Stratford-on-Avon
Date of Review: 27th August 2024
RCA Reviewers: Mr Shrewdy & The Doctor
Address: Luddington Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 9SE
Website: https://stratfordracecourse.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stratford.racecourse/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/stratfordraces
Phone: 01789 267949 Hotel Accommodation: https://uk.hotels.com/de1768861/hotels-near-stratford-racecourse-stratford-upon-avon-united-kingdom/
Track Layout: (image (acknowledged & credited to: Timeform / At The Races)
Course Information: Stratford-on-Avon, which is more commonly known as just Stratford, is in the shape of a pointed triangle. It is a left-handed, turf course of around 1 mile 2 furlongs in circumference. It is mainly flat with some undulations in the back straight. It is a sharp track where the turns coming out of the home and back straights are almost 90 degrees. The bend approaching the home straight being the most forgiving.
The steeplechase course, which is on the outer perimeter, has eight flights, which include six plain fences, an open ditch, and a water jump, which, strangely enough, has no water in it, and is omitted on the final circuit. The hurdles course, which is on the inner and therefore tighter, has five flights per circuit, two in the home straight, and a short run in of around 1 furlong to the winning post after the last hurdle has been negotiated. While the fences themselves are not too difficult, the course does see a higher than average number of fallers, which is mainly due to the majority of the races being run at a fast pace.
Due to the characteristics of the course, it is very much known as a speed track, where horses often win from the front. For this reason, horses who like to race prominently and can jump quickly and accurately are favoured. With the course having a relatively long bend into the short home straight, hold-up horses have a difficult task. With the importance on speed and usually having good conditions, as the majority of the meetings are held in the summer, jockeys regularly go for home earlier than usual.
Stratford Racecourse has a rich history dating back to 1718, when racing took place on Shottery Meadow, near Stratford-on-Avon. The racecourse on the site it is today, was established in 1755 and continued under the auspices of Stratford & Warwickshire Hunt Races until 1914 and the beginning of WW1. In 1922, the Stratford Race Company was formed, and it owns and runs the racecourse to this very day.
Continuous investment and improvements have been made to the course and its facilities over the years. A modern restaurant block was constructed in 1965, and in 1969, two fields adjoining the course were incorporated as they had been in the original course design, allowing the circuit to be made larger and the bends easier. A new glass-fronted grandstand was opened in 1997. Nowadays, the racecourse hosts around 17 jumps meetings per year, which are held between March and October. However, the racecourse is prone to flooding on a regular basis. The major feature race of Stratford is the Stratford Foxhunters Chase, first run in 1959, and is known to be the third most important race of its kind behind the Cheltenham and Aintree fixtures.
Nowadays, the racecourse hosts around 16 jumps meetings per year, which are held between March and October, covering the entire jumps season and overlapping the autumn and spring periods. The major feature race of Stratford is the Stratford Foxhunters Chase, first run in 1959, and is known to be the third most important race of its kind behind the Cheltenham and Aintree fixtures.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Stratford Racecourse:
Course Access:
By Road: Stratford on Avon Racecourse is situated on the B439 Evesham Road, close to the banks of the River Avon, and approximately one mile from the town centre of Stratford upon Avon. The racecourse is approx. 15 mins from Junction 15 of the M40, and 40 mins from Junction 7 of the M5. When you enter Stratford-on-Avon follow the brown signs for racecourse and/or brown signs with a racehorse symbol on.
By Rail: The racecourse is around a 20 minute walk from Stratford-on-Avon train station. Stratford-on-Avon train station is well serviced by trains from most destinations via Birmingham Moor Street. There is a Taxi rank at the station.
By Air - Birmingham airport (BHX) is 26 miles from the racecourse. Bristol (BRS) 82 miles. London Luton (LTN) 83 miles. London Heathrow (LHR) 91 miles. Manchester (MAN) 114 miles and Southampton (Sou) airport is 116 miles away. Private helicopters are able to land in the centre of the racecourse by prior arrangement. Call the Racecourse Office on +44 (0)1789 267949. Rating: 8/10
Parking: Free parking is available at both ends of the racecourse. The main car park is located on a large grassy field, with a short walk to the main entrance. Entry and exit to the car park is easy and straight forward.
Car Parks – Stratford Racecourse (main entrance left)
Accessible parking spaces are available close to the racecourse entrances at the front of Luddington and Paddock Lane entrances for vehicles displaying a valid disabled label. Disabled parking is operated on a first come, first served basis on the day. No concessions on ticket prices are offered.
