Haydock
Date of Review: 5th September 2024. First Review: 30th November 2022
RCA Reviewers: Mr Shrewdy & The Doctor
Address: Warrington Road, Newton-Le-Willows WA12 0HQ
Website: https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/haydock/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HPRaces/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/haydockraces
Phone: 01942 725963
Hotel Accommodation: https://www.booking.com/landmark/gb/haydock-racecourse.en-gb.html
Track Layout: (Image: courtesy of & acknowledged to At The Races)
Course Information:
Haydock Racecourse is located in the North West of England, and is equidistant between Manchester and Liverpool, and is set in 127 acres of picturesque parkland. It is a left-handed, dual-purpose (both flat and jumps) course that is oval in shape, and it is around 1 mile and 5 furlongs in circumference. It is considered to be a fair course, flat, with few undulations, gradual bends, and lengthy straights. It has a very long run-in of four and a half furlongs, which rises gradually all the way to the winning post. There is a chute that joins the main track to create a six-furlong straight, which is used for sprint races.
The course changes significantly as the season progresses. During the summer, it can be extremely fast when the ground is firm, but it can become very gruelling during the winter months when the conditions are softer. When the ground is firm the course suits good galloping types of horses that have speed. During the winter, races can become more tactical, where patience is required, and jockeys often move to the rail on the stand side, which is less muddy as the races are often a test of stamina.
The steeplechase course consists of 10 portable fences per circuit, with a run-in of around two furlongs after the last fence has been taken. The hurdle course is located on the inside of the chase course and therefore has much tighter bends and is sharper overall.
Haydock is the home of a number of prestigious races, which include the Haydock Sprint Cup, the Lancashire Oaks, the Betfair Chase, and the Grand National Trial. It is a very busy racecourse, which holds around 32 fixtures in total throughout the year.
History: Haydock Racecourse has an interesting history, dating back to 1751 when the “Newton Races” were held on Golbourn Heath, some two-miles from the current racecourse. Flat race meetings were also held at Newton-Le-Willows between 1807 and 1898. It was in this year that Lord Newton leased 127 acres of parkland so Haydock Park could be built. The Old Newton Cup, which is run at Haydock, is the last link between this course and today’s Haydock Park.
Haydock Park was where the first ever two day National Hunt meeting was held in 1899. In 1908, Sydney Sandon became the Secretary of the racecourse and went on to also become its Chairman and Managing Director. Due to his unstinting, hard work, and endeavour, Haydock Park became to be established as one of the top racing tracks in the country. The racecourse was closed between 1939 and 1945 due to World War II, where it was used for storage by the American Airforce, who were based at the RAF base in close by Burtonwood.
In 1948, the late, great Lester Piggott, who was widely regarded as the “finest jockey ever to ride on British turf,” won his first ever race at Haydock Park, riding a horse called The Chase, when he was aged just twelve. There is a memorial statue of him at the racecourse, which was unveiled on his 70th birthday to celebrate his extraordinary career of 4,493 wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories.
Statue of Lester Piggott – Haydock Racecourse
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Haydock Park Racecourse:
In 1965, Haydock prospered further due to the closure of the Manchester Racecourse in 1963, and the transfer of the prestigious Lancashire Oaks race to the course. It was in 1966, the Sprint Cup was introduced into the Haydock flat racing program and was won by Be Friendly, who was owned by the late Sir Peter O’Sullevan.
Statue of Be Friendly – Haydock Racecourse
To this day, there is a statue of Be Friendly behind the Parade Ring at the racecourse. In 1990, the new grandstand was opened, and this helped to cement Haydock Park as one of the top dual code racecourses in the country.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Stratford Racecourse:
Course Access:
Haydock Park is very well located just one mile from junction 23 of the M6, and it is well signed as you leave the motorway. Travelling from the south on the M6 exit at Junction 23 and turn right onto the A580 East, the main entrance is on your left after half a mile. If your sat-nav tells you exit at J24, then this is OK also. It just brings you in from the opposite end of the road. From the north, visitors should exit the M6 at Junction 23 and turn left onto the A580 east. The main entrance is on your left after half a mile, again, it is very well signed. From the West and East, use the A580 East Lancs road and follow the signs to Haydock Park, or use the postcode WA3 3QP on your Sat Nav.
