Newton Abbot Racecourse is a

thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

venue located on the north bank of the

River Teign The River Teign is a river in the county of Devon, England. It is long and rises on Dartmoor, becomes an estuary just below Newton Abbot and reaches the English Channel at Teignmouth. Toponymy The river-name 'Teign' is first attested in an An ...

in the parishes of

Kingsteignton Kingsteignton ( ), is a town and civil parish in South Devon, England. It lies at the head of the Teign Estuary to the west of Teignmouth in the Teignbridge district. It is bypassed by the A380 and is also on the A383, A381, B3193 and B3195 ...

and

Teigngrace Teigngrace is a civil parish centred on a hamlet that lies about two miles north of the town of Newton Abbot in Devon, England. According to the 2001 census, its population was 235, compared to 190 a century earlier. The western boundary of the p ...

just north of

Newton Abbot Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish on the River Teign in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England. Its 2011 population of 24,029 was estimated to reach 26,655 in 2019. It grew rapidly in the Victorian era as the home of the So ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

, England. The course is a tight, flat left-handed oval of about 1 mile 1 furlong. There are seven relatively easy fences to a circuit and a very short run in to the finish.

History

The course was first established in 1866 when the site was purchased. The main grandstand was built in 1969 and opened by the Queen Mother, while the corporate facilities were opened in 1990.

Corporate hospitality

The racecourse has a variety of corporate meeting, conference rooms, suites and private boxes as well as cafeterias, bars and two restaurants: 'The Winning Post' and 'The Paddock'. Many of the rooms have views across the racecourse, whilst there is parking in and around the venue for 5,000 cars.

Other events at the racecourse

The racecourse holds monthly car boot sales and regular antiques fairs. Ladies Day is held in June and there are a series of evening races.

Greyhound racing

A greyhound racing track was constructed on the final turn inside the racecourse in 1974 following the closure of the Halfway Greyhound Track in

Kingskerswell Kingskerswell (formerly Kings Carswell, or Kings Kerswell) is a village and civil parish within Teignbridge local government district in the south of Devon, England. The village grew up where an ancient track took the narrowest point across a m ...

. The opening night was 2 May 1974 and races featured regularly until 2005. The track featured a grandstand that could be dismantled when horse racing took place, it was all-sand circuit and had an 'Inside Sumner' hare system. The greyhound racing was independent (not affiliated to the sports governing body the

National Greyhound Racing Club The National Greyhound Racing Club was an organisation that governed Greyhound racing in the United Kingdom. History The National Greyhound Racing Club (NGRC) was formed in 1928 and this body would be responsible for regulation, licensing and the ...

) and was known as a flapping track which was the nickname given to independent tracks. The track circumference was 437 yards and the race distances were 325, 482, 525 and 762 yards with the main events being the Newton Abbot Derby and Newton Abbot St Leger. Facilities included five on-course

bookmaker A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds. History The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795. Range of events Bookm ...

s and a forecast only primitive ticket machine totalisator.

Notable races

* Lord Mildmay Memorial Handicap Chase

References

External links

Newton Abbot Racecourse (Official website)Course guide on GG.COMCourse guide on At The Races
{{English greyhound tracks Horse racing venues in England Buildings and structures in Devon Sports venues in Devon Newton Abbot Sports venues completed in 1866 1866 establishments in England Defunct greyhound racing venues in the United Kingdom Kingsteignton