Uttoxeter
Date of Review: 8th February 2025 (first review 7th September 2022)
RCA Reviewers: Dave & Ray
Address: Wood Lane, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 8BD
Website: https://www.uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UttoxeterRacecourse/
X: https://x.com/uttoxeterraces
Email: events@uttoxeter-racecourse.co.uk
Phone: 01889 562561
Accommodation: https://www.booking.com/landmark/gb/uttoxeter-racecourse.en-gb.html
Track Layout: (Image: credited & acknowledged to At The Races)
Course Information: Uttoxeter Racecourse is a left-handed, National Hunt (jumps) only course that is oval in shape but has a rising dog-leg section along the middle of the back straight. A single track is divided into separate circuits for hurdle (inner) and steeplechase (outer) races. It is around a mile and a quarter in circumference and is relatively flat, with a few undulations. It does have a downhill section just after the final turn, coming into the home straight. It is a stiff, sharp track with a relatively short run home after the final flight. This suits horses that like to be prominent and travel on the bridle. However, in the winter months, it is a totally different picture. The course can become extremely testing and often gruelling. Therefore, in such conditions, stamina and the ability to stay are at a premium. The course stages around 24 fixtures throughout the year from January to December.
An excellent and informative video, ‘flyover’ of Uttoxeter racecourse, can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfgnyQyFUdw
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Uttoxeter Racecourse: The racecourse is situated in the market town of Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, located between Derby and Stoke-on-Trent and is widely recognised as the premier racecourse of the Midlands.
Location Map - Uttoxeter Racecourse
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Uttoxeter Racecourse:
Uttoxeter Racecourse was first established in 1907 after the closure of the nearby Keele Park course. Racing ceased in 1914 due to WWI and again in 1935 due to WWII, when the War Department requisitioned it. Racing only recommenced in 1951 due to a long-running dispute over the rent with a local farmer who owned the land. In 1968, the Horserace Betting Levy Board provided £167,000 for the modernisation of the course, and a new grandstand was opened in 1968. Twenty years later, the racecourse was purchased by Northern Racing, led by Sir Stanley Clarke, who built a further two grandstands and a paddock area, which transformed the course from a local provincial track to one that is now known nationwide.
Uttoxeter Racecourse has several notable firsts, including jockey Josh Gifford, who 1967 equalled the legendary Fred Winter’s record of 121 wins in a season. History was made again at the course in 1982 when John Francome, aboard Buckmaster, rode his 800th overall winner and notched up his 120th win for the season to share the jump jockeys title with Peter Scudamore. Further history was made at Uttoxeter in 2002 when the champion jockey AP McCoy (now Sir AP McCoy) racked up his 1700th win when riding Monteflaco to beat the previous record held by Richard Dunwoody to become the all-time leading National Hunt jockey.
Uttoxeter Racecourse holds two high-profile meetings each year. The first is the Class-1 Midlands Grand National, run over four miles and two furlongs in March. It is the second-longest National Hunt race in the calendar, only second to the world-famous Aintree Grand National. The other is the Summer Cup, which is for horses aged five years or older and is run over three miles and two furlongs in June of each year.
Course Access:
By Road: The racecourse is well situated, with easy access just off the A50 between Burton on Trent and Stoke on Trent. The racecourse is clearly signposted from the A50, A515, A518 and Uttoxeter Town Centre. From the North: Take the M6 to Junction 15, then follow signs for A50 Uttoxeter/Derby. From the South: Take the M1 To Junction 23a, the A50 (Uttoxeter/Stoke).
By Rail: Uttoxeter Railway station is directly adjacent to the racecourse and within a short walking distance to the track. Most intercity services run trains to Derby and Stoke on Trent. From there, you can board a train connecting to Uttoxeter. A direct service also operates from Crewe.
By Air: The nearest airports to Uttoxeter Racecourse are East Midlands (EMA), 23 miles away; Birmingham (BHX), 31 miles; Manchester (MAN), 37 miles; Liverpool (LPL), 51 miles; and London Luton (LTN), 95 miles away. Helicopters may land in the centre of the racecourse by prior arrangement. Light aircraft can use Tatenhill Airfield at Needwood, 7 miles from the Racecourse (Please get in touch with Tatenhill on 01283 575283). Rating: 8/10.
Parking: The course has ample free. The main car park is situated directly at the front of the course, near the railway station and next to the stables area. There is also an additional overspill car park for busy days. Please be aware that there is only one entry/exit into and out of the car park, turning onto a small road. Traffic can seriously back up when leaving after the last race. Rating: 9/10.
Pricing: The day of our visit was a rare Saturday meeting, and the seven-race card consisted of one Class-2 race, one Class-3 race, four Class-4 races, and one Class-5 race. So, it was not exactly high-grade racing. The entry price on the day into the Premier Stand was £23.50 and £18.50 for the Grandstand. If booked online in advance, tickets could have been had for £20.50 and £17.50, respectively. There was a £5.00 concession discount off those prices for those aged over 65, but it is only available at the gate and not when you book online in advance. The only real difference between the prices is that entry is not allowed into the main Premier Bar area or the Premier Stand enclosure, which is no big deal as it is only an area with two bars and a Tote concession, and the Premier Stand Enclosure is immediately next to the main grandstand (see below). Both tickets give admission to all racecourse areas, including the parade ring and the rails at the winning post.
