Guide to Warwick Racecourse 2d1y2f

National Hunt 296m1l

The Great Fire of Warwick d2f5v

Races were held in Warwick to raise funds for the town after the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694. They proved so popular that in 1707 an official racecourse was created on St Mary’s Land, a public common where the course remains to this day. This makes Warwick Racecourse one of the oldest UK racecourses and the sixth oldest in the world. 4a3f6p

First Hurdle Course in UK 96635

In 1831 the racecourse became the first in UK to officially include a hurdle race in its programme, which became the birth of modernday National Hunt racing. Legend has it that in 1847 Chandler raced over a fence and four fallen horses in a 39-foot leap. He went on to win the Grand National.

WWII 6g3x4o

In 1886 the Warwick Race Club Syndicate was formed to buy the course. It was purchased from them after WWII by Warwick Corporation before Racecourse Holdings Trust (now The Jockey Club) took charge in 1967. 

Red Rum 5u2a46

In the same year, Red Rum won a Flat race there, in one of his first outings as a two-year-old.

In 2014 Warwick Racecourse was forced to discontinue Flat racing after the racing surface was deemed unsafe. As well as Jump racing, however, the racecourse also continues to host a nine-hole golf course and a golf driving range. 

Important Races/Festivals 2621j

• January – Classic Chase; Leamington Novices’ Hurdle
• February – Kingmaker Novice’s Chase