Worcester Racecourse
Date of Review: 25th July 2024
RCA Reviewers: Mr Shrewdy & The Doctor
Address: Grand Stand Road, Worcester, WR1 3EJ
Website: https://www.worcester-racecourse.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorcesterRaces/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/WorcesterRaces
Phone: 01905 25364
Hotel Accommodation: https://www.booking.com/landmark/gb/worcester-racecourse.en-gb.html
Track Layout: (acknowledged & credited to At The Races)
Course Information: Worcester is a flat, left-handed, oval shaped track that is around 1 mile, 3 furlongs in circumference. It has two easy, sweeping bends, and two straight sections, both around 4 furlongs in length. It also has a short spur on the end of the back straight, where the longer races begin.
It is generally considered an easy track, with the chase course having 8 portable fences, four on the back straight and four on the home straight. The hurdle races have 6 flights per circuit, three on the back straight, and three on the home straight, and both have a run-in of around 1 furlong after the horses have negotiated the final flight. As it is a relatively easy course with smooth bends, long straights, and little or no undulations, it is suited to novice chasers and also long-striding, galloping types of horses who like to race prominently. However, having a four-furlong home straight it also allows horses who like to be held up to come from behind with a late run, every opportunity.
Worcester Racecourse holds 17 summer jumps-only fixtures per year between June and October. It was formerly a dual-purpose course, holding flat racing as well, but this was stopped in 1994 due to the regular heavy flooding of the course, which is situated on the east bank of the River Severn.
The course, which is located at Pitchcroft Park in the south-west Midlands, on the edge of the Cotswolds, has a long and rich history. Horse racing can be dated back to 1718, and it is one of the oldest racing locations in Britain with an unbroken track record of staging events. In 1824, Tom Spring, the heavyweight bare-knuckle boxing champion of England, came to the Pitchcroft to fight Irishman Jack Langan. The purse was some 300 sovereigns, around £25,00 in today’s money. Legend has it, that over 40,000 spectators were present, and the fight, went on for some 77 rounds. During the second round some of the stands collapsed and 2,000 people ended up on the ground. The boxers stopped the fight to see if anyone had been killed before resuming. Spring was the eventual winner.
Worcester Racecourse also holds the record for the number of runners at any single horseracing meeting, an amazing 229 in an eight-race card in January 1965. It originally received 658 entries in total for the meeting, but as the event got closer some horses went to other courses to race. This record will never be beaten, due to the safety rules that are now in place, that would not allow that number of horses to run. There were 34 horses in a number of the races that day.
The golden age of Worcester Racecourse was in the 70s, when legends of the turf, such as Tingle Creek, Night Nurse, Silver Buck, and Wayward Lad all ran here in races such as the ATV Chase. In 1987, HRH Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, won here, over jumps, riding her own horse called Cnoc Na Cuille, and from all reports, she drove her own horsebox to the meeting.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Worcester Racecourse:
Course Access:
By Road: From the north or south take junction 6 off the M5 and follow the A449 towards Worcester City Centre. From the West take the A443 and A44, both offer good access to the city centre. Follow the brown racecourse signs. The Centre Course car park postcode is WR1 3EH. Please be aware, that the traffic in the town centre is chronic at the best of times, so we advise you arrive in good time. As there is only one entry / exit area from the racecourse carpark, the traffic leaving the racecourse after the last race is heavy. Very heavy indeed. You have been warned…
By Rail: There are frequent British Rail services to Worcester Foregate Street Station which is a 10 minute walk from the Racecourse and also to Worcester Shrubhill Station which is a 20 minute walk or 5/10 minute taxi ride from the racecourse. There are no buses to the track, due to the topography of the area.
Great Western Railway services also stop at Worcester Foregate Street. Many locations can be reached from this station including Birmingham New Street, Great Malvern, Hereford and London Paddington. Birmingham New Street can be less than a 1-hour journey. Stops on this route include Droitwich Spa, Bromsgrove and University (Birmingham).
By Air: The nearest airport to Worcester is Birmingham (BHX) Airport which is 27.6 miles away. Other nearby airports include Bristol (BRS) (59.7 miles), Manchester (MAN) (81.7 miles), London Luton (LTN) (81.7 miles) and London Heathrow (LHR) (90.8 miles). Helicopter landing and take-off facilities are available on the racecourse. Permission must be sought in advance from the Racecourse office on 01905 25364. Rating: 7/10
Parking: Free car parking is available next to the racecourse on a large shale carpark, that has potholes and mud holes everywhere. It really does need some investment and repair. Before you step out of your car, check where your feet are going to be, otherwise, you could easily end up being full of mud. Rating: 7/10.
