Doncaster Horse Racing Tips

The Doncaster Racecourse has 36 meetings every year, making it one of the busiest courses in Britain. It’s centrally located, meaning that you don’t have to travel far to catch a racing action.

The course has a long and interesting history. Adding to this, it hosts St. Leger Stakes, one of the oldest British Classic Races. Though the track is old and has a rich history, its facilities are vibrant and modern. Moreover, it has a perfect mix of new and old, top-class and friendly local races.

Let’s see what the course has to offer and why it’s considered one of the best tracks in the UK.

Doncaster Racing Tips

Find all today’s latest free horse racing tips, including Doncaster horse racing tips from the most respected professional tipsters from the UK and Ireland.

Doncaster Racecourse history

There’s evidence of racing in Doncaster as early as the 16th century. And even though there were numerous attempts to stop horse racing action due to the high number of ruffians it attracted, plans for building a racecourse started to take shape in 1614 when the local Corporation took control of the space for three centuries. 

In the beginning, races were held at Cantley Common. However, in 1766, to cope with the growing number of racing enthusiasts, the races were moved to Town Moor. During the course’s opening, Colonel Anthony organized and sponsored a new race which was dubbed as St. Leger Stakes. 

Unfortunately, after the grand opening, two not-so-exciting centuries passed. A big break came when Doncaster received a big boost after the closure of Lincoln and Manchester racecourses in 1964. Their closure not only helped to increase the number of spectators attending the races, but it also meant that the track was now the host for the Lincoln and November Handicap races.

A couple of years later, in 1992, it made history again by being the first course to hold a race on Sunday. Even though there weren’t on-site bookies to take bets, over 20,000 people attended the races, setting a precedent for Sunday races around the country.

Fast forward to 2006, some serious reconstruction worth £34 million started on the racetrack. The improved features included a 5-tier Grandstand and new conference facilities with 3,000 m of space to hold events. The investment transformed the track into a modern racecourse, giving it a chance to compete with top-class tracks in the land. 

The Course

Doncaster Flat course

Doncaster hosts flat, chase, and hurdle action regularly, keeping the staff super busy. It’s preferred for many races because it has the lowest record of cancellations. The ground is well-drained, which means the track is almost always in good shape. However, from time to time, the conditions become testing and heavy, favouring speed instead of stamina.

The flat course is considered fair. It’s flat and has only one mild uphill gradient at the top bend. Aside from this, the long straight is flat and perfect for races 5 furlongs, 1 mile long. However, the course can host 1-mile races starting from the small stem protruding from the round course.

Jumps Course

Doncaster has a 2-mile jumping course that sees horses negotiate a tight corner as they get closer to the finishing post and a long and gradual bend towards the run-in. While the course is galloping, the ground is better suited for faster horses.

Doncaster Main Racing Events

Doncaster Cup

This is a Group 2 flat race that’s open to horses above three years old. It’s run over 2 miles 1 furlong and happens every year in September. The first time it was held was in 1766. At the time, it was called the Doncaster Gold Cup.

St Leger Stakes

This is a Group 1 flat race that’s open to 3-year-old thoroughbred fillies and colts. It’s run over 1 mile and 6 furlongs and takes place in September. The first time it was run was in 1766 and is considered one of the British five classics. Compared to the other five classic races, it’s the longest and is run last every year. 

Lincoln Handicap

This is a flat handicap race that’s open to horses above four years. It is run for a mile and is held between March and April. 

Vertem Futurity Trophy

This is a Group 1 flat race that’s open to 2-year-old thoroughbred fillies and colts. It is run over 1 mile and takes place every year in late October.  The event was set up in 1961 and was initially called the Timeform Gold Cup. It’s the brainchild of Phil Bull and was backed by Timeform until 1964, after which The Observer took over.

Great Yorkshire Chase

This is a National Hunt handicap chase open to horses aged five years and above. It’s run over 3 miles and is scheduled to take place in January every year. The first time it was run was in 1948 and had Sky Bet as its sponsor.

Grimthorpe Handicap Chase

This is a National Hunt handicap steeplechase that’s open to horses over five years old. It’s run over 3 miles and 2 furlongs and has 19 fences. The race takes place between February and March.  Before 1980, Grimthorpe was run over 2 miles.

Tips on Where to Bet on Doncaster Races

You can place bets with betting shops around the racetrack or on online betting sites. However, we recommend using online betting sites for a couple of reasons. 

Online Betting Sites That Cover Racing

While traditional betting shops have their pros, online betting sites are better. Some of the benefits you get include:

•       Betting at any time and from any location
•       Horse statistics
•       Better odds
•       Lots of promotions and bonuses. However, you should be keen on the wagering requirements

How to Get to the Doncaster Racecourse

Self-drive

The racecourse has free parking on non-race days and paid parking on race days. It is connected to the M1, M62, and M18, making it easier to find your way to the course.

Bus

Shuttle buses run from Doncaster Interchange rail station on race days to the track.

Train

The Doncaster train station is 32 minutes’ walk from the course.

Air

Doncaster-Sheffield Robin Hood Airport is the closest airport to the racetrack and has lots of internal flights.

The Doncaster Racecourse is spacious and accommodating. As such, it’s a great place to get a taste of the adrenaline racing offers. The atmosphere is great, and you’ll have no problems getting your tickets. Even better, there are loads of race meetings all year round for you to plan around.