Stratford Racecourse also features a caravan/touring park within its grounds with around 120 grass pitches. For those that enjoy camping and the odd flutter, you will receive free centre course, race-meeting tickets tacked onto your pitch price if you book for two or three nights, one of which being the race day. Further details and information can be found here: https://stratfordtouringpark.com/ Rating: 10/10.
Pricing: We attended an evening meeting with an eight-race card, which had one Class 2 race, one Class 3, one Class 4, and five Class 5 races. Of those, one race had three runners, and three races had six runners. The Tickets to the Main Enclosure (which is the old Club & Tattersalls enclosures combined), which enable full access to parts of the racecourse, including the parade ring and winning post, were £20.00 on the day. If booked online, in advance, they were £18.00. A group discount of fifteen or more people booking is offered at £16.00 a ticket, and the organiser gets a free ticket (book 15 tickets and receive 16.). Overall, more than decent pricing, we feel.
A Centre Course enclosure ticket was £12.50 on the day, £11.25 if booked online in advance, and a group discount price of £10.00. In all enclosures, children go free if accompanied by an adult. Disappointingly, there were no concessions for OAPs. However, the really good news is that both cash and cards are taken for payment.
There were a couple of hospitality upgrades on offer, such as: The Gallery Restaurant, which has a view of the whole racecourse, and is close to the final flight and finishing post, has a four-course meal with tea and coffee, car parking, admission, and a racecard thrown in for good measure for £110.00 + VAT (£132) per head.
Private boxes (minimum of 10 people) are also available for £160.00 + VAT (£192) per head, which gets you car parking, admission, a racecard, a glass of Prosecco on arrival, afternoon tea, or buffet menu, and a drinks package that includes beers, wines, and soft drinks.
Racecard: Hats off, at last a race card that actually provides useful, relevant, and interesting information. It was a pleasure to see the course layout map on a 2-page spread, and this was a mirror of the numerous, larger course map boards that were around the course. Nice touch and very helpful for first time visitors.
There was also a section on Track Facts that showed the track layout along with the usual course jockey and trainer specification information, but this had additional weightwatcher information, change in class, stable moves, and longest traveler. There was also a page that showed which locations would take card payments and/or cash payments, again very helpful and unique as we haven’t seen this before – see the image below:
The card was 40 pages thick and had just 8 full pages of advertisements, which is 20% of the total, and this is pleasingly low in comparison with the average of over 30% of space used for promotion in racecards in general. Priced at £3.00, we feel it is definitely worth it, and it's been a long time since we have been able to give such a positive review of the race card, so well done, Stratford. 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. Our aim is to give you an overall idea of what is available regarding the culinary options and prices at the track on racedays.
The catering at Stratford is a mixed bag. There is a great selection of bars, but the food outlets are a tad limited. The first bar you hit when you enter the racecourse is the Pravha bar on the left-hand side, so we will start there. It is a large area over two floors, and it also has an excellent outside roof terrace, where the viewing of the horses as they come down the home straight is excellent, and it is certainly worth a visit.
The Pravha Bar & Roof Terrace – Stratford Racecourse
The ground floor of the bar is an airy, roomy space with wooden floors and plenty of tables and chairs, which are well spaced out. On the roof terrace, there is also plenty of space and tables and chairs. Here they were serving: Draught Pravha at £6.00 a pint and Staropramen, Atlantic Ale, Stowford Press Cider, and Guinness at £6.20 per pint. Low-alcohol options of BrewDog Punk, Stowford Press cider, Cobra Zero, and sparkling Chardonnay were also available, all at £4.50. Red, white, and rose wine are all £6.50 per glass (187ml). All spirits are £5.00 a shot (35ml) and a bottle of house Champagne will set you back £52.00 a bottle. Prosecco was £32.00 a bottle and £9.50 a glass. Soft drinks and mixers ranging from £1.00 to £2.95. Upstairs, there is another bar and a small catering outlet selling a selection of sandwiches and snacks, such as: sausage rolls, peppered steak slices and cheese, and onion slices at £3.50 each, and a vegan Mexican bean roll at £3.00 each, along with teas and coffees.
The next bar we encountered was the Grandstand Bar, which was closed, so we moved smartly to the Stowford Press Cider bar, which is also located upstairs, on the first floor of the main enclosure.
The Stowford Press Cider Bar (in the Grandstand) – Stratford Racecourse
It’s a modern-looking place that is standing only and has no seats. It also has a viewing area at the back of it, which is located directly behind a very smart, glass fronted seating area, which has an excellent view over all of the racecourse. It was serving the same drinks and food as the Pravha bar mentioned above, at the same prices.