By Rail:
Travelling by train to Haydock races can be a bit tricky. The nearest train station to Haydock Park Racecourse is Newton-le-Willows, which is circa 5 miles away. This station is available on trains running from Manchester Piccadilly, Victoria, and Oxford Road to Liverpool Lime Street. On the main London to Glasgow line, the nearest stations are Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western, which are both approximately 8 miles from the racecourse. A free shuttle bus service is available from Newton-le-Willows station, but only on certain ‘big race’ days. Therefore, it’s not a bad idea to check beforehand if required on 0845 000 125.
By Air: Liverpool airport (LPL) is 14 miles from the racecourse. Manchester (MAN) 16 miles. London Luton (LTN) is 83 miles. London Heathrow (LHR) 91 miles. Leeds Bradford (LBA) airport is 48 miles away, and Birmingham (BHX) is 80 miles away. Private helicopters and small aircraft are able to land in the centre of the racecourse by prior arrangement. Call the Racecourse Office on +44 (0)1942 402609. Rating: 9/10 Parking:
Before we discuss the parking arrangements at Haydock, we think it’s only fair to give the entrance to the racecourse a mention. As you turn off Warrington Road, to go into the racecourse grounds, you are met by a very long, beautiful, tree-lined boulevard, which runs the full length of the racecourse, all the way down to the general admission area car park. It really does look stunning and leaves you in no doubt that Haydock really is a Premier League racecourse.
Free parking is both easy and plentiful. However, there is a strict ‘hierarchy of car parks’ at this venue. The parking closest and immediately adjacent to the main entrance is for owners & trainers only. The next car park is for racegoers who have booked hospitality facilities. Further on is the car park reserved for the Bookmakers, and then finally and furthest away from the entrance is the vast gravel car park for the normal racegoers. It’s around a 200 metre walk from the car park to the racecourse entrance. Entry and exit to and from the car park are both quick and easy. There are plenty of disabled parking spaces directly outside the main entrance. Rating: 9/10
Pricing: On the day of our visit, it was the “September Flat Raceday,” which was the first day of the three day Sprint Cup Celebration meetings. It was a seven-race card consisting of three Class 3 races and four Class 5 races. Tickets into the County Enclosure, which gives you access to all areas of the racecourse on the day, were priced at £27.00. However, if you booked online in advance, they could be had for £22.00 each and £19.80 each for a group booking of six or more people. Concession tickets were available on the day for £22.00. Under 18s get it free if accompanied by an adult.
There were a couple of upgrade options, starting with the Premier Lounge. For £50.00 a ticket, you get full access to the County Enclosure and also access to a dedicated area with views overlooking the racecourse, and the winning post. It has indoor seating (not guaranteed), a private bar, lounge seating, and a dedicated viewing balcony (standing room only).
If a full blown hospitality option takes your fancy, then look no further than “Harry’s Bistro.” For £185.00 you got a “VIP restaurant experience.” Situated on the second floor of the Centenary Stand, it has superb views across the racecourse and on the finishing post. You get admission, reserved parking, a glass of champagne on arrival, a dedicated table, and a four-course a la carte menu. Tea and coffee after your meal, a cashless bar and private betting facilities, and a racecard thrown in for good measure.
Both of the Racecourse Advisor reviewers who visited the course to do this review, have been fortunate enough to experience this hospitality area on a couple of occasions previously and we highly recommend it.
