London has no racecourse of its own, but few cities are better placed for a day at the races. Within an hour of the centre there are several courses staging everything from Monday evening meetings to the Derby. Whether you want a quiet midweek card or to bet on the festival favourites at Royal Ascot, these are the courses Londoners reach most easily.
Kempton Park
Kempton, at Sunbury-on-Thames, is around 15 miles south-west of central London and has its own railway station, served by trains from Waterloo on race days. It races all year round. The all-weather track is floodlit, so evening meetings run through the winter, and the jumps course stages the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, one of the biggest days in the National Hunt calendar.
Sandown Park
Sandown sits at Esher, a short walk from Esher station and about half an hour by train from Waterloo. It is one of a handful of British courses that stages top-class Flat and jump racing. The Eclipse Stakes in July, first run in 1886, is one of the most important middle-distance races of the summer, while the Tingle Creek Chase in December is a highlight of the jumps season. The grandstand looks over the whole track, so the view is among the best in the south.
Epsom Downs
Epsom, on the Surrey Downs around 15 miles from central London, is home to the Derby, first run in 1780. The Derby Festival in early June also includes the Oaks, and crowds spread across the Downs on the inside of the track. The course is famous for its camber and the sharp descent to Tattenham Corner, which ask a lot of a young horse’s balance. Outside Derby week, Epsom stages smaller meetings through the summer.
Ascot
Ascot is around 25 miles west of London, with direct trains from Waterloo to Ascot station. Royal Ascot in June is five days of Group racing, and the course also hosts the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July and British Champions Day in October. The jumps season adds good winter racing, including the Clarence House Chase in January.
Windsor
Royal Windsor Racecourse lies beside the Thames, close to Windsor Castle. Its unusual figure-of-eight layout is used only for Flat racing, and its summer Monday evening meetings are among the most popular in the calendar. On some race days a riverboat runs from the town centre to the course, which adds to the occasion.
Lingfield Park and Chelmsford City
Lingfield, in Surrey, is about 25 miles south of London, with trains from Victoria and London Bridge. Its all-weather track means racing goes ahead through the winter, when many turf courses are closed or waterlogged. Chelmsford City, in Essex, is the closest course to east London. It also races on an all-weather surface under floodlights, and its evening fixtures attract a steady crowd from the city.
Planning a day out
For most Londoners, the train is the simplest way in. Kempton, Sandown, Epsom and Ascot are all reached directly from Waterloo, while Lingfield is served from Victoria and London Bridge. Big days at Epsom and Ascot sell out early and come with a dress code in some enclosures, so it is worth checking the course website before setting off. Smaller midweek meetings are easier to plan and usually cheaper to attend.