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Newbury Racecourse

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Coordinates: 51°23′40″N 1°18′2″W / 51.39444°N 1.30056°W / 51.39444; -1.30056
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Newbury Racecourse
The Berkshire Stand and The Grandstand
LocationNewbury, Berkshire, England
Coordinates51°23′40″N 1°18′2″W / 51.39444°N 1.30056°W / 51.39444; -1.30056
Date opened26 September 1905
Screened onSky Sports Racing
Course typeFlat
National Hunt
Notable racesLockinge Stakes, Hennessy Gold Cup, Challow Novices' Hurdle
Official website

Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse and events venue in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps. It hosts one of Great Britain's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the Lockinge Stakes.

The racecourse is noted for its proximity to the Lambourn training centre, which means that the course is often home to locally-grown talent as well as attracting horses from further afield. Newbury's major races include the Lockinge Stakes and its most famous race, the Coral Gold Cup (formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup).[1]

Horserace finishing at Newbury
Newbury Racecourse Road, view from the Nuffield Health Gym

History

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Although the racecourse on its current site was not established until 1905, the first recorded horse racing in Newbury took place in 1805 with ‘Newbury Races’, an annual two-day race meeting at Enborne Heath. The meeting lasted until 1811 when it transferred to Woodhay Heath until 1815.[2]

The course came into being in the early 20th century, when Kingsclere trainer John Porter proposed a new racecourse in Newbury, which was eventually approved with the support of King Edward VII. In April 1904, the Newbury Racecourse Company was founded, purchased the land and constructed the buildings and stables on the current site.

On 26 and 27 September 1905, the first ever race meeting took place at Newbury Racecourse. Copper King, ridden by Charlie Trigg and trained by Charles Marnes, won the opening race, the Whatcombe Handicap. The racecourse's founder John Porter trained Zelis to win the Regulation Plate on 27 September.[2]

National Hunt racing followed shortly after Flat racing and in 1906, nine days racing were planned for Newbury – six on the Flat and three over Jumps. The course has been home to both Flat and Jump racing ever since, and celebrated its centenary in 2005.

During the First World War, the racecourse was used as a prisoner-of-war camp for German prisoners.[3][4]

Queen Elizabeth II was a regular attendee of race meetings at Newbury, most notably in 2012, when she celebrated her 86th birthday there.[5]

In September 2020 it was reported that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Newbury Racecourse had experienced a 68% loss of turnover for the first 6 months of 2020.[6]

In January 2021 a COVID-19 vaccination centre was established at Newbury Racecourse.[7][8]

On January 1st 2024, Newbury Racecourse announced The Online Betting Guide, OLBG as the new partner of the Owners Club, which is now named The OLBG Owners' Club. Alongside this, on Saturday 20th April 2024, OLBG was the race sponsor of the £70,000 Spring Cup.[9]

Concerts

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Newbury Racecourse has increasingly played host to numerous live concerts in recent years. This has predominantly been through the Party in the Paddock, in which horse racing meets during the summer are accompanied by a live concert at the end of racing.

One of the first concerts held at the racecourse was by Welsh reggae-metal band Skindred in 2006,[10] followed by English reggae and pop band UB40 in July 2008.[11] The latter was one of two concerts held in 2008, with Irish boyband Boyzone performing in August as part of the Ladies Day horse racing meet.[12]

Since 2008, Newbury Racecourse has held between one and three concerts each year, mostly in support of horse racing meets. This has included three appearances by Madness, Tom Jones, Simply Red and Olly Murs.[13]

American singer Lionel Richie was forced to cancel a performance at Newbury Racecourse in September 2012 due to illness, which would have been his first performance in the UK since 2009.[14]

American girl group Pussycat Dolls were scheduled to perform at Newbury Racecourse as part of the Party in the Paddock on 15 August 2020, but was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]

However, the Party in the Paddock returned in 2021, when Olly Murs performed the first concert at Newbury Racecourse following the COVID-19 pandemic on 14 August, with an audience of 17,000. Murs had to perform with a leg brace following a serious knee injury. He returned to perform at Newbury Racecourse in August 2023, his third appearance at the venue.[16][17]

