Hereford Racecourse
Date of Review: 27th November 2024
RCA Reviewers: The Doctor & Mr Shrewdy
Address: Hereford Racecourse, Roman Road, Hereford, HR4 9QU.
Website: https://www.hereford-racecourse.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HerefordRaces/
X: https://x.com/HerefordRaces
Email: info@hereford-racecourse.co.uk
Phone: 01432 273560
Accommodation: https://www.booking.com/city/gb/hereford.en-gb.html
Track Layout: (Image acknowledged & credited to Timeform & At The Races)
Course Information: Hereford Racecourse is a right-handed, jumps course with a circumference of approximately a mile and a half, and has a few undulations. It is almost square in shape and has nine fences per circuit, with two open ditches and one water jump. Due to the shape of the track, the bends are relatively easy to handle, with the exception of the bend coming into the home straight, where the running starts to go downhill to the finishing post. Races here tend to be run at a pace, so front runners are preferred. However, during the winter, the ground can become very testing, and stamina very much comes into play.
The racing season at Hereford runs from October to April and holds 15 meetings per year.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Hereford Racecourse:
Course History: Situated in the Cathedral City of Hereford, the racecourse is 16 miles from the Welsh border around twenty-four miles south of Worcester and within walking distance of the city centre.
Location Map - Hereford Racecourse
Horse racing in the area dates back to circa 1732. The first-ever race meeting to take place on the current course was in 1771, with the first hurdle race being run in 1840. It hosted a Royal Plate in 1857, won by a horse named Fisherman. Racing was stopped during both World Wars, but a famous meeting took place in March 1940, when there were 190 entries.
In 1975, Hereford held a famous meeting with 219 runners over 14 races on one day to accommodate a previously postponed fixture. In 2012, the racecourse closed its doors for four years when the owners, Arena Racing Company Ltd, failed to agree on the leasing arrangements with the local council. Eventually, the issues were resolved, and the course was reopened in 2016.
While Hereford doesn’t host any major races, it is a popular course for trainers located in the West Country and Lambourn areas, who often send their horses as part of their racing education. Cheltenham Festival and Aintree winners such as Star de Mohaison, State of Play, and Mighty Man all won races here as novices early in their careers.
The course is also noted for some memorable firsts, which include the champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who saddled his very first winner here as a trainer with a horse called Olveston in 1991. In 1994, the four-time champion jockey and two-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Richard Johnson rode his first-ever winner aboard Rusty Bridge at Hereford in a Hunters’ Chase race.
Course Access:
By Road: The racecourse is approximately two miles from the city centre, off the A49 Leominster Road. However, signage of any description pointing you in the direction of the racecourse is totally non-existent. Therefore, Keep your eye out for the well-known Starting Gate roundabout and the Beefeater pub, which is approximately 400 yards from the racecourse entrance. The sat-nav postcode to use is HR4 9QU. The closest motorway is the M50, with the course being around a 30-minute drive from either junction 2 or 3.
By Rail: The nearest train station is Hereford (Great Western Railway Line), which is around two miles away, so a short taxi ride or a brisk walk away. The station has connections to major cities such as London (Paddington Station) and Birmingham (New Street Station).
By Air: The nearest airports to Hereford Racecourse are Bristol (BRS) 48 miles. Birmingham (BHX) 50 miles. East Midlands (EMA) 70 miles and Liverpool (LPL) 87 miles. Helicopters may land at the racecourse with prior permission from racecourse management. Please call 01432 273 560 for more information. Rating: 7/10
Parking: Free parking is available on a very large field, which is a short walk to the main entrance. On the day of our visit, it had been raining heavily, and to say the ground was soggy is an understatement. The stewards were directing cars to the highest point of the field to ensure the firmest ground. Any further rain and anyone not in a 4x4 vehicle could have had a few problems. The pathways next to the field, which take you to the entrance, are also seriously potholed. It is also worth noting that there is only one entry/exit to the car park and the queue to leave the racecourse after the last race is not inconsiderable. Rating: 8/10.
