A Guide to Kelso Race Course
Overview
Described on its own website as “Britains Friendliest Racecourse”, Kelso has won the award for “Best Small Course in Scotland” three times by the Racegoers Club.
Racing has taken place at Kelso since 1734 and until 1888 was exclusively a Flat racing track. Since then though Kelso runs National Hunt rules meaning that Flat racing no longer takes part there.
The Premier Kelso Hurdle is run every March here and is a Grade 2 National Hunt Hurdle race. It is open to horses aged 4 years old and older and takes place over a distance of 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 25 yards.
There are two courses at Kelso, a Chase track which is left handed and measures 1 mile and 600 yards in an oval, and a Hurdle course which is 1 mile and 330 yards. The Hurdle course is also left handed. Both courses are generally flat with some undulations. There are 9 fences per circuit on the Chase track of which two are open ditches and 5 fences on the Hurdle track.
Bullet Points
- 2 left handed course
- Hurdle course is 1 mile and 1 furlong with 5 fences
- Chase course is 1 mile and 3 furlongs with 9 fences
- Chase course has one of the highest casualty rates in the country
Map of Kelso Racecourse

Statistics – Last Three Years
Top Trainers – Chase
Runners Wins Places
L Russell 58 9 29
W Coltherd 23 6 9
A Thompson 24 6 8
N Alexander 31 5 12
S Forster 18 5 11
Top Trainers – Hurdle
Runners Wins Places
K Dalgleish 48 13 17
L Russell 89 10 26
D McCain Jr 62 9 26
N Alexander 69 9 25
A Thomson 43 5 20
Top Trainers – National Hunt Flat
Runners Wins Places
M Hammond 4 2 1
L Russell 10 1 5
N Richards 7 1 5
J Ewart 9 1 3
D McCain Jr 5 1 2
Top Jockeys – Chase
Runners Wins Places
B Hughes 66 9 31
S Quinlan 32 7 14
D Cook 20 7 8
D Fox 34 5 19
J Hamilton 23 4 13
Top Jockeys – Hurdle
Runners Wins Places
B Hughes 90 18 36
C Nichol 48 8 13
L Alexander 46 6 15
S Quinlan 43 6 14
C Bewley 56 5 27
Top Jockeys – National Hunt Flat
Runners Wins Places
B Hughes 13 2 7
T Worsley 2 2 0
C Bewley 7 1 3
C Whillians 5 1 2
C Nichol 5 1 2
Course Address
Kelso Races Ltd
The Racecourse
Kelso
Scottish Borders
TD5 7SX
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