Newbury Racing Tips

The Newbury Racecourse is located in the civil parish of Greenham, just outside North Wessex Downs, a beautiful place. The views around the course can only be matched by the views on the racecourse tracks, which are well-maintained and have top-class facilities. 

About a decade ago, this racecourse made headlines as it was the venue where Queen Elizabeth hosted celebrations for her 86th birthday. The Queen had two horses compete on that day. They were both ridden by Ryan Moore, but neither gave her the birthday win she hoped for. 

Newbury Horse Racing Tips

The following table will show our tips from Newbury when there are scheduled races there.

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

Newbury Fixture List 2025

Newbury Racecourse History

The earliest evidence of racing at this racecourse dates back to 1805, during the annual Newbury Races meeting. The two-day event was held at Endborne Heath until 1811, when it was moved to Woodhay Heath for another four years.

Newbury waited nearly a century for its first racecourse because of John Porter’s persistence. John Porter was Kingsclere’s trainer, and leading up to the construction of the racecourse, he’d made many proposals. Each of these proposals was rejected by the Jockey Club because of their strict requirements.

He finally caught a break when he met with King Edward VII, who was more than happy to support the application for a new racecourse. A good word from the King was enough to get the application approved. 

In 1904, the Newbury Racecourse Company was created. The company immediately set out to work on stables and buildings on the new piece of land. On the 26th and 27th of September 1905, the first horse race meeting was held on the racecourse. John Porter managed to saddle a winner on the second race day. This was his last racing season before he retired.

In the beginning, the racecourse only held flat races. But after a year, they added National hunt races.  As time went by, more and more events were added to the yearly schedule.

Many great racers, including Golden Miller, had the opportunity to race here. Golden Miller won the Cheltenham Gold Cup five times. His chase debut was at the Newbury racecourse, but unfortunately, he was disqualified for carrying the wrong weight. Luckily, he made things right afterwards and won the Reading Chase in his next appearance.

The Course

The racecourse has an almost oval track with three bends. Two are on the far end and are quite sweeping, and the third is tighter and located right after the finishing post. It is used for races that are longer than two miles. 

Flat Course

The flat track has a long straight from the final bend and can accommodate races up to 1 mile. The track has slight undulations on the straight, but there isn’t a real draw bias to worry about.

But when 1-mile races start in the spur, there is a draw to worry about since there is a sweeping corner to negotiate about 2.5 furlongs after the off. On the other hand, longer races start down the back straight, except for two-mile races.

Jump Course

The jump course is run on the inner track and hence has tighter corners. It has four fences, seven hurdles, and fence combinations. It had tricky fences in the past, but nowadays, the obstacles aren’t as stiff as they were.

Today, the jump course is a track where novices can experience a chase race at a good level without being pushed to the limit.  Because of its shape, jockeying for position at the start of the race isn’t mandatory. However, taking the lead as you near the run-in has great value. 

Newbury Main Racing Events

Hennessy Gold Cup Chase

This race is now known as the Ladbrokes Trophy. It is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase open to horses over four years old. It is run over 5,225 meters and has 21 fences. The handicap race takes place annually in December.

Lockinge Stakes

This Group 1 flat race, which was established in 1958 and named after Lockinge is run for 1,609 meters every May. It is open to horses over four years old. Initially, it was open to horses over three years old.

Challow Novices’ Hurdle

This Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle is open to horses over four years old. It is run for 4,131 meters. During the race, horses jump over ten hurdles. This race is mostly for novice jockeys and takes place annually in December. 

Game Spirit Chase

This Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase race is only open to horses over five years old. It is run for 3,308 meters, and horses jump over 13 fences. The race is held annually in February. The first event was run in 1953 and was named after Game Spirit, a racehorse owned by the Queen Mother.

The Betfair Hurdle

This Grade 3 National Hunt hurdle race is open to horses over four years old. It is run over 3,282 meters and has eight hurdles. It’s a handicap race scheduled for every February.

Where to Bet on Newbury Racecourse Races

Online betting sites

While you can bet in traditional bet shops, we recommend using online betting sites. Below are some benefits it offers.

•       Better odds—The fact that online betting sites don’t have many overheads means they can afford to give punters better odds, translating into potentially higher wins. 
•       Convenience – provided you have an internet connection, you can place your bets anywhere. This means you’ll save on money you’d have spent on travel and accommodation.
•       Coverage – with traditional betting shops, there are limited races you can bet on. But with online betting shops, you can bet on various horse races worldwide. 

How to get to Newbury Racecourse

Car – the racecourse has enough free parking. If you opt to drive there, use the following stat nav details – RG14 7NZ

Train – most people opt to travel by train since the racecourse has its own train station. If you arrive by train, you’ll walk to the racecourse grounds.

Bus – during race days, the course is well services by coach and bus companies.

Our Final Thoughts on Newbury

The Newbury Racecourse, surrounded by picturesque venues, is one of Britain’s premier racecourses. Its rich heritage, ties to royals and racing legends, and excellent facilities symbolise the nation’s deep-rooted racing tradition. Its accessibility and outstanding customer support further enhance its appeal to both racing enthusiasts and visitors seeking a quintessentially British experience.