Huntingdon Races

The Huntingdon Races course is an intimate racing venue, which promises a warm and friendly atmosphere all of its own, in a compact venue that strives to offer the highest standards of racing. Voted as the Best Small Racecourse in the South Midlands and East Anglia by the highly-respected Racegoers Club, the course itself is only a short walk (around 5 minutes) from the pretty and historic market town of Huntingdon and set in the heart of the Cambridgeshire Countryside. It is operated by The Jockey Club. Although Huntingdon itself offers great local amenities such as bars and restaurants, the Huntingdon Races course itself also offers a great range of hospitality, with hot and cold food in their own bars and restaurants as well from the less permanent food and drink stalls. It was the year 1775 when the first races were held in the area, in nearby Port Holme, making the racing tradition at Huntingdon one of the oldest in the country. Today, though the Huntingdon Races consist of 19 Jump racing meeting and 2 Arab horse meetings which cover their 9 month season. The biggest race in the Huntingdon Races calendar is arguably the John Smith's 10th Mascot Grand National, which is held in early October. Once of the most fun talked about races in the country is held with fierce competition, as the John Smith's No Nonsense Racing Mascots race down the finishing straight. The Mascot race is not the only race that day, though, and there are 7 National Hunt races to follow, with free children's entertainment provided throughout the day.

Huntingdon Races Information

The course at Huntingdon is a flat, right-handed circuit of approximately 1 mile 3 furlongs, with great viewing provided from all angles. There are nine fences to a circuit with the open ditch in front of the grandstand providing a real spectacle. The ground at the Huntingdon Races often drains well, without the "boggy" tendency that some British racecourses suffer from, and this coupled with the lack of undulations of the course means that the fastest types of horses thrive here - there is not much of an emphasis on stamina, more of pure speed. All the enclosures at Huntingdon provide Tote facilities. No dogs are admitted to the grounds on race days, except for guide dogs.

Getting There

If travelling by car or road, the course is half a mile from the A14 on Junction 22, shortly after it joins the A1/M at Brampton Hut as well as the M11 and the M6 - making it easy to access from all the the country. There is free car parking provided, and even a picnic car park where race-goers can enjoy the racing from the comfort of their own car, and, of course, with a picnic. By rail, the nearest station to the course is Huntingdon Station, which can be found 1.5 miles from the course itself and on the mainline from Kinds Cross. On race days, the Huntingdon Races provide a complimentary shuttle bus service that takes race goers to and from the course and the station. There is also a helicopter landing area on the course, where helicopters can land with prior permission on race days.