Haydock Park is one of the most used racecourses in the country, hosting approximately 32 racing days a year, with a mixture of Flat and Jump Racing.
Over the years, the Jockey Club-owned Haydock Park has become the home of some of the most popular races on the Northern racing circuit.
Guide To Haydock Park:
The principle races in calendar order are the Grand National Trial in February, The Temple Stakes in May, the Old Newton Cup and Lancashire Oaks in July, the Sprint Cup in September and the Betfair Chase in November.
If you enjoy looking at horse racing betting odds, these races have popular ante-post markets associated with them every single year.
Haydock Park - History:
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The earliest record of racing taking place in the vicinity of Haydock was in 1751 on Golbourn Heath when the races were known as Newton Races. Regular Flat meetings were staged at Newton-le-Willows from 1807 until 1898, after which Haydock Park was launched. The Old Newton Cup is the last surviving link between the original course and the modern day Haydock Park.
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The first ever two day National Hunt meeting was on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th February 1899.
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In 1908 Sydney Sandon became the Secretary of Haydock Park Racecourse, and he began the process of firmly establishing the venue as one of the top tracks in the country. Sandon was that instrumental to the growth of Haydock Park in the early days that he served as its Course secretary, Chairman and Managing Director throughout Haydock’s infancy.
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The course closed between 1939 and 1945 due to war, returning on Wednesday 14th August 1946.
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In 1947 Sheila’s Cottage won a 3 ½ mile Chase at Haydock on Friday 28th November before going on to win the Grand National the following year.
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The Lancashire Oaks, formerly contested at Manchester Racecourse, was transferred to Haydock in 1963.
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In 1966 the Sprint Cup was introduced to the Haydock Flat programme and was won by Be Friendly owned by the late Sir Peter O’Sullevan. A statue to Be Friendly still graces the flowerbeds next to the Haydock paddock.
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The new grandstand was opened in 1990, helping Haydock maintains its place as one of the top dual code racecourses in the country.
Haydock Park - The Course
The course at Haydock is pretty flat and is run left-handed. The one mile five furlong track features a small incline of four-and-a-half furlongs which can lend itself to a dramatic finish.
The flat races over five and six furlongs are straight, but longer races have a tight bend to negotiate.
The Steeplechase course also measures one mile five furlong and has a total of ten fences. At one time the obstacles at Haydock Park were second only to the Grand National course in terms of difficulty, but that is now debatable.
The hurdles course is slightly shorter than the full one mile five furlongs and has six flights to jump in total.
Haydock Races - Biggest Meetings:
Haydock is a particularly busy course during the summer months and there are plenty of top quality Flat meetings that take place outside of the most well known ones.
The Old Newton Cup, the Temple Stakes, Sandy Lane Stakes and the Lancashire Oaks are all Group 2 contests in their own right.
Aside from the Betfair Chase, Haydock is also the home of the Peter Marsh Chase, The Last Fling Chase, the Champion Hurdle Trial, the Grand National Trial and the Swinton Handicap Hurdle, worth a massive £100,000.
Haydock is also where the finale of the Challenger Series is held.
Betfair Chase
The first Grade One Chase of the season in Great Britain, the £160,000 Betfair Chase, takes place at Haydock Park and the race is also the first leg of the National Hunt Triple Crown.
Staged over an extended three miles and one furlong, Haydock’s winter feature is often a small but select field, with the likes of Paul Nicholls and Nigel Twiston-Davies supporting the race.
Odds on the upcoming renewal of the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park will be available in due course.
Haydock Races Tips:
You can find Haydock Park tips here at 888sport, as well as via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post, Liverpool Echo, St Helen’s Star, Mull It Over Blog.
Haydock Races Results Today:
Check the latest Haydock results via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post. Sportinglife, Racing TV, Attheraces.
Haydock Park Dress Code:
The County Enclosure encourages smart dress for both ladies and gentlemen. Haydock ask gentlemen to wear a buttoned collared shirt and smart trousers.
Jeans are allowed as long as they're not faded, distressed or ripped. Fancy dress, sportswear (including trainers) or swimwear is not permitted. Casual dress is permitted in all the other area of the site.
Haydock Park Tickets:
Haydock Park are exceptional at providing entertainment - whether that's a normal race day or one of their famous Haydock summer music nights. Click HERE to explore what’s on at Haydock Park Racecourse in the coming months.
*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*