Racecard: The racecard offered very little other than the Timeform extracted runners and riders for each race. It was composed of 48 pages, and 22 of those were full advertisements/racecourse promotional material, which at 46% of the overall content is high. It did however have a layout map, which as always is very useful, and on checking back to our visit in 2022, it was also the same map that was in the race card then, and even the price was the same at £3. Here at Racecourse Advisor, we have talked at length on this site, about the long-term viability of the racecard and how going forward each course could possibly digitise the racecard and then be offered as a download. Our feedback from racecourses up and down the country suggests that the cost to produce a quality racecard far outweighs the benefits to the course.
As such, we were excited to be able to download the Haydock Park App before our visit, and on this, we noted that there is a racecard that shows the colours, form, and ratings but doesn’t allow you to drill down on each horse, and also the form comments are not included. The card only appears on the day of the race. The App does update after the race with the results, but we couldn’t see the finishing odds.
Screenshots – Haydock Racecourse App
There was also a fantastic interactive map feature that showed your actual position on the course, and by tapping the screen, you could see which facilities were nearby, and if you needed more information, you could tap on the facility on the screen. The App was intuitive and well laid out. We liked it, so well done the Jockey Club. We can see from the App Store that other Jockey Club courses also have this App available. Future improvements to the App may mean that the printed racecard has eventually had its day? The App can be downloaded from your respective App Store. Rating: 8/10.
Catering: Here at Racecourse Advisor, we enjoy doing “racecourse reviews” and not restaurant reviews. Nor do we pretend to be food critics. Our aim is to give you an overall idea of what is available regarding the culinary options and prices at the track on racedays.
There is no shortage of bars or catering facilities at Haydock Park, that is for sure. As the Chasers bar was closed, the first bar we went into was called the Sandon Bar/Lancaster Suite, and this is situated on the ground floor of the Centenary Stand.
The Sandon Bar/ Lancaster Suite – Haydock Racecourse
It is a very large, spacious area, carpeted with plenty of wooden tables and bar stools. The Lancaster Suite, which is adjacent to the bar area, is a large lounge area with leather sofas and chairs for relaxing on. Here they were serving draught Guinness, Staropramen, Madri, and Aspall Cyder for £7.20 a pint. A pint of Worthington was £6.75. House wines of red, white, and rose, all at £8.50 a glass or £28.50 a bottle. A bottle of Prosecco Brut will set you back £46.00, A good selection of spirits for £5.75 each (25ml), and various, soft drinks, mixers, and cordials for £2.60 to £3.00 depending on your choice.
We then ventured upstairs to the Horseshoe bar and suite. Once again, a very large, open, glass fronted area, with views overlooking the racecourse, and doors that take you out onto a viewing balcony and seating area.
The Horseshoe Bar - Haydock Racecourse
It's a modern, spacious area which was serving the same drinks as the Sandon bar, at the same prices. There are also plenty of other bars located in various parts of the racecourse, such as the Moet Chandon bar, that is a smart looking champagne bar that is situated down at the paddock area, just near the parade ring, or the Grandstand bar on the ground floor of the Grandstand itself, and the Wine bar.
The Moet Chandon & Grandstand Bars – Haydock Racecourse
As on the day of our visit, it was Thursday, the first day of the three day meeting, there were also a number of other bars, that were closed, such as the Makerfield Lawn bar, the Pimm’s Garden bar, and also Chasers bar.
Regarding the food outlets, once again, there is no shortage of them at Haydock. The first one we came across was an outlet called the Bakery, which is situated on the ground floor of the grandstand, next to the wine bar. Once again, like all of the outlets at Haydock, it was spacious, with a separate eating area, which had plenty of tables and chairs.
The Bakery Food Outlet and Bar Area – Haydock Racecourse
It was knocking out traditional fayre such as steak pie, peas, and gravy or a traditional sausage roll with beans and crispy potatoes for £7.95 each. A foot-long English sausage with onions for £6.75 and a selection of boxed sandwiches at £4.90 each. They all looked pretty tasty, to be honest, but we went for the pie, peas, and gravy, and to be honest, it was very tasty indeed. If you’re just looking for a quick snack, then this is the place to be.