There were a couple of hospitality options, such as “Premier Plus in the Paddock,” which, for £55.00, got you a Premier Stand admission ticket, a glass of Prosecco, beer or a soft drink, a pulled pork roll with potato wedges, a racecard, a guaranteed seat, a private bar, and Tote facilities. Also, for £55.00, there was also a “Premier Plus” option, which was the same as above but with a pizza instead. Overall, we thought the pricing was fair for a Saturday fixture.
Racecard: The racecard was 29 pages, including the inside front and rear covers, and cost £3.50. It contained 15 pages of advertisements, which is a scandalous 52%! There was no racecourse map showing the course layout and facilities, which is a basic requirement, and only a postage stamp-sized picture at the top of each page showing the race starting position. Apart from the standard Timeform comments, that was about it. To be fair, there was the ability to download a free racecard on your phone, but to charge £3.50 for the printed version, which tells you absolutely nothing you can’t get for free online or in a newspaper, is, in our opinion, a complete rip-off. We advise keeping your £3.50 in your pocket and downloading the free online version. Rating: 8/10.
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 racecourse on race days.
As we had Premier enclosure tickets, we will start with the Premier Bar. It is located at the back of the Premier Stand. It is a large, airy, open space with a tiled floor.
The Premier Bar – Uttoxeter Racecourse
It has two bars, one on either side of the room. On the left-hand side, there are pub-style high tables. On the right-hand side, the bar has wooden tables and chairs where you can sit down. It served Carlsberg lager and Somersby Apple cider at £6.15 a pint. Hobgoblin IPA for £6.20, and Guinness for £7.50 a pint. Red, white, and rose wine were all £6.70 a glass. Vodka & Coke, Rum & Coke and Jack Daniels & Coke, along with a Gin & Tonic, were all £7.80 each. Soft drinks were £3.85, and a bottle of water at £2.50.
In the corner next to the main entrance is a real ale bar called the Nags Head.
The Nags Head Real Ale Bar (left) Tote Concession (right) - Premier Bar Uttoxeter Racecourse
This was serving a variety of cask ales for £6.15 a pint. Carlsberg was £6.15 and Hobgoblin IPA £6.20 a pint. A large Tote betting concession is on the other side of the Premier Bar, facing the Nags Head.
If you walk through the Premier Bar and exit towards the Premier Stand, you will see the Marston Bar directly in front of you. It was hired out for a private function, but we took a look inside anyway.
The Marston Bar – Uttoxeter Racecourse
It is another large area but somewhat soulless. There are two large bars next to the main entrance and another smaller one at the other end of the room. The rest of the area is occupied by a large William Hill betting concession and a large Tote concession with TV screens where you can watch the racing. There is also an area serving food with plastic garden furniture-type tables and chairs outside of it. It struck us as the type of place you’d only go into to get out of the rain.
There is no shortage of food and catering options at Uttoxeter Racecourse, that is for sure. Several food options exist on the main concourse between the Premier Bar and the parade ring. There is a fish & chip shop knocking out fish & chips for £11.50. Sausage & chips £6.80. Chicken & Mushroom pie or steak pie & chips for £8.20. Mushy peas, curry sauce, or gravy for £1.80. One of our reviewers took the plunge and went for the fish & chips with curry sauce for £13.30. Now that is expensive! The verdict: “Nothing to write home about.” The batter on the fish wasn’t particularly crispy, and the curry sauce, served separately in a plastic container, was only lukewarm at best. Not good at those prices.
Food & Drink Outlets – Uttoxeter Racecourse
Next door to this was a traditional pie shop serving the usual suspects, such as steak pie, chicken and mushroom pie, meat and potato pie, or chicken Balti pie, for £5.30 each. A sausage roll, cheese and onion pasty, or chicken tikka slice were £4.00 each. We didn’t try any of these, but to be fair, they looked pretty good.
Food & Drink Outlets – Uttoxeter Racecourse
To the right of these was a “Gourmet Burger” van serving a “Pulled Pork” variant, which was a burger with BBQ pulled pork, lettuce, tomato, relish, and pickle in a brioche bun for £13.00 (ouch!). Or a “Classic,” which was the same as the above but without the pulled pork, for £9.50, or a bacon and cheese version for £12.00. Also in this area was a coffee shop, a traditional sweet shop, and a small bar serving Italian beers, mulled wine, cider, and hot toddies.
Outside of this area and near the racecourse were a few more catering options with two stalls side by side. One was the “Gourmet Chip Co.”, which sold “Cheesy Fries” with cheddar, mozzarella, cheese sauce, spring onions, crispy onions, chives, red cabbage, and mayonnaise. Or “You Cheesy Pig,” which was similar to the above but without the red cabbage but with bacon. Another version, "On The Pull,” had roasted pork shoulder and a “Steak & Chips” version, all for £11.49 per serving. The other stall was called “Dirty Dogs,” which was very similar but sold hot dogs with all the same trimmings for £11.99 each. Another burger van was on site, lit up like a Christmas tree, selling burgers and hot dogs. We could see the menu, but no matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t find any prices.
