A Guide to Bath Race Course

Overview

Based in Lansdown Hill, Bath racecourse is a left handed oval track that measures 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 25 yards and is Britains Highest Flat racecourse. The course was opened in 1811.

Notable races include the Lansdown Fillies Stakes which is run in April over a distance of 5 furlongs and 11 yards for fillies aged 3 and 4, and the Beckford Stakes. The Beckford Stakes is a longer race at 1 mile and 6 furlongs and is for fillies aged 3 and over. The Beckford Stakes is run every year in October.

The track is laid out in a kidney shape with a start position at each end also giving it the look of a reef knot.

The run in is almost half a mile long and due to the courses height above sea level, can get very dry, making this a challenging racecourse for both horses and jockeys. The shape of the course also makes it difficult as the horses are nearly always turning. To complete the trickiness of the course, the final run in is uphill.

The course is just over 12 furlongs long with a 4 four furlong run in. All races are on the flat and there are no fences to jump.

In 1953 Bath Racecourse was subject to an attempt to fix a race by criminals. They switched a horse for an identical looking horse that was better and sabotaged the power so that on course bookies were unable to alter their prices. They then bet heavily on the switched horse which won easily at odds of 10-1. However there were suspicions from racing officials and Scotland Yard were bought in to investigate who managed to bring the gang to justice.

Bullet Points

• Opened in 1811
• Left handed course
• Highest Flat racing Course in the Country
• Long, uphill run in
• Course length is 1 mile and 4 furlongs