Huntingdon
Date of Review: 8th October 2024
RCA Reviewers: Mr Shrewdy & The Doctor
Address: Thrapston Rd, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE28 4NL
Website: https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/huntingdon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntingdonracecourse1/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/huntingdon_race
Phone: 01480 453373
Email: huntingdonenquiries@thejockeyclub.co.uk
Hotel Accommodation: https://www.booking.com/landmark/gb/huntingdon-racecourse.en-gb.html
Track Layout: (Image acknowledged & credited to Timeform / At The Races)
Course Information: Huntingdon Racecourse is a jumps-only, oval-shaped, right-handed turf track with wide, easy bends, and long straights. It is approximately one and a half miles in circumference. It is a flat, speedy track, with very few undulations, which provides a true test of speed rather than stamina and tends to suit horses that are quick and economical over obstacles.
Each circuit consists of nine fences, some of them a tad tricky; two of these are open ditches and the water jump was filled in 2008 and replaced by astroturf. Due to the course characteristics, it is widely considered to be a good place for novice jumpers to begin their careers. It attracts a lot of good horses due to being close to the HQ of British horseracing: Newmarket, where trainers send some of their classier horses off the flat to try their luck over the jumps.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Stratford Racecourse: Huntingdon Racecourse is located approximately 3 miles away from the historic market town of Huntingdon, the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell in 1599. It is around 24 miles from Cambridge and 21 miles from Peterborough in Cambridgeshire.
Location Map – Huntingdon Racecourse
The earliest record of horse racing in this area dates back to 1602, at Sapley, a village some four miles away from the current racecourse. Racing was then transferred to Port Holme in 1773. It was in 1886, that racing was moved to the current location in Brampton, with the first steeplechase meeting taking place on Easter Monday. In 1920, the racecourse was part of the Huntingdon Steeplechase Group. In 1953 the first grandstand was built that still stands on the course today. It was in 1974 that the course was acquired by the Jockey Club, who are the current owners.
The feature race here is the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase, which is run over two and a half miles on the first Sunday in December. Some of the most famous names in National Hunt racing have taken part in this race, including Desert Orchid, Best Mate, Remittance Man, Dublin Flyer, One Man, Edredon Bleu, and Monet’s Garden, to name but a few.
Huntingdon Racecourse holds 19 Jumps meetings a year, which are scheduled between October and May.
Course Access:
By Road: Huntingdon Racecourse is situated half a mile from the A14 Junction 22. It is exceptionally well-signed. The A14 links with the A1, M1, M11, and M6. This allows for easy access from the North and South, along with the West Midlands and East Coast. The racecourse is 20 miles to the northwest of Cambridge with easy access along the A14, and 22 miles south of Peterborough via the M1.
By Rail: The nearest railway station to the racecourse is Huntingdon, which is approximately two and a half miles from the racecourse. It is on the East Coast Main Line, with services every half hour to London, Kings Cross, and Peterborough. On race days, a complimentary courtesy car service is in operation between the racecourse and the station. The pick-up and drop-off point is located at the taxi collection point. This service runs for two hours before the first race and for half an hour on either side of the last race.
By Air: The nearest airport to Huntingdon is Cambridge (CBG), which is 17.7 miles away. Other nearby airports include London Luton (LTN) (32.4 miles), London Stansted (STN) (36.1 miles), London Heathrow (LHR) (60.9 miles), and London Gatwick (LGW) (81.6 miles). Private helicopters can land in the centre of the racecourse by prior arrangement. Call the Racecourse Office on +44 (0)1480 453373. Rating: 10/10
Parking: Plenty of free car parking is available at the racecourse on a large grassy field that is situated close to the main entrance. Rating: 10/10.
Pricing: We attended an afternoon jumps meeting with a seven-race card, which consisted of three Class 4 races, and four Class 5 races. The tickets to the Main Enclosure, which enable full access to all parts of the racecourse, including the parade ring and winning post, were £18.00, on the day. If booked online, in advance, they were £13.00. A group discount of six or more people booking is offered at £11.70 a ticket. Children under the age of 17 go free if accompanied by an adult. Concessions to students and OAPs are available at the gate, on the day of £5.00. In our opinion, is very good value for money.
There were two hospitality upgrades on offer on the day, being. “The Classic Private Hospitality Experience.” For £129.00 (minimum booking of 10 people), you get a glass of sparkling wine on arrival. A two-course finger/fork buffet with tea and coffee after the meal. Admission ticket into the Premier Enclosure and the hospitality facility, and a racecard thrown in also.
The next level up is the “Premier Private Hospitality Experience.” At £146.00 (minimum booking of 10 people), you can live it up with a glass of champagne on arrival, a sit-down, three-course meal, afternoon tea, and a racecard. Again, an admission ticket into the Premier enclosure and hospitality facility is included.
Racecard: The racecard was only £3.00, which reflects that it only had 28 pages of print and 6 full pages of advertisements. However, it did include the most bizarre 2-page map of the facilities that you may ever come across… as 70% plus of the 2 pages, was plain black blank space, whilst on the same page the white text was such a small font size that made it nearly unreadable. We had downloaded the Jockey Club App for Huntingdon before our visit and searched high and low through the racecard to see if it was promoted and amazingly it wasn’t.