Pricing: Our visit was for the “Thursday Afternoon Summer Racing” which was an afternoon jumps meeting with a seven race card consisting of four Class 4 races and three Class 5 races.
Admission into the County Enclosure which gives you access to all areas of the course was £26.50 on the day, with a £5.00 concession for over 65s. This was a tad confusing as the racecourse website before the meeting, stated that admission into the County Enclosure at full price, would be £22.50. You could also book online, in advance for £16.50. Also, online in advance, was the opportunity for bookings of groups of 10 or more people at £13.50 each. That we have to say is excellent VFM (Value For Money). The also had a “Summer Cooler” offer for £26.50 which included admission, racecard, and a choice of a glass of Prosecco, Pimms, a pint of beer or a soft drink.
Also on the day there was a “Picnic Lawn – Car with all Passengers” deal for £35.00. This was entry onto the centre course car park and picnic area and entry for up to five passengers. Bring your own picnic and small garden furniture. Access is limited to this area and no food, or drinks are available. However, a family day out at the races for £35.00 once again is decent VFM we feel. There was no hospitality upgrades being advertised for this meeting. Please be aware that this racecourse is “card only” and no cash is taken on the course, with the exception of the on-course bookmakers and the on-site ice cream van.
It has to be said, that attempting to enter the racecourse was somewhat chaotic. We arrived a good hour before the first race and the queues at the gates were large. There was four turnstiles, but only two were in use. There was also some major confusion regarding the ticketing arrangements for a number of horse racing syndicates who had also arrived at the same time. The upshot being a twenty five minute wait from arrival to getting through the gates. Not good. We are just glad that it wasn’t raining. The crowd on the day, was large for a low-level mid-week meeting, so maybe this took them by surprise. It is, however, an area that is needed to be improved upon.
Racecard: The racecard on the day cost £3.50. We would like to say it was full of everything you need when visiting a racecourse, but unfortunately, we can’t. It provided nothing in the way of a facilities layout map or anything of interest about Worcester Racecourse. It had the standard Timeform listing for the seven race card, along with a page of Important Information, which read like the Terms and Conditions on a Hire Purchase agreement. The remainder of the 31 pages were advertisements. We continue to buy the cards in the hope that they will add some value to our days visit, this one was sadly lacking in that department. Our advice is to keep your £3.50 in your pocket. Rating: 7/10.
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. It has to be said that, in our opinion, the catering at Worcester Racecourse is extremely limited, to say the least. There is the Grandstand bar, which runs underneath the full length of the main enclosure. It is a large area, carpeted, with the bar down one side of it. There are a number of tables and chairs, and a few bar stools dotted about. In the corner, there is a small area with a leather sofa and a couple of leather chairs next to the Tote and William Hill betting concessions.
The Grandstand Bar – Worcester Racecourse
The only food on offer here, was a selection of pies, which were served from a tiny hatch at the end of the bar. On offer were steak & ale, chicken tikka, chicken & mushroom, and a vegan option of mushroom & sweet potato for £5.50 each. As we were hungry, we did sample the pies, and they were nothing special. One of our reviewers commented that they were “glutinous”.
As for the drinks, a pint of Carlsberg, Hobgoblin IPA, or Somersby apple cider was £6.20 a pint. A pint of Guinness or Somersby blackberry cider was £6.95 each. A bottle of Corona (330ml) was £5.60. There was a also decent selection of alcohol free options available. White, red, or rose wine was £6.70 a glass (187ml). Prosecco was £8.00 a glass (75cl) or a bottle for £39.00. All spirits were priced at £4.95 each (25ml). Various soft drinks were available, priced between £2.90 and £3.85.
The only other catering options open to the public were based in a “food Court” named Feast Street, which was situated at the end of the Grandstand enclosure on the way to the parade ring. It is a large area of land that has been covered in huge amounts of wood chips. It consisted of three street food kiosks, which were “Street Greek” serving “authentic Greek gyros”. This was Greek-style food, such as chicken gyros with skin on fries, for £11.99. A chicken or Halloumi wrap for £11.49 each. Halloumi gyros or a chicken or Halloumi boxed meal for £11.99 each.
Street Food Vendors – Worcester Racecourse
Next to this was “The World Famous Gourmet Chip Co” which boasted of selling “skin on fries with scrumptious toppings” such as: basic skin on fries at £4.49 per portion. Cheesy fries with a selection of toppings for £11.49. Cheesy fries with a selection of toppings and smokey bacon, brisket, chilli beef, or pulled pork, for £11.99. Then next to this was the “Handmade Burger Co” which was knocking out traditional burgers with lettuce, tomato, and pickeled gherkin, with a selection of sauces in a brioche bun for £8.49 each. The same with cheese or bacon for £8.99, or the full monty with both bacon and cheese for £9.49. Add a side of fries for £3.99, if that takes your fancy.
