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Racecourse Advisor

The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

Racecourse Advisor: The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

Hello and welcome to www.racecourseadvisor.com

Who are we?
We are a team of four lifelong horse racing enthusiasts who take their racing seriously and have decided to visit every horse racing course in the UK and report our findings and thoughts to like-minded racegoers and punters like you.

We are primarily fans of National Hunt racing, but we don't mind the odd day out at a flat racing course either. Any excuse to "go racing," and we are there! 

We do this for fun, and in no way whatsoever do we seek or ask for payment or reward of any kind. It's our hobby, and we enjoy it. You can also put your credit card away, as we don't offer any sort of racing tips, staking plans, premium rate phone lines, or any other guaranteed, sure-fire, magical ways to win money when betting on racehorses. We are however, all serious disciples of the Racing Post, Timeform, and Geegeez, and we do manage to keep our heads above water on the punting front.

About our reviews:
Our racecourse reviews are entirely the opinions of our Racecourse Advisor review team and are written up immediately after visiting a track and enjoying a day out racing. To keep things real, we try not to review a course during a major festival or headline meeting, but preferably on a mid-week race day whenever possible. When it is just your normal, average racegoers and not the hoards who arrive on coaches dressed like they are on the set of Peaky Blinders and think they are all Thomas Shelby for the day...

Racecourse Advisor reviews are based on what we believe to be ten essential and important racecourse criteria, and each is given a mark accordingly. Our reviews are not based on the size of the racecourse, the reputation, the amount of prize money given away, or how many Group or Grade 1 races are run each season. But the overall "Racecourse Experience" on the day of our review.

An overall rating out of ten for each course is issued at the end of each review and is then ranked on our league table of racecourses. We genuinely try to be as fair, balanced, and objective as possible at all times. If we like something, we will tell you why, and if we don't like something, we will also tell you why. To try and achieve this aim, we do not request or accept complimentary tickets from any racecourse. We also pay to enter the highest priced enclosure for general admission on any racecourse we visit. We feel it is not possible to give a full and fair review of any racecourse unless all of the enclosures have been visited, reviewed, and rated. 

We would also appreciate your feedback and experiences, so feel free to drop us a line with your thoughts. The ethos at Racecourse Advisor is simple: we are experienced racegoers who write racecourse reviews for other racegoers, so they can be informed, knowledgeable, and up-to-date on any racecourse they might wish to visit. We hope you enjoy our reviews just as much as we enjoy doing them!


About Us imageAbout Us image

Meet the team behind the UK's leading racecourse review website:

Dave "Mr Shrewdy"

Roving Reviewer

As a lifelong racing enthusiast, "Mr. Shrewdy's" horse racing education began at a very early age, while watching the ITV 7 with his grandad. His family then became more deeply involved in racing when they invested in a share in a local bookmaker's business, so racing was never far from the house. Breaking away and studying for a degree in statistics and probability in London, provided the basis for the analytical approach that he now provides here at Racecourse Advisor. Most of his non racing time is now spent cycling around the country lanes of Shropshire, but he still loves reading the Racing Post sectional timings at bedtime. His favourite racecourses are Wetherby and Ripon.

Ray "The Doctor"

Roving Reviewer

Ray was bitten by the horse racing bug as a teenager on the tracks of Melbourne & Sydney (Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley, Sandown, & Randwick), in Australia in the 70s. A keen student of form and a disciple of Timeform help him beat the bookies on a regular basis. When not visiting and reviewing the racecourses of Great Britain, he spends his time dealing in antiques and fine art. His favourite racecourses are York and Flemington in Melbourne.

Peter "The Apprentice"

Northern Racecourse Reviewer

Peter is known as "The Apprentice" as he has an unquenchable thirst for horse racing knowledge, so he is always learning. He grew up in a racing family, and as a young boy, he was actually on the Knavesmire at York, when the famous Brigadier Gerard suffered his only ever career defeat to Roberto in 1972. His unparalleled depth & breadth of all things horse racing bring a different dimension to Racecourse Advisor, and he is the "go to guy" when a story or fact needs to be checked. His weapon of choice against the bookmaker's is the Racing Post. His favourite racecourses are Beverley and Ascot.