We then visited Coole’s kitchen, which is another food outlet located on the first floor of the Centenary Stand. It’s a smart area with wooden floors and high tables and chairs.
Coole’s Kitchen - Haydock Racecourse
This outlet was serving up delights such as Buffalo chicken strips, lettuce, slaw, beef tomato, and sweet chilli jam on a brioche roll for £12.90. Or a foot long sausage, beer, and thyme onions, and apple sauce on a roll at £8.95. They were also serving up a couple of vegan options, such as a cheddar, macaroni burger with slaw, lettuce, and tomato in a brioche bun for £11.80. Or a sustainable vegan burger with the same trimmings for £12.40.
In addition to the above, there was only one street food/street truck vendor on site, which was open on the day of our visit, which was a little bit surprising, as we thought they would be more. It was the Burger Box, which was positioned at the back of the Grandstand, just to the right-hand side of the main entrance.
Street Food Burger Van – Haydock Racecourse
It was dishing up the modern day street food classics, such as a 6oz burger, with cheese, lettuce, bacon, onions, and sauce for £11.50. A cheeseburger, with chips for £10.00. Or a spiced chicken burger, with curried slaw and lettuce on a brioche bun for £11.50. There was also a vegan patty burger, with the same accompaniments for £11.00.
The other outside catering option was the outside coffee shop, very conveniently situated right next to the parade ring in the paddock area.
The Outside Coffee Shop – Haydock Racecourse
This was serving your standard tea and coffees, such as a flat white, for £4.00. A latte or cappuccino for £4.20. A hot chocolate was £4.50. An Americano for £3.50 and a cup of tea for a more than reasonable £2.75.
Overall, plenty of food and drink outlets on the course, but disappointingly, no fish & chip shop / food truck and surprisingly no ice cream van. In our opinion, the attendance of the crowd on the day was more than sufficent to warrant them. Rating: 9/10.
Guinness Standard: We knew it was going to happen. We just didn’t know when…
The Jockey Club, who own and operate 15 of the 60 UK-based racecourses, has decided to introduce biodegradable paper cups, in all of their bar areas, on all of their courses. We first saw this at Newbury last year. We didn’t like it then, and we still don’t like it now. Yes, we get it. We do genuinely understand that the planet has to be saved and that becoming carbon neutral and reaching Net Zero are genuine and honourable goals. We also know that when biodegradable paper cups are used for serving alcohol, the taste is not good. Not good at all. After discussing this topic with a number of racegoers at various bars, we also know we are not the only ones with this opinion.
However, it is what it is. We did partake in a pint of the black stuff, and due to the paper cup situation, we just didn’t enjoy it. It was £7.20 a pint, that’s a +20% price increase from our visit less than two years ago. Last time we rated it a 9/10. Unfortunately, not on this occasion. Rating: 7/10.
Viewing: There are five viewing enclosures at Haydock Racecourse, which are: the Tommy Whittle stand, the Centenary stand, the Grandstand, the Makerfield Stand, and the Be Friendly stand.
The Viewing Enclosures – Haydock Racecourse
The good news being, regardless of where you are standing or sitting at Haydock, the viewing experience really is first class. The horses when in running can be seen 100% of the time. All of the stands, with the exception of the Be Friendly stand, have seating. They also all have coverage; however, this is limited, and those standing or seated nearest to the racecourse have no protection and are open to the elements.
The Tommy Whittle Stand (top & bottom right) & The Lawned Area (bottom) – Haydock Racecourse
The largest and main viewing area on the racecourse is the Tommy Whittle stand. It is a large, imposing enclosure over four floors, bang in line with the winning post. On the ground floor, it has plenty of fold up plastic seating and excellent views. At the very top of this floor, there is a viewing balcony that immediately backs on to the main bar areas via some glass doors.