On the same level and close to the Stowford Press Cider bar are the champagne bar and the Gallery restaurant. We asked the stewards in attendance if we could pop in and take a few photos, and we are pleased to say, they duly obliged.
The Champagne Bar & Gallery Restaurant – Stratford Racecourse
The Gallery restaurant is a very modern, high-ceiling, glass-fronted affair that has superb views across the whole of the racecourse including the final flight and the finishing post. It has wooden tables that are well spaced out, and it has a very cool vibe about it. For further details on the pricing and menus, please see above at the end of the “Pricing” section.
We then decided to explore a little further and walked across the racecourse into the Centre Course bar, which, as the name suggests, is located in the centre of the racecourse itself.
The Centre Course Bar – Stratford Racecourse
It was sparsely populated when we did go across; however, to be fair, it was around an hour and a half before the first race. Again, it is a large area, with a long bar and plenty of tables and chairs. It was serving the same drink and food options as in the other bars mentioned above. Outside, there is a good number of wooden garden furniture-style tables and benches, which can be used for picnics.
The one and only main restaurant on the racecourse for the general public is the Stables Cafe, which is near the main entrance, on the lower floor, in close proximity to the Prahva bar.
The Stables Café – Stratford Racecourse
Once again, a large, open, spacious area with plenty of seating, and it also has a Tote concession in the corner of the room. On the day of our visit, the menu was as follows: Mushroom and tarragon or tomato soup for £5.00.
A choice of main courses, such as sweet and sour chicken, served with rice. Beef bourguignon, with new potatoes or rice and vegetables, a chicken Caesar salad, or a vegan option of vegetable sweet and sour. All for £12.50 each. To finish was an apple and summer fruit crumble, served with custard, fresh cream, or ice cream for £5.50 a serving.
It was also dishing up a few hearty classics, such as, a full English breakfast for £10.50. A sausage or bacon sandwich for £4.50. A steak, cheese, or veggie burger with chips and salad for £12.50. Sausage or ham, egg and chips, or scampi or fish & chips for £11.00. A serving of homemade quiche and salad for £8.00 or £10.00 if you add a serving of chips. A good variety of panini’s at £7.00 a pop, or a baked potato with a choice of servings for £6.50. It also had a selection of pre-prepared sandwiches at £3.50 each.
Overall, a decent selection of grub at decent prices. On the day of our visit, there were also a couple of street food / food truck vendors
Food Trucks - Stratford Racecourse
The main truck was called “Brisket Bros” which was an upmarket burger van knocking out some tasty-looking offerings such as a double cheeseburger with all of the trimmings, a pulled pork burger with the same, pork-loaded fries, or a pulled pork bun for £12.00 each. A brisket burger fully loaded was £13.00, as was a portion of brisket loaded fries, or a brisket bun, or a portion of BB filthy fries for £14.00, which, at that price, deserves a full description. Here goes: 14-hour smoked pulled pork shoulder and brisket, with BBQ sauce, spicey mayo, chives and crispy onions, served on Tubby Toms seasoned fries. A portion of Tubby Toms seasoned fries on their own was £5.00 a serving. Extras such as an additional patty was £3.00. A serving of grated cheddar or crispy onions were £1.00 each. They wouldn’t get away with that in Yorkshire!
Next to the burger van was a coffee shack serving a cup of flat white, latte, cappuccino, hot chocolate, or an iced Americano for £4.00. A mocha or an iced latte was £4.50, and a cup of tea was £3.00. Located near the pre-parade ring was an ice cream van. We did partake in cornet with a Flake in it for £4.50, and pretty good it was too.
The big disappointment for us was a lack of pies. We hunted high and low around the racecourse, but we failed in our mission to find any. They were advertised at a couple of the catering outlets but were not available when we asked. Sausage rolls, pasties, and steak slices in abundance, but sadly, no pies. However, in our opinion, overall, there are a goodly number of bars and enough food outlets to ensure you will not go home hungry. Rating: 7/10.
Guinness Standard: We are pleased to report that draught Guinness was available at virtually all of the bars at a very reasonable £6.20 a pint (the Jockey Club, please take note!), which is the cheapest we have seen for some considerable time on our travels. For research purposes, we did imbibe a pint of the black stuff at the Stowford Press Cider bar, and a very decent pint it was. Nice and chilled with a good creamy head on it. A great pint at a great price. Rating: 10/10. Viewing:
Viewing: The overall viewing experience at Stratford Racecourse, is, in our opinion, excellent. You can see the horse in racing for virtually 100% of the time.
