Feltham or Hampton Court and take the bus the remainder of the way. The direct route from Waterlooo takes 50 minutes while the train and bus combo is usually around 70 minutes.

Big Meetings

You have to wait for the very end of the year for Kempton’s biggest occasion of the season, this being the two-day Christmas Festival. It always kicks off on Boxing Day and acts as the racing highlight of the Christmas period. With people still in a cheerful mood from the previous day’s festivities, there is a great atmosphere around the course and plenty of great racing to boot. Boxing Day features three Grade 1 races including the King George VI Chase, widely regarded as the second most prestigious chase in England.

Lingfield Park

With over 80 fixtures per calendar year, Lingfield Park is the busiest racecourse on the continent. Thanks to this, you can easily find a meeting that works around your schedule without having to wait several months. The reason Lingfield can host such an unrivalled amount of racing without issue is that you will find three separate courses here. Not only are there two turf courses, one for flat racing and the other for jumps racing, but there is an all-weather course for flat racing too.

Although most widely known for being such an active racecourse, Lingfield Park is also a fantastic place for an overnight stay. There is a luxury 116-room hotel and leisure club on-site plus a popular 18-hole golf course. Thanks to these leisure facilities, you can enjoy quite the retreat by paying Lingfield a visit no matter what time of year it is.

Dress Code

Some formal rules apply in hospitality areas but with a standard grandstand ticket, no dress policy is enforced. Smart casual attire is encouraged though and for the gents, this means wearing a shirt and smart pair of jeans/chinos/tailored shorts. On Ladies Day, you may find there are prizes for those deemed the best dressed, should you want an excuse to bring out your most dazzling garments.

Public Transport

Twice an hour you can hop on a direct Southern service from London Bridge that stops off at Lingfield station. The journey only takes 49-minutes and it makes several stops along the way including at Norwood Junction and East Croydon. Once you are off the train, the racecourse is less than a 10-minute walk away. This is by far the easiest way of getting to the course and the only way of arriving on a direct train service.

Big Meetings

As Lingfield was the first racecourse in the country to adopt an all-weather track, they host many of the best all-weather races. The Winter Derby in February is one of the biggest highlights so this can draw in a larger crowd than usual. The same is also true of the Derby and Oaks Trial day in May (which is run on turf) as these are frequently targeted by serious contenders for the main event at Epsom. A lot of the ‘biggest’ meetings at Lingfield though are those followed by live music. In any given year you can expect to see at least three meetings that are accompanied by a household act.

Newbury

Although Newbury is not particularly near to London in terms of distance, it is worth mentioning given how easy it is to get here from the capital. We will discuss this in more detail a little later but for now, we will tell you that Newbury is widely considered to be one of the top courses in the country. There has been a fair whack of cash pumped into the venue over the years so it is a place to watch racing in comfort and style. Premium and hospitality tickets are readily available should you wish to make the very most of what Newbury has to offer but even the ‘basic’ experience is an excellent one.

Dress Code

In the Grandstand Enclosure, it is simply a case of not wearing sportswear, ripped/torn denim or coming topless. Even fancy dress is permitted providing it is not likely to be deemed offensive. In the Premier Enclosure and hospitality areas visitors are asked to come in something smart. A collared shirt is customary for the gents as t-shirts are not permitted, likewise neither are sandals, sportswear, vests or tracksuits.

Public Transport

Despite being around 60-miles away from the centre of London, the journey to Newbury Racecourse is one that you can make in around an hour. Although there are a few approaches you can take, you will need to start at Paddington Station. From here you can either get a direct train to Newbury in around 40 to 50 minutes.

From Newbury Station, you can walk for 15 to 20 minutes to get to the racecourse, or take another train to the Newbury Racecourse station. The other approach is to change trains at Reading and head straight for Newbury Racecourse Station, rather than going via Newbury itself. Either way, from Paddington, the full journey will take only a shade over an hour, making it a very viable day trip.

Big Meetings

Lockinge Stakes Day is the premium flat meeting Newbury supplies us with. It is their only top-rated flat race and because it is such a big contest on the racing calendar, fans from all over flock in to see it. As it happens, Newbury also has just the one jumps race that has the elite classification, the Challow Hurdle. For this reason, Challow Hurdle Day is another special date in their calendar. Any gents that like to don a nice suit may also want to keep an eye on the Winter Carnival in late November. This two-day festival begins with Gentlemen’s Day and it sees prized handed out for those deemed the best dressed.