Pricing: On the day of our visit, it was the Richard Clayton Charity race day, which consisted of a seven-race card of three Class 4 races and four Class 5 races, so a low-level racing fixture. Entrance on the day was £22.00 each. A £5.00 concession was available on the day for those aged over 60 or under 18. However, if booked online in advance, tickets could be had for £17.00 each. If a group of 10+ people booked online in advance, then tickets could be had for £14.00 each.
There was also an “a Day at the Races” offer for £22.00, which was an entrance ticket, a racecard, and a welcome drink of beer, wine, or a soft drink. This was required to be booked in advance also. We checked three weeks before the fixture, and this option was already sold out. So either it is extremely popular or there is very limited availability.
A couple of hospitality upgrades were also available: for £59.00 there was a “Blitzen’s Brunch,” which included an entrance ticket, a racecard, a glass of Prosecco on arrival, and a full English buffet, along with complimentary tea and coffee. This was located in a heated marquee next to Snaffles restaurant, which is on the second floor of the Premier Stand, which is where the owners and trainers facilities are also located.
Snaffles Restaurant itself had a package for £69.00, which brings admission, a racecard, a two-course meal on a reserved table, and private betting facilities.
Racecard: The racecard for the day yet again failed to represent good value for money. The cost was £3.50, which initially looked like an attractive price, but for the 48 pages, you got very little on top of the 27 full pages of advertisements, and this equates to 56% of the racecard and is one of the highest ratios for paid content that we have come across.
There was a 3-page section explaining the charity day, which was an interesting read and well supported by the local farming community, so hats off to that. But apart from the obligatory introduction from the General Manager and a one-page layout map, which is always useful, there was nothing of extra interest. Does it take too much to ask for someone to put something extra in the racecard? Maybe the history of the course, famous races, stories of jockeys in the past.
If we did return, would we buy another card of this standard? No. However, the course did have a couple of signs promoting access to a free online version of the racecard, which we suggest you should use. Rating: 6/10.
Catering:
Here at Racecourse Advisor, we enjoy doing “racecourse reviews” rather than restaurant reviews. We do not pretend to be food critics. We aim to give you an overall idea of what culinary options and prices are available at the track on race days.
Unfortunately, we have to report that on the day of our visit, the catering facilities at Hereford Racecourse were poor—very poor. They were the worst we have encountered at any racecourse, and we have visited a few.
There is one main bar area on the course, the Hummingbird Bar. It is located in the grandstand enclosure on the ground floor. On the day of our visit, it was packed! It’s a large area, with the bar running almost the room's full length. On the other side of the bar are tables and chairs, which did appear to be at a premium. In here a William Hill betting concession at one end, and the toilets at the other.
The Hummingbird Bar – Hereford Racecourse
The reason for its popularity is that it has superb views that overlook the racecourse, and you can walk out into the stand itself to watch the races outside. A pint of Carlsberg was costing £6.30. Hobgoblin IPA £6.60, with Kronenbourg 1664, Somersby Apple, or Blackberry cider £6.90. Guinness is £7.20 a pint. However, as at all ARC racecourses, they charge you £0.50p for a reusable/replaceable plastic cup on your first pint. So if you have only one pint, then those prices are expensive for a provincial racecourse.
They had a few non-alcoholic options of Erdinger Larger, Koppaberg, and a Shipyard Low Tide for £5.20 a pint, but don’t forget the £0.50 ARC Ltd. “cup tax”. House wine of red, white, or rose is £7.00 a can or £27.00 a bottle. A glass of Prosecco (200ml) was £11.00. All spirits (24ml) were £4.95 a shot.