Concerts held at Newbury Racecourse
Date Performer Tour Notes
10 November 2006 Skindred Babylon Tour
11 July 2008 UB40
16 August 2008 Boyzone Back Again... No Matter What Tour
30 May 2009 Madness
15 August 2009 Simply Red Greatest Hits Tour
9 July 2010 Simply Red Farewell - The Final Tour
14 Aug 2010 Westlife Where We Are Tour
21 May 2011 The Wanted
29 May 2011 Rod Stewart
13 August 2011 Tom Jones
18 August 2012 Jessie J
8 June 2013 Rita Ora Supported by Charlie Brown[18]
17 August 2013 Meat Loaf
19 July 2014 The Beach Boys
18 July 2015 DJ Fresh
19 September 2015 Madness Grandslam Madness
16 July 2016 Simply Red Big Love Tour
22 July 2017 Jess Glynne
19 August 2017 Olly Murs 2017 UK Summer Tour
21 July 2018 Craig David
18 August 2018 Rudimental
20 July 2019 Tom Jones
17 August 2019 Madness Madness XL
14 August 2021 Olly Murs
18 September 2021 Rick Astley
16 July 2022 Craig David Hold That Thought Tour
22 July 2023 Tom Jones Ages & Stages
19 August 2023 Olly Murs Marry Me Tour
20 July 2024 Sigala
17 August 2024 Dizzee Rascal
Source: [19]

Facilities

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See also: Newbury Racecourse railway station

The racecourse has a dedicated railway station, which sees heavy traffic and additional trains on race days. It also acts as a venue for conferences, meetings, weddings and Hen and Stag parties.[20]

2011 incident

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On 12 February 2011, two horses, Marching Song and Fenix Two, collapsed and died in the Paddock while parading for the first race of the day. Two others also appeared to have been affected, Kid Cassidy and The Merry Giant. The novice hurdle race went ahead, starting about 20 min late, but the rest of the day's racing was abandoned.[21][22]

On 17 February, the preliminary results of the investigation into the incident were released.

Professor Tim Morris, Director of Equine Science and Welfare for the British Horseracing Authority, reported that they had been informed that there had been leakage from an electrical cable running under the parade ring. Both the horses had been examined postmortem and sudden cardiac arrest, consistent with accidental electrocution, had been identified as the cause of death and no other cause of death was further investigated.

Professor Morris also stated:

I can also confirm that, contrary to speculation, no evidence of any burn marks around the mouth was found on post mortem examination, neither were such marks found by the veterinary surgeons on the horses at the start.[23]