Overall, the racecourse has a broad selection of food and drink outlets to suit all tastes and pockets. Rating: 8/10.
Guinness Standard: Draft Guinness is served in all of the bars, and we sampled a pint in the Premier Bar. As usual, it was served in one of those flimsy plastic pint pots you need to double up on so you can pick it up. However, it was an excellent pint, nicely chilled, creamy, and with a good head. The bad news is that it was £7.50 a pint. It's not quite the price of Cheltenham races, but it's not far off. One of the most expensive pints of Guinness we have come across on our travels. Rating: 7/10.
Viewing: Uttoxeter Racecourse has three main viewing areas: the Premier enclosure, the Grandstand & Paddock enclosure, and the much older Railway stand, which is further down the course away from the finishing post.
The Premier Stand & Grandstand– Uttoxeter Racecourse
The Premier Stand and the Grandstand are one and the same. The Premier Stand, which is situated closer to the finishing post, is for annual members and Premier badge holders only. There are around 17 concrete terraced steps from top to bottom, with no seating whatsoever.
The Grandstand enclosure has the same number of terraced steps, and there is a row of green padded seats at the very back. However, if you did sit down, you would see absolutely nothing of the race due to the people standing in front of you. There is also plenty of cover from the elements if required. The view from here is very good, and you can see the horses in running for virtually 100% of the time. Further down to the left is the much older Railway Stand. This has
The Railway Stand – Uttoxeter Racecourse
twenty-five concrete terraced steps, and once again, there is a row of green padded seats at the very back. However, from this enclosure, the view towards the back of the stand is not so clever. The roof and eight metal support stanchions seriously restrict the view of the racecourse. On the bend just past the winning post, there is another large viewing area called the Staffordshire Grandstand.
The Staffordshire Grandstand – Uttoxeter Racecourse
However, this area is only for restaurant diners and private box holders. A large mobile TV screen is positioned in front of the main grandstand, which is around half a furlong from the winning post. In our opinion, the overall viewing experience at the racecourse is very good. Rating: 9/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: The combined parade ring and winners enclosure are in the shape of a triangle and located at the back of the racecourse but just a short walk from the Premier Bar area. The viewing is good, with seats around the perimeter and raised wooden viewing platforms. The disappointment is that access is only available for approximately 40% of the perimeter at the bottom end of the triangle. On the right-hand side is the owners & trainers area, and on the left is the Paddock Pavillion hospitality area.
The winner's enclosure is at the immediate front of the parade ring, so the viewing experience is pretty good. The pre-parade ring and saddling enclosure are at the back of the parade ring, entirely out of sight and not open to the general public. Rating: 9/10.
The Parade Ring & Winners Enclosure – Uttoxeter Racecourse
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The main on-course bookmakers area is positioned on a large tarmac-covered concourse directly between the Grandstand and the racecourse.
The Main Bookmakers Ring – Uttoxeter Racecourse
On the day of our visit, there were twenty-seven bookmakers in the main ring and another seven bookmakers positioned directly in front of the Premier Stand. This, together with the large William Hill betting concession in the Marston Bar and the ubiquitous Tote concessions all over the racecourse, means placing a bet and picking up is the least of your worries. Rating: 9/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: There were plenty of very friendly course staff all over the racecourse, who were always more than willing to offer help and chat in general. Rating: 9/10.
Pros & Cons: There are plenty of pros for us: fair and reasonable ticket prices, lots of free parking, and a very good overall viewing experience. There is also a great choice of food and drinks, a very nice parade ring, and plenty of helpful staff—everything you need to have a great day out at the races. The cons: The major one is the price of the food and drinks at the racecourse. In our opinion, £13.30 for a below-average serving of fish & chips and £7.50 for a pint of Guinness is stretching it just a tad. As for the racecard, the less said, the better. At £3.50, it’s a rip-off, and we recommend you give it a wide berth. Use the free online version instead.
As always with our reviews, we ask ourselves the question, "Would we return?" The answer is most definitely yes, and hopefully soon. Rating: 9/10.
VIP Watch: No notable VIPs were seen on the day. However, we did bump into the father of the jockey Miss Lucy Turner, and had a nice little chat. He’s a proper gentleman.
Wi-Fi / Internet Connection: You can log onto the racecourse via the SKY Internet app. As is the norm these days, you need to supply your name, address, date of birth, inside leg measurement, etc., before you can hook up, but once you do, it all works fine.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 8.5/10.
The full day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2025-02-08/uttoxeter/109983
Facilities & location Layout of Uttoxeter Racecourse:
(Image: credited & acknowledged to ARC Ltd.)
Aerial View of Uttoxeter Racecourse:
(Image: credited to & acknowledged to Google Earth)
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