As we have said, this bar was very busy, with pretty long queues to be served. So our advice is to nip down to the only other bar on the course at the very bottom of the Grandstand enclosure, called The Major. It’s a small outside bar area, fenced off, and at the side of the chute where the horses walk down after leaving the parade ring to go down to the course. It sells the same drinks at the same prices as the Hummingbird Bar and the service is quick
The Major Bar – Hereford Racecourse
The main on-course food outlet is a “Piglets Pies” concession that is located next to the jockey's weighing room and behind the winner's enclosure
The Piglets Pies Catering Concession – Hereford Racecourse
It had a menu of steak & ale, chicken, gammon & leek, and broccoli, cauliflower & cheese pies at £5.00 each. No peas, no gravy, nothing else at all to go with the pies. It also had sausage rolls at £4.50 each and a small selection of packet sandwiches, and apart from a couple of cakes and a chocolate bar, that was it.
On one side of the counter, they were also serving cups of tea for £2.00, a cappuccino or a latte at £2.80, and a hot chocolate for £3.00. It also had a strange way of serving. We ordered two pies and two coffees. The pies were handed to us immediately, but we then had to join another large queue for the coffee that was dispensed from a (slow) machine. By the time we had got the coffee, the pies were almost cold! The outlet is relatively small in size, with only a handful of tables and chairs, so there was nowhere to sit to eat and drink.
The only other food outlet on the racecourse was a burger van. The Handmade Burger Co. was knocking out 6-ounce beef burgers with onions, lettuce, tomato, and pickled gherkins with ketchup, mustard, and burger sauce in a brioche bun for £9.99 a pop. Add cheese or bacon and the price becomes £10.49, add them both and it’s £10.99. You could “make it a meal” with a side of chips for an additional £3.99.
Due to the acute shortage of catering outlets on the racecourse, they were selling them faster than they could make them. There was a queue of people around twenty deep when we took a look, which meant at least a twenty-minute wait if you were lucky.
We just cannot work out why there weren’t any other food vendors on-site. A traditional fish & chip van, or even a vendor selling tea, coffee, and cakes. They would have absolutely cleaned up! Our advice is to make sure you have a decent feed before you venture out to Hereford Racecourse or take a packed lunch. If you don’t, then the chances are you are going home hungry!
In our opinion, this extremely poor level of catering is unacceptable. Hereford Racecourse/ARC Ltd. is taking racegoers, who are paying customers, let’s not forget, for granted and treating them with contempt. It really does smack of a “take it or leave it; we can’t be bothered” attitude. Meanwhile, the good and the great of British horse racing are sitting in boardrooms scratching their heads and wondering why attendances at racecourses up and down the country continue to fall... Rating: 3/10.
Guinness Standard: Draught Guinness was available at both bars for £7.20 a pint. However, after the ARC Ltd. £0.50p “cup tax” is applied, it is £7.70. This is at the top end of the pricing scale, relative to numerous other racecourses we have visited. That said, it was more than a decent pint. Well chilled, smooth and creamy with a good head. Rating: 7/10.
Viewing: There are three viewing enclosures at Hereford; however, only two are in use.
The Viewing Stands – Hereford Racecourse: The Premier Stand (top left). The Grandstand (top right). The Derelict Stand (Bottom Left). The Overall Viewing Experience (Bottom Right)
There is the Premier stand, which, as stated previously, houses Snaffles Restaurant and the owners and trainers on the second floor and has an open-air balcony, where we can only imagine the view must be stunning. However, the concrete terraced ground floor stand is open to the general public. The view from here is OK; however, it is located on the half-furlong post, so it is nowhere near the winning post.
The main and by far the most popular viewing area is the Grandstand. The view of the horses when racing from this vantage point, is a bit of a mixed bag. It is a large stand located just before the winning post, but not in line with it. It has around ten large concrete terraced steps that lead up to the entrance of the Hummingbird Bar at the back of the stand. There is no seating whatsoever. There is a good amount of cover from the elements should it be needed. The overall view is obstructed by two things: The first is several large metal stanchions, and the second is the judges' viewing box, which is located on the winning post and effectively takes out the view of the whole right-handed corner. It really is a bit of a monstrosity. If it was located on the other side of the track, then the viewing experience for the racegoers would be significantly improved.