Dave "The Wanderer"

Southern Racecourse Reviewer

Dave is located in the west country, so he covers the south, south-west and Wales for Racecourse Advisor. He cut his horse racing teeth by frequenting tracks such as Wincanton, Cheltenham, Exeter, & Newton Abbot in his younger days. Dave's specialist subject is arbitrage betting when it comes to beating the bookmaker's. Therefore, he has in-depth knowledge of the odds setting with bookmakers, price boosts, and the operations of the betting exchanges. Outside of reviewing racecourses, he enjoys touring the west country in his 4.0-litre sports car and smoking the finest Cuban cigars. His favourite racecourse is Cheltenham.

Racecourse Advisor Overall Racecourse Rankings image
The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

About Our Rankings:

Racecourse Advisor rankings are based on what we believe to be ten essential and important racecourse criteria, and each is given a mark out of ten accordingly. Our rankings are not based on the size of the racecourse, the reputation, the amount of prize money given away, or how many Group or Grade 1 races are run each season. But the overall "Racecourse Experience" on the day of our review.

An overall rating out of ten for each course is issued at the end of each review and is then ranked on our league table of racecourses - below.

The ethos at Racecourse Advisor is simple: we are experienced racegoers who write racecourse reviews for other racegoers, so they can be informed, knowledgeable, and up-to-date on any racecourse they might wish to visit.

Racecourse Advisor Ranking
Racecourse Name
Racecourse Advisor Rating
1
York
9.5
2
Haydock Park
8.9
2 (equal)Wetherby
8.9
2 (equal)Stratford-on-Avon8.9
3Beverley
8.8
4Kempton Park8.7
5Uttoxeter
8.5
5 (equal)
Sandown Park
8.5
6
Salisbury8.4
7
Lingfield Park
8.2
7 (equal)
Hexham
8.2
8
Southwell
8.0
9 (equal)
Ripon
8.0
10Newbury
7.9
10 (equal)Market Rasen7.9
10 (equal)
Nottingham
7.9
9 (equal)
Bath
7.9
11Sedgefield
7.8
12Carlisle7.7
12 (equal)
Pontefract
7.7
12 (equal)
Goodwood
7.7
13
Bangor-on-Dee
7.6
14Ludlow7.5
15
Doncaster
7.4
15 (equal)
Brighton
7.4
16
Warwick7.3
16 (equal)Huntingdon7.3
17Great Yarmouth7.2
18
Catterick 
7.1
19Chester 6.7
20
Worcester6.6
21Leicester
6.5
22Windsor
6.4
23Cartmel
4.8








Racecourse Advisor: The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

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Racecourse Advisor: The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

The Racecourse Advisor Review Team give their take on the greatest races, rides, & finishes ever!

Frankie Dettori's "Magnificent Seven"

Reviewer: The Doctor

September 28th 1996 is the day that Frankie Dettori wrote himself into the record books and into horse racing history. He achieved something that no other jockey in England had ever done before. He “went through the card’ winning all seven races at Ascot. This achievement went down in racing folklore as the “Magnificent Seven” and catapulted Dettori from a household name into racing’s global superstar! The horses that made that such a momentous day were: Race 1:. Wall Street 2/1 Race 2:. Diffident 12/1 Race 3:. Mark of Esteem 100/30 Race 4:. Decorated Hero 7/1 Race 5:. Fatefully 7/4 Race 6:. Lochangel 5/4 Race 7:. Fujiyama Crest 2/1 (The finishes to all of the races can be seen in the video that accompanies this article.) Those results at combined odds of 25,095/1 cost the betting industry in excess of £40 million. They made one punter an overnight millionaire and sent one bookmaker into bankruptcy. Dettori's feat is unmatched to this day and topped the previous best on six-race cards set by Sir Gordon Richards at Chepstow in 1933 and Alec Russell at Bogside in 1957. For this reason, it is undisputable that this was the greatest of them all – ever!

Click Here To Watch Race:

Shergar wins the 1981 Derby

Reviewer: Mr Shrewdy

"You need a telescope to see the rest!" were the immortal words of Radio 2 commentator Peter Bromley, and how right he was. Shergar was trained by Michael Stoute and owned by the Aga Khan. Ridden by 19 year old Walter Swinburn, who went off as the odds on 10/11 favourite. He stormed to victory by 10 lengths going away and was easing down at the post. It was the biggest winning margin ever in Derby history, a record that still survives to this day. I remember watching the race on TV as a teenager and being astounded by how effortlessly he took the lead as they came round Tattenham Corner and just kept on going further and further away. It was a remarkable race won by a remarkable horse, ridden by a remarkable jockey. For me, the best winner of the Derby- ever!

