Fontwell racecourse is a horse racing track located in the spectacular surroundings of Fontwell, England. It was opened in 1924, and is owned by Arena Racing Company. The racecourse is well known for hosting National Hunt races, offering a total of 24 meetings each year. It is seated on a 65-acre piece of land in the South Coast with an amazingly thrilling atmosphere, a major reason as to why it is the most preferred destination to most racegoers. Fontwell has been voted for as the most attractive and best small racecourse in the South East 19 times in a row.
The racecourse was founded by Alfred Day, a racehorse trainer who had visited Hermitage in 1887. His passion for racing drove him. After several years of familiarizing himself with the area, he finally managed to purchase land by the end of 1924, enough to build a racecourse. With support from the local community, he obtained a license from Jockey Club and opened Fontwell racecourse. On May 21st of the same year was when the racecourse hosted its first meeting. A huge crowd turned up, which was impressive considering the fact that the racecourse had not held any meetings previously. In its first year, it held a total of four race meetings. The numbers kept increasing over the years to today’s 24.
The most notable race run at Fontwell is the National Spirit Hurdle. It is a National Hunt race, and takes place each late February or early March. The race is run over 3,852 metres with a total of ten hurdles. It was inaugurated in 1965 with horses aged four years and above taking part in it. This year, the racecourse is set to host a significant number of fixtures. For example, on the 16th of June will be the Gentlemen’s Evening. This will be a perfect
day out for friends. The best dressed gents will be awarded.