The overall view is obstructed by two things: The first is several large metal stanchions, and the second is the judges' viewing box, which is located on the winning post and effectively takes out the view of the whole right-handed corner. It really is a bit of a monstrosity. If it was located on the other side of the track, then the viewing experience for the racegoers would be significantly improved.
The Judges Viewing Box – Hereford Racecourse
That said, the horses can be seen for the majority of the time when racing. As the racecourse is effectively in the shape of a square and not the common oval shape, the horses when travelling down the back straight are pretty far away. However, they are in view.
The third stand is the closed-off and unused stand. It is located in an excellent position just after the winning post and on the right-hand turn where the horses negotiate a fence. Probably the best view of all the stands. However, it is closed off, and it just sits there empty, derelict, and a huge eyesore, which just adds to the overall tired, run-down feeling of the racecourse.
There is a large TV screen located just before the winning post, and on a clear day, you can see Hereford Cathedral in the background. Rating: 8/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: It is large in size and the racecourse's focal point. It is located directly behind the main grandstand. The jockey's weighing room is at the very far end. If you view the ring from the other end nearest the entrance, you can’t help but notice that it is on a huge slope. We estimate there is around a 6-foot drop from one side of the parade ring to the other.
Parade Ring & Winners Enclosure – Hereford Racecourse
The good news is that it can be accessed all the way around, which we like. However, there is no seating or raised viewing platforms. The winners' enclosure, which is outside of the parade ring, is square in shape and adjacent to the weighing room. There is good access around three sides of the enclosure
Pre-Parade Ring – Hereford Racecourse
To the right of the parade ring is the pre-parade ring. This again is a good size, and the viewing is excellent. Rating: 9/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The on-course bookmakers are positioned on a concourse directly in front of the main grandstand, close to the running rail of the course.
On-Course Bookmakers – Hereford Racecourse
On the day of our visit, there were only seven bookmakers on the main pitch and one further bookmaker located near the Premier stand. This is the smallest number of bookmakers we have ever seen at any racecourse we have visited.
As there was more than decent attendance on the day, racegoers were at times literally queuing up to place a bet. There is also a William Hill concession inside the Hummingbird bar and a number of Tote concessions in various locations across the racecourse. Rating: 7/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: We didn’t see many course staff, but the ones we did see were very helpful and chatty. Particularly in the car park area. Rating: 9/10.
Pros & Cons: Unfortunately, not many pros and several cons. The free car parking is good, but be aware if there has been heavy rain before you visit, as you may encounter problems if you do not have a 4x4 vehicle. The viewing is good. and the parade ring is good. However, how a racecourse can get it so badly wrong on the catering front is beyond us. To charge £22 on the day for entrance to watch low-grade racing and not provide suitable food and drink facilities is unacceptable. Regarding the race card, our advice is to keep your £3.50 in your pocket unless you like reading pages of advertisements for fun and entertainment. Having only eight on-course bookmakers in attendance on the day simply wasn’t enough.
As always, after a visit to a racecourse, the question we ask ourselves is, would we return? The answer for Hereford Racecourse is an emphatic no. It’s a tired run-down course that needs a lot of improvement, and the people who own and run the course also need to be invested in it. In our opinion, they are not, and it most certainly shows. Rating: 6/10.
VIP Watch: No VIPs of any note were seen on the day.
Wi-Fi / Internet Connection: We had no problem getting online via the SKY App, and it worked fine.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 7/10.
The full day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2024-11-27/hereford/108671
Facilities & Location Map of Hereford Racecourse (Image credited & acknowledged to ARC Ltd.)
Aerial View of Hereford Racecourse (Image acknowledged to ARC Ltd.)
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