Another nice feature, and one that helps make the racecourse very picturesque, is that there is a vast lawned area between the running rail and the concourse that runs the full length of all the stands. On here are 75 wooden picnic tables and benches (yes, we counted them) that give additional seating and great views of the racecourse, immediately in front of the running rail. There is also a portable large TV screen situated around half a furlong from the finishing post.
Overall, the viewing experience is excellent, and you will be hard pressed to beat it at any other racecourse we know of. Rating: 10/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: Here at Racecourse Advisor, we do like a nice parade ring, and the parade ring at Haydock really is gorgeous. It is large in size, turfed, with numerous large trees both inside and outside of the ring, and troughs of colourful flowers on the floor adding to the scenery. It is railed off, with a Hornbeam hedge running all the way around the perimeter. There is no pre-parade ring at Haydock, but there is a stables area at the back end.
The Parade Ring - Haydock Racecourse
The only slight downside being, that access is only available around circa 65% of the ring. This is due to the jockeys/weighing room and an owners and trainers facility being directly positioned on the right-hand side. However, due to its overall size, this really isn’t a problem.
Another huge positive is the viewing. Apart from being able to stand around the running rail directly next to the ring, there are also a number of raised viewing platforms. There is also an accessible viewing platform for wheelchair users situated on the right-hand side.
The Parade Ring Raised Viewing Areas (side & front) & the Accessible Viewing Area in the Parade Ring - Haydock Racecourse
The winners enclosure is situated inside the parade ring, at the front. Yet again, the viewing is superb, and you can get close up and personal to the horses, jockeys, and connections. This area of the racecourse really is top class. Rating: 10/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The main site for the on-course bookmakers is on the concourse/apron in front of the Tommy Whittle stand; however, there are also bookmakers in front of the Grandstand and the Makerfield stand, and there were plenty in attendance on the day of our visit
On Course Bookmakers - Haydock Racecourse
There are also three bookmakers pitched directly at the side of the parade ring. So if something takes your eye while parading, you can have a quick flutter. Something we had not seen before was the bookmakers, who had stands directly in front of the racecourse, dropped their odds boards as the races commenced to allow better viewing for the racegoers in the stands. Nice touch we thought. There is also a large William Hill concession at the back of the paddock area, on the way to the parade ring. This, together with Tote outlets literally everywhere you turn on the course, getting a bet on and getting paid out is no problem whatsoever. Rating 9/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: The staff at Haydock are excellent. Everyone we met, from the main gate to the bar staff, was friendly, chatty and helpful. It is a very friendly racecourse and has a relaxed, but organised vibe about it. We also spotted a number of litter pickers on duty during the day, and we have to say the racecourse was spotless. Rating: 9/10.
Pros & Cons: Overall, Haydock is a genuinely, top class racecourse. The entrance area/road is stunning, it is well laid out, it is organised, very picturesque, and delivers a fantastic days racing. The pros are many, decent pricing, free parking, good catering, excellent viewing and an exquisite parade ring area. The only negative on the day for us, was the biodegradable paper cups in the bar area. But as we stated previously, that is, what it is, and if that is the biggest problem we encounter at any racecourse we visit, we will consider ourselves very lucky people. As always, we ask ourselves the big question: would we return? The answer to that is very easy indeed. Yes, we would, without a moment’s hesitation. You will have to go a very long way to find a better, or more enjoyable days racing. If you haven’t been to Haydock Racecourse and are thinking about it, then just do it. You won’t regret it; of that we can be pretty much sure. Rating: 9/10
VIP Watch: No VIPs were present on the day of our visit. However, we did get the heads up that the big cheese Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was visiting the racecourse on Saturday to watch his two horses in the Sprint Cup. Which he duly did.
Wi-Fi / Internet Connection: Internet access via the Jockey Club App is quick and simple. No issues on the day of our visit.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 8.9/10
The full day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2024-09-05/haydock/106968
Facilities & location layout of Haydock Racecourse: (image acknowledged & credited to The Jockey Club Ltd.)
Aerial View of Haydock Racecourse
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