Racecard Location Map - Huntingdon Racecourse
We were fortunate enough to see a couple of staff hastily putting up posters advertising the App, and we did ask why that App wasn’t promoted in the racecard, as we do see the App as a cost-effective and efficient way of replacing all too frequently commented on ‘’expensive'' printed racecards. They did tell us that the control of content wasn’t down to each individual racecourse, and they were printed centrally. The amount of important and valuable customer feedback and information the App could give back to each course is tremendous, but only if they get the uptake.
A top tip from Racecourse Advisor… Keep your £3.00, in your pocket and use the App. Rating: 9/10.
Catering: Here at Racecourse Advisor, we enjoy doing “racecourse reviews” and not restaurant reviews. Nor do we pretend to be food critics. We aim to give you an overall idea of what is available regarding the culinary options and prices at the track on racedays.
Overall, the standard of catering at Huntingdon, in our opinion, is good. The first bar we selected was Gurneys Bar, which is very conveniently positioned overlooking the parade ring.
Gurneys Bar – Huntingdon Racecourse
It is a smallish-sized bar serving both hot and cold drinks. Airy and light, with wooden high tables and bar stools, with a tiled floor. It was in the main, serving bottled and canned drinks.
The beers were mainly bottled and canned, such as Guinness (440ml) for £7.00 and 330ml bottles of Aspall’s Suffolk cider for £5.00. Madri lager at £6.50, Sharps Atlantic pale ale, and Sharps Doom Bar at £6.75 (500ml). Staropramen £6.50 (330ml). It was good to see a few non-alcoholic options, such as Guinness Zero for £5.20, Sharps Doom Bar Zero for £5.00, and Staropramen 0.0% also for £5.00.
Various white wines were priced between £6.50 and £8.00 per glass and the red wines between £6.50 and £9.00 per glass. If you like the fizzy stuff, then the cheapest bottle of Champagne was £79.00, and the most expensive was the Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut at 100.00. The fake fizz of Prosecco would set you back £45.00 a bottle. A range of spirits was priced at £5.20 per shot (25ml).
It was also serving a Café Nero range of drinks, such as Cappuccino, Americano, and a Café Latte for £3.75 (small) and £3.95 (large). Tea was £3.20 and hot chocolate was £3.80. Along with these was a range of packet sandwiches, such as Ham Hock & Egg £5.20. A cheddar cheese ploughman’s for £4.15. Tuna & sweetcorn £4.50 and a chicken & chorizo for £5.50. A couple of vegetarian options were also available, with a veggie New Yorker being £4.70 and a vegetable & houmous tortilla wrap at £4.95.
The next foodie place we encountered was Lentons Bar. Located on the ground floor at the back of the Goodliff Stand. Very similar inside to Gurneys bar, but with proper tables and chairs, from which you can eat your food.
Lentons Bar & Food – Huntingdon Racecourse
It was selling the same drinks as at Gurneys Bar and a selection of traditional snacks, such as a Cornish pasty, for £7.00. A homemade sausage roll for £6.00 and a vegetarian pasty for £6.50. It was selling a selection of different teas for £3.15 per cup, and a selection of coffees for £3.30, and a cup of hot chocolate for £3.20.
There wasn’t that much going on in this bar, so we made a quick exit and headed over to the Hurdles Bar & Bistro. Hurdles Bar & Bistro, situated on the ground floor of the main grandstand, is the main restaurant on the racecourse. Once again, it is a very large and spacious area, spotlessly clean, with plenty of tables and chairs.
The Hurdle Bar & Bistro – Huntingdon Racecourse
It’s a bistro-type operation serving up hearty portions of roast pork loin with all of the trimmings, such as Yorkshire pudding, rosemary & garlic roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips, cauliflower cheese, and gravy, for £13.50 a serving, which, in our opinion, isn’t too unreasonable. As a vegetarian option, there was butternut squash and mixed bean pie for £12.00, We didn’t sample the fayre on offer, but plenty of other people did, and to be fair, it looked pretty tempting.
The other food option available on the day of our visit was an outlet at the back of the stands serving up traditional hog roast sandwiches and Cornish pasties.
The Hog Roast & Coffee Outlets – Huntingdon Racecourse
As one of the Racecourse Advisor reviewers in attendance is a self-appointed hog roast/pulled pork connoisseur, we decided to give them a go, and we are glad we did. None of your “soft, sweet brioche bun” nonsense here. Oh no… For £8.00 each, you were served up, proper bread buns, loaded with lashings of apple sauce, stuffing, pulled pork, and crackling. What more could a hungry racegoer want, we ask? And they were good. Very good! They were also serving up traditional Cornish pasties for £7.00 each, which looked huge!
The other catering outlet was a small coffee shop, opposite Gurneys Bar, providing a selection of coffees such as cappuccino, Americano, Mocha, flat white, and hot chocolate for £3.50 each. An espresso was £2.50, and a cup of tea was £2.80. They also had a selection of cakes for £3.00 each.
