Huntingdon racecourse is a horse racing track located in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England. It is a thoroughbred track, well known for hosting National Hunt races. The racecourse is owned and managed by the Jockey Club Racecourses. It has been voted for a number of times as the best small racecourse in East Anglia and the South Midlands. Being located in a strategic place near where the A1 and A14 converge, the racecourse is convenient to many people, attracting huge crowds of people to its race meetings. It hosts a total of 17 fixtures each year, over a period of nine months. The most anticipated day in Huntingdon’s calendar is the Traditional Boxing Day meeting, which usually attracts thousands of people each year.
The racecourse has excellent hospitality facilities, making the stay of its visitors comfortable. The Peterborough restaurant is well known for its excellent dining services. Huntingdon provides free entertainment for children during Bank Holiday meetings that take place every Sunday. With the company of a paying adult, those under the age of 18 years are admitted free of charge. Adults aged 18 to 24 years can always register for discounted admissions into the racecourse.
The most notableraces held at Huntingdon are the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle and the Peterborough chase. The Sidney Banks Memorial hurdle is for horses at the age of four years and above. It is run over 3,947 metres, and takes place every February. The race was inaugurated in 1976. The Peterborough on the other hand is a grade 2 race run over 4,124 meters with the jumping of sixteen hurdles. It allows in competitors aged four years and above and takes place every December. It first took place in 1969.
Apart from being a horse racing venue, the racecourse is also a wedding, exhibitions, conference and car boot sales venue. This is mainly due to its convenient location and state-of-the-art facilities.