Notable races

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Month DOW Race Name Type Grade Distance Age/Sex
February Saturday Game Spirit Chase Chase Grade 2 2m ½f 5yo +
February Saturday Betfair Hurdle Hurdle Grade 3 2m ½f 4yo +
February Saturday Denman Chase Chase Grade 2 2m 7½f 5yo +
February Saturday Winter Bumper N H Flat Conditions 2m ½f 4yo-6yo
March Saturday Greatwood Gold Cup Chase Grade 3 2m 4f 5yo +
April Saturday Fred Darling Stakes Flat Group 3 7f 3yo only f
April Saturday John Porter Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 4f 5y 4yo +
April Saturday Greenham Stakes Flat Group 3 7f 3yo only c&g
May Saturday Fillies' Trial Stakes Flat Conditions 1m 2f 3yo only f
May Saturday Carnarvon Stakes Flat Conditions 6f 3yo only
May Saturday Aston Park Stakes Flat Conditions 1m 4f 3yo only f
May Saturday Lockinge Stakes Flat Group 1 1m 4yo +
June Thursday Abingdon Stakes Flat Conditions 1m 2f 3yo only f
July Saturday Weatherbys Super Sprint Flat Conditions 5f 34y 2yo only
July Saturday Hackwood Stakes Flat Group 3 6f 8y 3yo +
August Friday St Hugh's Stakes Flat Conditions 5f 34y 2yo only f
August Saturday Geoffrey Freer Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 5f 61y 3yo +
August Saturday Hungerford Stakes Flat Group 2 7f 3yo +
August Saturday Denford Stakes Flat Conditions 7f 2yo only
September Friday Haynes, Hanson and Clark Novice Stakes Flat Novice 1m 2yo only
September Saturday Legacy Cup Flat Group 3 1m 3f 5y 3yo +
September Saturday Mill Reef Stakes Flat Group 2 6f 8y 2yo only
September Saturday World Trophy Flat Group 3 5f 34y 3yo +
October Saturday St. Simon Stakes Flat Group 3 1m 4f 3yo +
October Saturday Horris Hill Stakes Flat Group 3 7f 2yo only
November Thursday Gerry Feilden Hurdle Hurdle Handicap 2m ½f 4yo+
November Friday John Francome Novices' Chase Chase Grade 2 2m 4f 4yo +
November Saturday Long Distance Hurdle Hurdle Grade 2 3m ½f 4yo +
November Saturday Coral Gold Cup Chase Grade 3 3m 2f ½y 4yo +
December 29th Challow Novices' Hurdle Hurdle Grade 1 2m 4½f 4yo +
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  • Crowds at Newbury Racecourse
    Crowds at Newbury Racecourse
  • Cois Farraig jumps the last in front at Newbury
    Cois Farraig jumps the last in front at Newbury
  • Tony McCoy, Aigle D'or, J. P. McManus & Nicky Henderson
    Tony McCoy, Aigle D'or, J. P. McManus & Nicky Henderson
  • Newbury Racecourse Road, view from the main corner with the main entrance
    Newbury Racecourse Road, view from the main corner with the main entrance
  • Vaccination centre in January 2021
    Vaccination centre in January 2021

References

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  1. ^ Dooley, James (11 February 2020). "Newbury Racecourse". British Racecourses. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. ^ a b Ltd, Indzine. "About The Racecourse". Newbury Racecourse. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Newbury Racecourse POW Internment Camp - Great War Forum". Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2010. Great War Forum
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Royal Berkshire Regiment Great War Project
  5. ^ "The Queen spends 86th birthday in Newbury". Newbury Today. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Newbury Racecourse Coronavirus impact". Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020. Racecourse 68% turnover drop
  7. ^ "Newbury Racecourse asks for coronavirus vaccination hub to be allowed to run on racedays". Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Here we go! It's V-Day launch today at Newbury Racecourse". Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Newbury Racecourse x OLBG partnership announcement". OLBG. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  10. ^ Blabbermouth (3 November 2006). "SKINDRED To Embark On U.K. Tour". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Jul 11, 2008: UB40 at Newbury Racecourse". Concert Archives. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  12. ^ getreading (7 August 2008). "Boyzone@ Newbury Racecourse". BerkshireLive. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Newbury Racecourse, Newbury, England Concert Setlists | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Lionel Richie cancels concert at Racecourse Newbury". BBC News. 22 September 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Pussycat Dolls to perform at Newbury". Newbury Today. 18 February 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Still time to buy tickets for Olly Murs at Racecourse". Newbury Today. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  17. ^ "https://twitter.com/ollymurs/status/1426813114557808643?lang=en". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 7 September 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  18. ^ "Charlie Brown named as Rita Ora's supporting act". Newbury Today. 5 June 2013. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Newbury Racecourse, Newbury, England Concert Setlists | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Corporate events, race sponsorship and venue hire at Newbury Racecourse". Newbury Racecourse. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  21. ^ "Electrocution blamed as two horses die at Newbury races". BBC Sport. 12 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  22. ^ J.A. McGrath and Adam Lusher "Horses drop dead in bizarre scenes at Newbury" Archived 31 July 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Telegraph website, 12 February 2011
  23. ^ Newbury Racecourse statement (retrieved 22 February 2011) Archived 21 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
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51°23′40″N 1°18′2″W / 51.39444°N 1.30056°W / 51.39444; -1.30056

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