The Viewing Enclosures - Stratford Racecourse
The racecourse nowadays has two enclosures, which are the Main Enclosure, which is the old Club and Tattersalls combined, and the Centre Course Enclosure, which is situated in the middle of the track, and is the main area for picnics and children. This is the only enclosure on the course where you are allowed to bring in your own food and drink.
Regardless of where you stand or sit, the viewing is very good. In addition, the enclosures all have decent cover from the elements, should it be needed. All of the enclosures seem to have toilets everywhere. In the toilets next to the Stables Café, they even had a row of four shower cubicles in them.
The viewing area immediately in front of the Stowford Press Cider bar in the main grandstand, we feel, deserves a special mention. It is a covered, glass-fronted seated area that overlooks the final flight, the parade ring, and the winning post (see pictures below). For an area open to the general public, it really is excellent, and a credit to the racecourse. Just further along, near the champagne bar and main restaurant, there is a large, wide open, wheelchair user area, which was good to see.
The seated viewing area & the wheelchair viewing area in the Main Grandstand – Stratford Racecourse
There is also a large mobile TV screen situated immediately on the winning post and next to the judges box.
Mobile TV Screen – Stratford Racecourse
Racegoers also have full access up to and on the winning post, so they can get close up to the action, which is always good. In our opinion, the overall viewing experience at Stratford Racecourse, is a very good one. Rating: 10/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: It is located just in front of the racecourse, close to the winning post. Therefore, it can be viewed from the main enclosures. It is large in size, with full access around the full perimeter of the ring, which we always like. There are a number of stools on the outside, but no tiered terraces or steps. Due to its position and size, the viewing of the horses, when parading is excellent. The winners enclosure is situated inside it, situated on the left-hand side. Once again, access and viewing are good.
The Parade Ring, Pre-Parade Ring & Winners Enclosure – Stratford Racecourse
The pre-parade ring is tucked away behind the main stands. It is compact, and due to its small size, it can get very busy. Access is available to racegoers for the full length of it. Rating: 9/10.
Another nice touch, that we thought was worth mentioning is the photo booth that the racecourse has installed just in front of the parade ring.
Photo Booth – Stratford Racecourse
It’s a dedicated area for racegoers to have their picture taken against a backdrop of horses in racing. It seemed to be very popular on the day of our visit. Once again, all credit goes to the racecourse for taking the time and effort to install it.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The main site for the on-course bookmakers is a very large concourse/apron in between the main enclosures and the parade ring. On the day of our visit, there were around twenty bookmakers making the odds, which was more than ample.
On Course Bookmakers – Stratford Racecourse
There are also two large William Hill concessions on course, one inside and one outside the main enclosure. Together with the Tote outlets that seem to be everywhere, getting a bet on and picking up is no problem at all. Rating: 10/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: Apart from the two security guards on the gate that allow you across the track to the centre enclosure, who, for some unknown reason, seemed to make life a little more difficult than it needed to be, all of the stewards and staff, were friendly, helpful, and chatty. We also spotted a number of litter pickers on duty during the day, and we have to say the racecourse was spotless. Rating: 8/10.
Pros & Cons: Without a doubt, Stratford Racecourse, has a lot going for itself, and it is one of the better racecourses we have visited on our travels. The parking is excellent, the pricing is good, the viewing is top class, the parade ring is worth a visit, the Guinness is cheap, and in the main, the staff are very friendly. What’s not to like?
The racecard is one of the best we have come across and could/should be used as a template by other racecourses, of what is required when publishing such a document and not to charge racegoers £3.00 for the privilege of reading 30 pages of advertisements, which, unfortunately, seems to be the norm these days.
The only downside for us was the lack of pies, and if that’s the biggest problem we have got when we visit a racecourse, then we consider ourselves to be doing well.
As always, we ask ourselves the big question: would we return? The answer is very easy. Yes, we would, in a heartbeat. It was one of the most enjoyable days racing we have had for some time. It also seems a view shared by many others, as the attendance on the day was pretty good and far in excess of the predicted turnout, according to the staff at the gates. Rating: 8/10
VIP Watch: No VIPs were present on the day of our visit.
Wi-Fi / Internet Connection: As hard as we tried, we just couldn’t find a racecourse internet connection (see picture below).
Maybe it was just our phones, who knows? However, the data signal was pretty good on the day.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 8.9/10.
The full day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2024-08-27/stratford/106773
Facilities & location layout of Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse: (image acknowledged & credited to Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse Company)
Aerial View of Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse: (image acknowledged & credited to Google Earth)
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