There was also a Somersby Cider mobile bar concession near the entrance of the Grandstand and an ice cream van at the back of it. At the side of the street food vendors and situated down the running rail are a good number of white, plastic garden furniture, tables, and chairs. Once again, sat on an ocean of wood chips. Parts of the winner’s enclosure were also covered in wood chips, come to think of it.
They really do seem to like their wood chips at Worcester Racecourse. We have no doubt that the huge amount of wood chips used would cost many thousands of pounds. But we can’t help but think that the next time the racecourse is flooded, and the locals told us it floods every year without fail, those wood chips are going to end up in the centre of the racecourse. Rating: 6/10.
The Wood chip Areas – Worcester Racecourse
Guinness Standard: We are pleased to report that draft Guinness was available at £6.95 a pint, so reasonably priced. It was good a pint of the black stuff to be fair, nice and cold with a decent head on it. Rating: 9/10. Viewing:
The main viewing area at Worcester Racecourse is the County Stand. It is a large but tired and dilapidated, two-tiered stand with around twenty concrete terraced steps and barriers on the first tier. The second tier is very small, with just three rows of wooden benches at the rear (see photo below). However, it has to be said that the overall viewing experience is pretty good, with the horses in view for the majority of the races. It is also partly covered, so it offers some shelter from the elements, should it be needed.
The main viewing area: The County Enclosure – Worcester Racecourse
Picnic style seating along the rails & the large mobile TV screen – Worcester Racecourse
There is full access all along the running rail, right up to the winning post, which is good. There are also plenty of white, plastic, picnic-style tables and chairs along the running rail. There is a large, mobile TV screen on the winning post and a raised viewing platform for wheelchair users around half-a-furlong from the post. Rating: 7/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: It is located on the far left of the course. It is a decent size and one of the few highlights of the racecourse. The pre-parade ring is just beyond this, but it was not accessible to the public on the day of our visit. The parade ring is a decent size, turfed in the middle with a running rail around its full perimeter, which is accessible for around 70%. There are no raised viewing areas and no seating, so, first in, best dressed, as they say.
The Parade Ring – Worcester Racecourse
The Weighing Room & Winners Enclosure – Worcester Racecourse
At the rear and on the left-hand side of the parade ring are the new jockeys, state-of-the art weighing room, which was first opened only a few weeks ago. It has been built on a raised platform as protection from the constant flooding of the racecourse. Rating: 7/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The main site for the on-course bookmakers is on the forecourt / apron of the main grandstand. On the day of our visit, there were around twenty bookies plying their trade, which was more than enough
On Course Bookmakers - Worcester Racecourse
Inside the main grandstand, there is also a William Hill concession. This, together with the numerous Tote outlets spotted around the course, means placing a bet and picking up is no problem at all. Rating: 10/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: Apart from the entrance turnstiles, where the two members of staff were overwhelmed and the other staff who were present had no clue what was going on, or how to solve the issues, the staff were fine. We spotted numerous litter pickers, inside the bars and outside on the concourses, doing a fine job. Rating: 7/10.
Pros & Cons: With the exception of the new jockeys weighing room (which the general public cannot go into), Worcester is somewhat of a run-down, unloved, dilapidated racecourse, that has seen far better days. Significant investment is required to bring it back up to a respectable standard. We understand the issues, with the constant flooding, but the bar areas and catering could and should easily and quickly be improved on a number of fronts.
The pricing of the tickets was confusing on the day, according to what the website stated previously, but to be able to book in advance and get a day at the races for £16.50 is VFM (value for money), in our opinion.
The catering options, on the racecourse are limited and not the cheapest. However, the food being dished up by the three vendors in the “Feast Street” food court, did look good.
The less said about the racecard the better.
Plenty of bookmakers, so issues whatsoever on that front. As stated previously, there were a few issues with the course staff not having a clue what was going on at the entrance turnstiles, but there was plenty of litter pickers to try and keep the place, clean and tidy.
As always, the question is: would we return? The answer is very easy. No, we wouldn’t. The racecourse is required to undergo extensive improvements before we would even think about coming back, and we don’t get the feeling that is going to happen anytime soon. Rating: 6/10
VIP Watch: No VIPs were present on the day of our visit. Mick Fitzgerald was spotted with a microphone doing some work for SKY TV, but that doesn’t count.
Wi-Fi / Internet Connection: WiFi is available via an app, and we had no trouble hooking up.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 6.6/10
The full day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2024-07-25/worcester/106042
Facilities & location layout of Worcester Racecourse: (Image: acknowledged & credited to Arena Racing Company)
Aerial View of Worcester Racecourse: (image acknowledged & credited to Google Earth)
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