Click Here to Watch Race:

Sprinter Sacre: Cheltenham 2016 Queen Mother Chase

Reviewer: The Wanderer

They say they never come back... Oh yes, they do! Sprinter Sacre delivered one of the most remarkable comebacks that Cheltenham has ever seen in the 2016 Queen Mother Champion Chase. Trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Nico de Boinville, he returned from three years in the wilderness in dramatic style. He defeated the 4/6 odds on favourite Un De Sceaux, by three-and-a-half lengths. Despite a poor jump at the third last and stumbling as he came around the home turn, he swept to the lead at the second last fence and came home up the hill to the greatest reception from the Cheltenham crowd I have ever witnessed. It genuinely, made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It was a privilege to be there that day and watch a true champion regain his crown. One of the greatest Cheltenham wins - ever!

Click Here to Watch Race:

The defeat of Crisp in Red Rum's 1973 Grand National

Reviewer: The Apprentice

I am old enough to have watched the most extraordinary Grand National of them all: When Red Rum got up by a nose to defeat Crisp in the 1973 running of this epic race. After the first circuit, Crisp was at least 20 lengths in front and travelling strongly. All he had to do to win was stay on his feet. He was so far ahead, that nothing could catch him. Or so I thought... Even as he approached the second last fence, with Red Rum in hot pursuit, the race was won. Then he "hit the wall". Crisp had given his all, and stride, by stride Red Rum was wearing him down. He jumped the last and started up the elbow. His jockey, Richard Pitman, gave him a reminder, but Crisp could give no more and shied away. As the winning post loomed, Red Rum finally collared him two strides from home, and went past him to get up and win the race carrying 24Ibs less than Crisp. Both horses smashing the track record. It's heart breaking for me to watch the race, even today. Crisp ran the perfect race, all of the way until the last 494 yards, and went down in history for all of the wrong reasons. The irony is that if he had held on for the win, He'd more than likely be remembered far less than he is now. For me this, was the greatest Grand National - ever!

Click Here to Watch Race:

Lammtarra - 1995 Epsom Derby Winner

Reviewer: Mr Shrewdy

“Here comes Lammtarra from the gods”… six words that made Mr Shrewdy a very happy man and The Doctor seriously displeased. Lammtarra was the first horse to bred out of a Derby winner (Nijinsky) and an Oaks winner (Snow Bride) to win the Epsom Derby. And boy, did he do it in some style! Ridden by Walter Swinburn, he flew home from absolutely nowhere, to get up and beat Tamure ridden by Frankie Dettori by a length. He also did it, creating a new course record of 2m 32.31s beating the previous record that had been in place for 58 years and in a field that contained five unbeaten runners. That new record time stood for another 16 years. It was also the manner of his win that made it absolutely sensational. At the top of the straight, Lammtarra was some 7 lengths behind the leader. Less than a furlong from home, he was in 5th place, and in the last 100 yards, he came from the gods… Lammtarra was also the first horse ever to win the Derby on his seasonal debut, which at the time was unheard of. He had only one previous run as a 2yo, winning the Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury in the August of 1994. He proved his greatness by going on to win the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot and then the Prix de L’arc de Triomphe in Paris in the same year. Lammtarra retired unbeaten in all of his four starts and went to stud at the end of the season. On Derby day, Lammtarra went off at 14/1 and Tamure at 9/1. Mr Shrewdy had backed Lammtarra, and The Doctor had made more than a sizable investment on Tamure and was counting the money a furlong out. But that's why he's called Mr Shrewdy...… Add it all up, and it is one of the greatest Epsom Derby wins – ever!

Click Here To Watch Race:

Do You Have a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)?

Do you have a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)? If so, then drop us a line and let us know, and tell us why you think so. We might just publish it here on the UK's leading racecourse review website: Racecourse Advisor.

Racecourse Advisor: The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

The Racecourse Advisor Review Team read, review, rate & recommend books on all things horse racing & gambling  

Ruby The Autobiography

Ruby The Autobiography

Autobiography of champion jockey and much-loved sports personality Ruby Walsh.

