Beverley Racecourse  Beverley Racecourse is a thoroughbred racing track set in the stunningly beautiful surroundings of Beverly town, England. It is owned by Beverley Race Company Ltd, and hosts a series of right handed flat races annually, run over a distance of approximately one mile and three furlongs. The track has been functional for about 300 years now, making it one of the ancient racetracks in the country. Each year, Beverly racecourse is set to host a total of 19 race meetings, with 11 of them featuring entertainment concerts. The races begin from April all the way to September, making it a perfect day out for families and friends.

The first annual race meeting to be held there was in the year 1767. Racing then stopped for a short period of time between 1798 and 1805 before resuming in the 19th century when three-day race meetings were held. The number of race meetings has since then been increasing steadily over the years, and in 2012, the racecourse hosted a total of 19 races. Examples of its notable races include the Hilary Needler Trophy and the Bullet Sprint Stakes. The Hilary Needler Trophy takes place every late May or early June, and is run over a distance of 1006 meters. The race is strictly meant for horses aged two years. Bullet Sprint Stakes on the other hand is scheduled to take place at the end of each August, with horses aged three years and above taking part in it. It is also run over a distance of 1006 meters.

In 2024, 19 race days took place between April and September with highlights including Very British Raceday (with live music) in June, Ladies Day and  Bank Holiday Family Funday in August and the Season Finale towards the end of September. On family funday Tic-tac challenges,traditional rides and other fun activities take place, so it’s great for a family day out!

L’Escargot  Introduction

 

Many horses enter the racing sphere, win a few trophies, and vanish into relative obscurity. Like many sports, horseracing will see stars shine for a brief period of time before they leave the sport for various reasons. L’Escargot was one of the horses in this manner, having gone through a six-year spell winning five major trophies. Noted for being the horse that stopped the unstoppable movement of the world-class Red Rum at the Grand National in 1975, L’Escargot is remembered more for stopping history being made than the successes it had itself!

 

Career Summary

 

Running in four Grand Nationals, from 72-75, it eventually was the winner as it lifted the 1975 edition – the famous year where it stopped Red Rum on its path to dominance. Under the guidance of the likes of Tommy Carberry and Dan Moore, it managed to stun Red Rum with a 15-lengths victory, ensuring that it became one of the most controversial yet celebrated wins on the circuit.

 

With Cheltenham Gold Cup wins in 1970 and 1971, too, this was a horse that managed a fleeting but majorly successful period of time on the race course, before fading away to relatively obscurity.

 

Today, the horse can be found as part of the brilliant National Museum of Racing in the United States. It’s also listed as a Hall of Fame inductee, when it was voted as the American Champion Steeplechase Horse of the Year in 1969.

 

These impressive stats and feats across a 53 race career showcases that, despite being most remembered for its 1975 successes, that there is more to L’Escargot than meets the eye.

 

Achievements & Highlights

 

Wins – Meadow Brook Steeplechase (1969), Cheltenham Gold Cup (1970, 1971), Grand National (1975).

 

Associations – Raymond Guest, Dan Moore, Tommy Carberry.

 

Chester Racecourse  Chester racecourse is a horseracing track  located in Chester, Cheshire, England. It is famously known as the Rodee. The racecourse is owned and managed by Chester Race Company Ltd. Racing there dates way back to the sixteenth century, making it one of the most ancient racing tracks in England. Despite its small size of approximately 1.8 km in length, Chester attracts a tremendous crowd of about 250,000 people in the 15-event season that runs from
May to September. The races held there are strictly flat races. It is seated on a 65-acre piece of land on the banks of River Dee, making it a beautiful venue to watch the races from.

It is said that the ancient Romans established Chester as an anchorage point where they could access the Irish Sea from. This made it a busy trading port, and was later left abandoned as a public land after silt had covered it. Years later, it became a home for the Goteddsday football match, which was banned in 1533 for its violent nature. Horse racing was then introduced in 1539, and the first race was recorded in February of the same year. Since then, races have been taking place every year at Chester racecourse. In 2008, a restaurant was opened up in the racecourse named “1539”. This marked the year in which the first race took place there.

The most notable races held in the racetrack are the Chester Cup and the Cheshire Oaks. The Chester Cup is a handicap race, and was first run in the year 1824. It is run over a distance of 3,746km, and is only open to horses aged four years and above. Cheshire Oaks on the other hand was inaugurated in 1950. It takes place every May, and is open to horses aged three years. The race is run over a distance of 2,281 meters.

 

Pontefract Racecourse  Pontefract racecourse is a horse racing track located in Pontefract, Yorkshire, England. It is owned and managed by the Pontefract Park Race Company Ltd. The course is left- handed, and is about 5km long, with the last three furlongs steeping up a hill, making the finish very challenging. The course hosts flat races, and is considered as the largest flat racing track in the whole of Europe. It is easily accessible by public transportation, making it convenient to most racegoers. By train, one can choose to either use the Glasshoughton orTanshelf station. Bus services are also available and run frequently from Pontefract to Castleford.

Racing at Pontefract racecourse began way back in 1648. Back then, races occurred at the meadows near Pontefract. They however ceased happening in 1769 due to unknown reasons, and resumed in 1801. Unlike other racecourses, Pontefract remained functional during the World War 2. It was used as a venue for important races such as Lincoln Handicaps. It became the first racecourse in 1952 to install a photo finish, but was among the last racecourses to stage evening meetings.

The most notable races held at Pontefract are the Pontefract Castle Stakes and the Pomfret Stakes. The Pontefract Castle Stakes takes pace every June, and it first happened in 2005. Only fillies and mares are allowed to take part in the race. Pomfret Stakes on the other hand is scheduled for every July. It first happened in 2004, but was run as a handicap race. This year, the racecourse will be holding a total of six fixtures, three of them being Evening meetings and the other three being Sunday Meetings. There will be live concerts, with the Bootleg Beatles performing on the 20th of July after the racing. The racecourse will also be hosting the annual Ladies Day on the 8th of August, where the best dressed lady will be awarded with a holiday for two to the Dominican Republic.