Racecourse information

[JollyGreen]

A friend sent this to me and I thought it may be useful for some of my fellow forum members.

The course rating in brackets (G1 G3 etc) should be taken with a slight pinch of salt. You cannot have a Group 1 course as such, it mainly relates to the highest grade of racing you should expect at said course.

ASCOT
Flat (G1) and National Hunt (G1). Right-handed circuit of 1m 6f and with a straight 1m course. Draw: low numbers favoured on the straight course.

AYR
Flat (G1) and National Hunt (G1). Left-handed circuit of 1m 4f with a straight 6f course. Draw: High numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races, low numbers favoured in races over 7f.

BANGOR
National Hunt (G4). Left-handed circuit of 1m 5f.

BATH
Flat (G3). Left-handed circuit of about 1m 4f and 25yds with a 6f spur. Draw: Low numbers favoured in sprint races.

BEVERLEY
Flat (G3). Right-handed circuit of 1m 3f and 44yds with a 5f spur. Draw: High numbers favoured on the 5f to 1m course.

BRIGHTON
Flat (G2). Left-handed "U" shaped course of 1m 4f. Draw: Low numbers favoured in sprint races.

CARLISLE
Flat (G4) and National Hunt (G2). Right-handed circuit of 1m 5f with two spurs of 6f and 1m. Draw: High numbers favoured in races up to 1m.

CARTMEL
National Hunt (G4). Left-handed circuit of 1m with a diagonal finishing straight.

CATTERICK
Flat (G4) and National Hunt (G3). Left-handed circuit of 1m 180yds with a 5f straight course. Draw: Low numbers favoured in 5f & 7f races

CHELTENHAM
National Hunt (G1). Two separate steeplechase courses, both Left-handed and about 1m 4f round.

CHEPSTOW
Flat (G3) and National Hunt (G2). Left-handed circuit of 2m with a straight 1m course. Draw: High numbers favoured on straight course.

CHESTER
Flat (G2). Left-handed circuit of 1m 73yds. Draw: Low numbers favoured.

DEVON & EXETER
National Hunt (G4). Right-handed circuit of 2m.

DONCASTER
Flat (G1) and National Hunt (G1). Left-handed circuit of 1m 7.5f with a straight 1m course. Draw: High numbers favoured on the straight course, low numbers favoured on the round course.

EPSOM
Flat (G1). Left-handed horseshoe course of 1m 4f with 5f, 6f & 7f spurs. Draw: Low numbers favoured races up to 1m.

FAKENHAM
National Hunt (G4). Left-handed circuit of about 1m.

FOLKESTONE
Flat (G4) and National Hunt (G3). Right-handed circuit of 1m 3f with a straight 6f course. Draw: Low numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races.

FONTWELL
National Hunt (G2). Left-handed, figure of 8 circuit of about 1m.

GOODWOOD
Flat (G1). Right-handed "U" shaped course of 1m 3f with a straight 6f straight course. Draw: High numbers favoured.

HAMILTON
Flat (G3). Right-handed. Shaped like a tennis racket. The full circuit of 1m 5f with a straight 6f course. Draw: Middle numbers best on straight course.

HAYDOCK
Flat (G1) and National Hunt (G1). Left-handed circuit of 1m 5f with a 6f spur. Draw: Low numbers favoured in 6f, 7f & 1m races.

HEREFORD
National Hunt (G4). Right-handed circuit of 1m 4f.

HEXHAM
National Hunt (G4). Right-handed circuit of 1m 4f.

HUNTINGDON
National Hunt (G3). Right-handed circuit of 1m 4f.

KELSO
National Hunt (G4). Left-handed circuit of 1m 3f.

KEMPTON
Flat (G1) and National Hunt (G1). Right-handed circuit of 1m 6f with a straight 5f course. Draw: No advantage in sprints races, high numbers favoured on the round course.

LEICESTER
Flat (G3) and National Hunt (G3). Right-handed circuit of 2m with a straight 1m course. Draw: High numbers favoured.

LINGFIELD
Flat (G2) and National Hunt (G2). Left-handed loop course for races of 1m 4f and more round, also straight & round 7f 140yds courses. The 3.5f run-in is slightly downhill. Draw: High numbers favoured on the straight course.

LIVERPOOL
National Hunt (G1). Left-handed circuit of 2m 2f round.

LUDLOW
National Hunt (G4). Right-handed circuit of 1m 4f.

MARKET RASEN
National Hunt (G3). Right-handed circuit of 1m 2f.

MUSSLEBURGH
Flat (G4). Right-handed course of 1m 2f with a straight 5f course. Draw: High numbers favoured in races from 7f to 1m.

NEWBURY
Flat (G1) and National Hunt (G1). Left-handed circuit of 1m 7f with a straight 1m course. Draw: No advantage.

NEWCASTLE
Flat (G1). and National Hunt (G1). Left-handed circuit of 1m 6f with a straight 1m course. Draw: No advantage.