The other bar on the course that’s worth mentioning is the Favourites Bar, which is handily located adjacent to the parade ring.
Favourites Bar - Huntingdon Racecourse
A very smart-looking bar, with a small patio area outside. It had high tables, bar stools, and a tiled floor. However, it was deserted. The doors were open, but no one was inside, no staff, no racegoers, nothing, so we were not sure if it was open for business at all. However, due to its location, if you do visit the racecourse, then it's worth popping your head in and having a look around. Overall, a good selection of bars and food outlets serving up decent grub at decent prices. Rating: 7/10.
Guinness Standard: Unfortunately, we have to report that Draft Guinness is no longer served at Huntingdon Racecourse. For some reason, they have decided to go with the Guinness “surge” cans instead. A 440ml can is £7.00. We did try it and, to be honest, we were not impressed. It was OK, but a pale imitation of the real thing. The only upside is that it was served in a plastic pint pot and not a paper one, but for how long? Canned Guinness in a paper cup on a racecourse, why would you bother? And this is on a racecourse that, not so long ago, had a dedicated “Dublin Flyer” Guinness Bar located at the front of the Cromwell Stand. Unfortunately, it is now a boarded-up eyesore. Rating: 4/10.
Viewing: The overall viewing experience at Huntingdon Racecourse, is, in our opinion, something of a mixed bag.
The Viewing Enclosures – Huntingdon Racecourse (Left to Right: The Cromwell Stand. The Goodliff Stand & The Grandstand
There are three stands on the racecourse. The most modern stand is the Cromwell Stand, which houses the owner's and trainers' section and the private boxes with a dedicated roof-top terrace viewing area. This stand offers the best viewing experience of the winning post; however, the horses are in view for only around 70% of the race. You lose sight of them as they come off the first bend past the winning post and go past a private fishing lake surrounded by fast-growing Willow trees. However, from this vantage point, you see the horses run past the winning post, not after.
The viewing platform is around 15 rows of concrete steps/terracing, with no barriers, and like both of the other stands, it has no seating area whatsoever. It does have cover, but only if you are standing at the back of the stand. From the middle section onwards, you are completely exposed to the elements.
Viewing from the Goodliff Stand is very similar. However, the view of the horses approaching the first bend past the winning post is obstructed by the side of the Grandstand, situated to its left. From here, you see only around 60% of the horses in racing.
The best overall view of the racing is achieved from being in the third stand, which is the Grandstand. The experience is very similar to the two other stands. However, if you are watching the race from this vantage point, you are way past the finishing post, which isn’t good.
There is a large TV screen that is positioned centrally to the Goodliff stand, close to the winning post.
TV Screen – Huntingdon Racecourse
In front of the Cromwell and Goodliff stands is a large, well-kept grassed area with plenty of wooden, picnic-style benches that offer a close-up view of the racecourse. Rating: 7/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: The parade ring is located behind the stands, close to the main entrance. It is a little bit unique, as it is not the standard oval-shaped ring but has a small chicane-like path down the front side, which makes it a little bit more interesting
The Parade Ring & Winners Enclosure – Huntingdon Racecourse
It is of a decent size, turfed, and there is access to around 80% of the perimeter due to the saddling enclosure being positioned down one side. The winner's enclosure is located within the parade ring, positioned at the front on a tarmacked area. The viewing is good. It has a raised, wooden, stepped viewing area, directly in front of the winner's enclosure. It also has a large TV screen at the back of the ring, where the horses enter. Rating: 9/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The on-course bookmakers are situated on a large open concourse between the racecourse and the stands.
On Course Bookmakers – Huntingdon Racecourse
On the day of our visit, 17 bookies were plying their trade. There is also a large William Hill concession on the course, in front of the parade ring. This, together with the numerous Tote outlets that seem to be everywhere, means placing a bet and picking up your winnings is no problem at all. Rating: 10/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: All of the course staff we came across were friendly and helpful and there were plenty of them. Rating: 9/10.
Pros & Cons: Huntingdon is a compact, well-laid out, well-maintained racecourse. You don’t have to walk far to get to wherever you want to go at any time. The free parking was plentiful. The pricing was VFM (Value For Money) and there are plenty of bars. While the food on offer was good and well-priced, the options were somewhat limited, relative to other similar-sized racecourses we have visited on our travels. For us, the Guinness was a disappointment, as was the overall viewing experience. Also, the racecard definitely needs to be improved.
As always, the big question for us is, would we return? The honest answer is that we wouldn’t rush back. It was an enjoyable day of racing, but we felt the overall atmosphere on the day was flat, for some unknown reason, it is difficult for us to pinpoint exactly why. Maybe it was the first fixture of the season and things were just starting to gear up. Rating: 7/10.
VIP Watch: No VIPs were present on the day of our visit.
Wi-Fi / Internet Connection: We had no problem getting online via the free Jockey Club App.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 7.3/10
The full day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2024-10-08/huntingdon/107659
Facilities & location layout of Huntingdon Racecourse: (image acknowledged & credited to the Jockey Club Ltd.)
Aerial View of Huntingdon Racecourse: (image acknowledged & credited to Google Earth)
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