London’s most illustrious racecourses to put on your bucket list | London Daily News

Our fine capital is home to some of the most prestigious horse racing venues in the UK. As with everything in and around London, the racecourses near the capital offer stylish and sophisticated surroundings to watch the best thoroughbreds, jockeys, and trainers in action.

If you’re a sports enthusiast who’s always fancied a day at the races, below we’re shining a spotlight on four racecourses near the capital that deserve pride of place on your bucket list.

Ascot Racecourse

Ascot Racecourse is comfortably the number-one horse racing venue within reach of London. Home to Royal Ascot, this racecourse is one of the world’s most famous venues and a hallmark of British sporting tradition. It’s nestled within the Berkshire countryside, less than half an hour from central London.

Royal Ascot offers five days of intense horse racing competition. It’s not just an epic sporting event but also a celebration of high fashion and British royalty. The most notable races hosted at Ascot Racecourse include the Gold Cup, a premier event for stayers, along with the Queen Anne Stakes, named after the venue’s 18th-century founder.

Newbury Racecourse

Newbury, in Berkshire, is less than an hour from central London. This racecourse dates back to 1905 and, for more than a century, has cultivated a reputation as a home for first-class horse racing. The Ladbrokes Trophy, previously known as the Hennessy Gold Cup, is the premier event on Newbury’s calendar, raced every November.

The Group 1 flat race, the Lockinge Stakes, is another first-rate event featuring the very best thoroughbreds over a mile. The area is also famed for its successful trainers, with Nicky Henderson’s Middleham Park Racing and Andrew Balding’s Kingsclere stable among the best-known in the Newbury area. Balding is a two-time winner of the 2000 Guineas. The up-and-coming yearlings he trains are often in huge demand by those interested in purchasing racehorse shares as a sporting investment. These shares can usually be acquired either as an asset or as a gift.

Sandown Park Racecourse

Surrey’s Sandown Park is no more than a 25-minute overground train journey from central London. It’s another racecourse famed for its stylish atmosphere and premium racing. Sandown Park is notable for its versatility, as it regularly hosts flat race meetings as well as National Hunt race meetings, making it a year-round destination for London-based racing fans.

Its Coral-Eclipse Stakes is one of the most notable races in the UK flat racing calendar, bringing together the finest three-year-olds at Sandown Park. Meanwhile, the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase is a landmark two-mile steeplechase during the British National Hunt season.

Kempton Park Racecourse

Situated towards south-west London in Sunbury-on-Thames, Kempton Park is one of the leading National Hunt racecourses in the country. Its most cherished race day is held on Boxing Day, welcoming racegoers and families from across the capital for the historic King George VI Chase. Many trainers view the King George VI Chase as a stepping stone in preparing a jumps horse for the Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival each March.

In the summer months, Kempton Park’s all-weather racecourse gets an outing with popular evening meetings, offering action for 12 months of the year.

Whether you’re drawn by the regal heritage of Ascot, the notable races at Newbury, the scenery of Sandown, or the versatile racing on offer at Kempton, one thing is for certain – London and the south-east are home to many influential venues at the heart of British horse racing.