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Mug Bookies

Mug Bookies

Two former independent bookmakers tell their amazing, humorous, and sometimes shocking tales of working in the betting rings of Britain's racecourses.

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From Bicycle To Bentley

From Bicycle To Bentley

From Bicycle To Bentley by Stephen Little

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True Colours: My Autobiography

True Colours: My Autobiography

The riveting full-career autobiography of Barry Geraghty, one of the most successful jump jockeys in the history of the sport.

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Tony 10

Tony 10

Tony 10: The astonishing story of the postman who gambled €10,000,000 and lost it all...

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Might Bite - The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict

Might Bite - The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict

Might Bite The Secret Life of a Gambling addict

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Winner: My Racing Life

Winner: My Racing Life

Excellent autobiography from one of the best jumps jockeys ever. Brilliant insight into what he went through in his life. A fascinating read for anyone who likes racing.

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Racecourse Advisor: The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

The Injured Jockeys Fund

The Injured Jockeys Fund

01/01/2001

The Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) was founded in 1964 following the devastating accidents to Tim Brookshaw, and then Paddy Farrell in the 1964 Grand National. Both falls resulted in severe paralysis which immediately ended both their careers. Since then the Fund has helped over 1000 jockeys and their families and has paid out more than £20m in charitable assistance.

Read More
Racehorse Owners Association

Racehorse Owners Association

01/01/2001

The Racehorse Owners Association (ROA) promotes and protects the interests of racehorse owners in Great Britain. Our vision is to create a world-class membership organisation that provides outstanding benefits for owners and helps bring the passion of racehorse ownership and racing to life.

Read More
British Horseracing Authority

British Horseracing Authority

01/01/2001

The British Horseracing Authority is responsible for the governance, administration and regulation of horseracing and the wider horseracing industry in Britain. The BHA leads on the development and growth of racing, and prioritises the health and welfare of the sport’s participants.

Read More
The Jockey Club

The Jockey Club

01/01/2001

The mission of The Jockey Club is to act for the long term good of British racing in everything we do. Under its Royal Charter, The Jockey Club has no shareholders and does not pay dividends, re-investing all its profits back into horseracing.

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British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre

British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre

01/01/2001

BTRC is dedicated to improving and promoting the welfare of retired race horses through education, rehabilitation, retraining and suitable rehoming in order to ensure that our Thoroughbreds have a rewarding and valuable life after their racing careers have ended.

Read More
Weatherbys

Weatherbys

01/01/2001

The founding company which today is primarily responsible for providing racing services to the BHA, along with racecard production, pedigree research, printing, publishing, marketing and ticketing services to a range of clients. Also responsible for IT operations underpinning the whole of the business. It employs 160 members of staff, all based at Wellingborough HQ.

Read More
National Horse Racing Museum

National Horse Racing Museum

01/01/2001

Today, NHRM celebrates the town’s status as a historic home of horseracing and sporting art. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Forest Heath District Council, Suffolk County Council, the Racing Industry (including the Jockey Club, Tattersalls, Weatherbys, and the Racing Foundation) as well as many private trusts, foundations, and individuals from the world of horseracing and beyond, the project is an important partnership between the public and private sectors.

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Racecourse Advisor: The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

Racecourse Advisor: The UK's Leading Racecourse Review Site

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The only racecourse review site that reviews, rates and ranks the racecourses across the length & breadth of the UK

Beverley Racecourse

Beverley Racecourse

Flat. Turf. Right Handed.

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Bath

Bath

Flat. Turf. Left Handed.

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Brighton

Brighton

Flat. Turf. Left Handed.

Read More  
Bangor-on-Dee

Bangor-on-Dee

Jumps. Turf. Left Handed.

Read More  
Carlisle

Carlisle

Flat & Jumps. Turf. Right Handed

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Cartmel

Cartmel

Jumps. Turf. Left Handed.

Read More  
Catterick Bridge

Catterick Bridge

Flat & Jumps. Turf. Left Handed.

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Chester Racecourse

Chester Racecourse

Flat. Turf. Left Handed.

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Doncaster

Doncaster

Flat & Jumps. Turf. Left Handed.

Read More  
Goodwood

Goodwood

Flat. Turf. Left Handed.

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Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth

Flat. Turf. Left Handed.

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Haydock

Haydock

Flat & Jumps. Turf. Left Handed.

Read More