Sandown Park

Sandown Park, the horse racing and leisure venue, is a place to see some of the best racing the UK has to offer. They have a range of Class 1 races throughout the year and the best in the business are happy to travel here thanks to the world-class facilities on offer. Despite being such a classy establishment and one close to London, admission does not cost a fortune and this is something that produces healthy attendances. So, for an affordable day out with top-class horses and a great atmosphere, Sandown is well worth considering.

Dress Code

A relaxed stance is taken in the Grandstand Enclosure but certain items of clothing should not be worn such as ripped denim, football shirts or vests. Fancy dress is allowed but it must be deemed to be in good taste. If you pay the extra to go into the Premier Enclosure or 1875 Lounge, smart casual guidelines must be followed. Men are encouraged to wear a collared shirt with smart trousers while many women come wearing a hat/fascinator, but this is not compulsory.

Public Transport

By train, the nearest station to Sandown Park is Esher and this is served by a twice-an-hour service from London Waterloo, taking 28 minutes, which also stops at Vauxhall and Clapham Junction. From Esher station, you are practically around the corner from the course with the walk to the main gates talking around 10 minutes. Hinchley Wood is another station option although from here the walk is twice as long. If you do not fancy the stroll, the K3 bus service will take you to Esher in around 15 minutes, dropping you off less than five minutes from the racecourse.

Big Meetings

A lot of Sandown’s biggest meetings are simply the ones in which some of Britain’s best races feature. Their jump finale in April sees both the Grade 1 Celebration Chase and the much-loved bet365 Gold Cup Handicap, making this a climactic finish to their National Hunt offering. The flat next major highlight is the Summer Festival which opens with the always popular Ladies Day before moving onto Coral Eclipse Day, named after the highly prestigious race. Moving on towards the end of the year and in December the Tingle Creek Festival never disappoints, particular the Saturday as this sees two huge steeple chase events.

Windsor

Windsor is a town offering many different attractions, which is why it has long been a popular tourist destination. With the range of activities and things to see on offer, staying overnight can definitely offer appeal if you are looking to visit the racecourse. A longer stay is certainly most practical too given that the racecourse is very centrally located, almost in the middle of town. Back to the racecourse itself though and like Ascot this is a place with royal links, indeed its full name is Royal Windsor Racecourse.

Meticulously maintained and set beside the banks of the River Thames in some glorious Berkshire countryside, visitors feel a long way from London here. It is a fantastic place to enjoy some fresh air at a racecourse that knows how to treat its guests. Windsor also serves up quite a unique experience as it is the only flat-racing course in the UK that has a figure-eight circuit.

Dress Code

There is no dress code in the Silver Ring Enclosure so you can wear whatever you like. For the Grandstand Enclosure, things remain fairly relaxed but do not wear sports attire, cargo shorts, ripped jeans or trainers. Finally, there is the Heidsieck Club Enclosure and here a smart dress code is enforced. Men should wear a collared shirt and with a smart pair of trousers, smart jeans are included in this. For Ladies, sandals are permitted providing they are not beach-style flip-flops.

Public Transport

There are two train stations in the centre of town but only Windsor and Eaton Riverside has a direct service to London. Twice an hour you can arrive here by train from London Waterloo with the journey taking around an hour. Windsor and Eaton Central, which is marginally closer to the racecourse, is only served by trains coming from Slough so going via this way does mean changing services. You can get to Slough from London Paddington easily enough though and from Slough you do have the option of several frequent bus services that run to Windsor. Even with the break in the journey, you can be in the heart of Windsor in 40 to 50 minutes. From here, you will only have a simple 10-minute walk before you are at the racecourse.

Big Meetings

A lot of the meetings Windsor hosts are fairly low-key but the three-day June festival is very much an exception to this. A meeting with something of a party atmosphere, there is live music across the three days which kicks off with a real social event, Gentleman’s Day. The weekend racing for this takes place in the afternoon before ending with an evening schedule on the Monday finale. Another big evening meeting is the Winter Hill Stakes Day in August as the Group 3 race is the highest-calibre event to take place at Windsor.