Haydock Racecourse

Haydock Park is a dual-purpose course that hosts high-quality jump and Flat racing throughout the calendar year. It is located in Merseyside close to the northern cities of Liverpool and Manchester.

Racing took place at nearby Newton-le-Willows in the 1700s and 1800s, and when that track was closed in 1898 it was replaced a year later by Haydock Park. The track is generally considered sharp in nature and is left-handed.

Owned and operated by the Jockey Club, Haydock races on 32 days of the year, making it one of the busiest tracks in Britain, and is home to many races steeped in history including the Grand National trial in February, the Temple Stakes in May and the Lancashire Oaks in July.

Boasting four grandstands and 33 private viewing suites, restaurants, bars and leading conference facilities, Haydock Park has a well-earned reputation as one of the best racecourses in Britain.

Betfair Chase

This Grade 1 is the most high-profile jumps race at the course, taking place in November for high-class staying chasers. It has been won on multiple occasions by Cue Card and the legendary Kauto Star, two of the most popular horses in modern jump racing. Kauto Star holds the record for the most wins in the race, having taken his tally to four in 2011. Held over a distance of three miles, one and a half furlongs, the race is the first leg of the prestigious £1 million Chase Triple Crown that also includes the King George at Kempton and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Other jump races

Haydock hosts other well-known jump races such as the Peter Marsh Chase, the Champion Hurdle trial, a Grand National trial and the Swinton Handicap Hurdle, worth £100,000. Haydock is also home to the finale of the Challenger Series.

Haydock Sprint Cup

The jewel in Haydock’s Flat season is the Haydock Sprint Cup, a Group 1 race over six furlongs in September that is a major target for Europe’s best sprinters. The event was established in 1966 and was originally open to horses aged two or older. It was devised by Robert Sangster, heir to the Vernons pools business and a leading racehorse owner/breeder. During the early part of its history, the race was sponsored by Vernons and held in early November. It was initially contested on a course with a sharp left-hand bend but is now run on the straight track.

Other Flat races

Haydock hosts plenty of good Flat meetings throughout the summer. The Old Newton Cup retains ties to the original course, while the Temple Stakes, Sandy Lane Stakes and the Lancashire Oaks are all Group 2 contests.

Trivia: The great racemare Queen Of Trumps, who won the Oaks and the St Leger for trainer John Blenkhorn, was victorious at Newton in 1836.