NEWMARKET
Flat (G1). Rowley Mile course is 2m long with a right-hand bend. Round course is 1m 7f. Draw: Low numbers favoured. July course 2m long with a right-hand bend. Draw: No advantage.

NEWTON ABBOT
National Hunt (G2). Left-handed circuit of 1m.

NOTTINGHAM
Flat (G3). Left-handed circuit of 1m 4f with a 1m straight course. Draw: High numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races.

PERTH
National Hunt (G2). Right-handed circuit of 1m 2f.

PLUMPTON
National Hunt (G3). Left-handed circuit of 1m 2f.

PONTEFRACT
Flat (G3). Oval shaped course of 2m 133yds, 5f & 6f courses are part of the main course. Draw: Low numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races.

REDCAR
Flat (G2). Left-handed circuit of 1m 6f and 132yds with a straight 1m 1f course. Draw: No advantage.

RIPON
Flat (G2). Right-handed circuit of 1m 6f with a straight 6f course. Draw: Low numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races.

SALISBURY
Flat (G2). Straight 1m course with a small right-handed loop. Draw: High numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races.

SANDOWN
Flat (G1) and National Hunt (G1). Right-handed circuit of 1m 5f 35yds with a straight 5f course. Draw: Low numbers are favoured on the 5f course. High numbers favoured in races over 7f.

SEDGEFIELD
National Hunt (G4). Left-handed circuit of about 1m 2f.

SOUTHWELL
National Hunt (G4). Left-handed circular circuit of 1m 2f.

STRATFORD
National Hunt (G3). Left-handed triangular circuit of 1m 2f.

TAUNTON
National Hunt (G4). Right-handed circuit of 1m 2f.

THIRSK
Flat (G2). Left-handed circuit of 1m 2f 50yds with a straight 6f course. Draw: High numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races.

TOWCESTER
National Hunt (G4). Right-handed circuit of about 1m 6f.

UTTOXETER
National Hunt (G3). Left-handed circuit of 1m 3f.

WARWICK
Flat (G4) and National Hunt (G3). Left-handed circuit of 1m 6f 32yds with 5f, 1m and 1m 2f spurs. Draw: Low numbers favoured over 5f.

WETHERBY
National Hunt (G2). Left-handed circuit of 1m 4f.

WINCANTON
National Hunt (G3). Right-handed circuit of 1m 3f.

WINDSOR
Flat (G3) and National Hunt (G3). Right-handed figure of eight circuit of 1m 6f. Draw: High numbers favoured in 5f & 6f races.

WOLVERHAMPTON
Flat (G4). Left-handed circuit of 1m 4f with a straight 5f course. Draw: High numbers favoured on the straight course.

WORCESTER
National Hunt (G3). Left-handed circuit of 1m 5f.

YARMOUTH
Flat (G3). Left-handed circuit of 1m 4f with a straight 1m course. Draw: High numbers favoured on the straight course, low numbers on the round course.

YORK
Flat (G1). Left-handed "U" shaped course of 2m with a straight 6f course. Draw: No advantage.

[ChrisCGN]

Hey Jolly,
thank you very, very much for giving this information to the forum / to me! This will make some behaviours more predictable, I guess.
Unbelievable, two month ago I thought that horseracing is just a jockey, a horse and a huge pot of luck ...

Best regards,

Chris

[LinusP]

Jolly thanks for this info, out of interest have you ever noticed any patterns regarding which way the course is run?

[JollyGreen]

Jolly thanks for this info, out of interest have you ever noticed any patterns regarding which way the course is run?

Can you elaborate Linus? I am not certain what you mean but if you explain I will try and answer.

[LinusP]

I mean some courses are run right handed and some left handed, so are there any edges involved in some horses performing better/worse going around left or right.

[JollyGreen]

I mean some courses are run right handed and some left handed, so are there any edges involved in some horses performing better/worse going around left or right.

Okay I understand now. This is a very profitable angle if you know what to look for. I made a post here

Horses for Courses

Some horses prefer a certain direction and perform better left or right handed. The form of Standing Ovation clearly showed he did not go so well left handed and the result reflected that.

Some horses need a galloping track, others need a flat track. Imperial Commander was a classic example of a horse who loved a galloping track like Haydock or Cheltenham. Despite this they tried to run him at Aintree and Kempton. I respect his trainer but even he said it was "a myth" that he didn't like these courses. Well I disagreed strongly so I was always a layer at this course. His results were

Ran 3 Won 0
Unseated 1
Pulled Up
Best result 3rd

Kempton saw him run twice where he finished 5th and 6th.

Cheltenham he ran 12 times and won 6 times including a Gold Cup

Haydock he ran twice and won once!

So horses do prefer certain courses and if you can factor this into your trading or betting it will often return positive results. If I spot it then other form students will and that will change the price if enough get involved!

[LinusP]

Thats interesting, how do you the know the trainer wasn't just saying it was a myth to make sure the price wasn't too high when he put some lays in...