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| Location | Brighton, East Sussex |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 50°49′49″N0°06′43″W / 50.83028°N 0.11194°W |
| Owned by | Arena Racing Company |
| Screened on | Sky Sports Racing |
| Course type | Flat |
| Official website | |
Brighton Racecourse is an English horse racing venue located a mile to the northeast of the centre of Brighton, Sussex, owned by the Arena Racing Company.
It is situated on Whitehawk Hill, on the edge of the South Downs, about four hundred feet above sea level and a mile from the coast. The geology of the downs is Middle Chalk; therefore the going is nearly always good. The track has the form of a horseshoe one-and-a-half miles in length. This makes it one of the few British courses not to form a complete circuit, like Epsom with which Brighton is sometimes compared. The finishing straight is about four furlongs in length, with a steep descent followed by a slightly-less-steep climb to the winning post. It is a left-handed course, used for flat racing only. The longest race run today is 1 1⁄2 miles. However, the course used to extend a further half-mile across the golf course towards Roedean. This made four-mile races possible, starting at the winning post and going the reverse way round the track, then looping at the two-mile start and returning the conventional way. [1] Hurdle races were also formerly held at Brighton, with one being situated on the steep downhill. [2]
The Duke of Cumberland organised the first public racing at the current site in 1783 [3] although racing had been taking place in Brighton since before 1713. [1] Early races were contested by members of the armed forces who were garrisoned in the town. The principal meeting took place in July or August and was timed to fit with the local Whitehawk Fair, which was discontinued by the 1820s. [4]
According to legend, King George IV, when still Prince of Wales, invented hurdle racing at Brighton while out riding with aristocratic friends. They found some sheep pens which they proceeded to jump. [1] A grandstand was erected in 1788, but burnt down on 23 August 1796, a fire blamed on a family of paupers who had been allowed to live in it. [5] [6]
Wigstead and Rowlandson comment in "An Excursion to Brighthelmstone made in the year 1789", "The race-ground is exceedingly well adapted to the purpose for which it is intended and is one of the most beautifully situated spots in the world..."
It was the custom of the Prince of Wales, later George IV, in the early 19th century to make his way up Race Hill in a barouche drawn by six greys. [7]
In 1805, the races were faced with severe disruption when the farmer who leased the racecourse threatened to plough it up unless he received the complimentary gift of wine he usually received each season. He was in the process of beginning to plough when he was chased off by a press gang and the races allowed to continue. [6]
The course was home for a while to top class racing, and was attended by fashionable society, but it drifted out of fashion when the Prince and his friends ceased to attend in 1816, [5] although the Brighton Stakes was a "race of note" inaugurated in 1824. [8] By 1850, the railway had arrived in Brighton, allowing greater access for Londoners, and the course began to thrive again. A new stand was built, and the Brighton Cup inaugurated. Brighton's main meeting formed part of the "Sussex Fortnight" in summer - where the Glorious Goodwood festival was followed up by big meetings at Brighton and Lewes. [1]
In 1850, admission to the betting ring and stand was four shillings; a ticket for three days was 10s 6d. Racing began at 1.30pm, with seven races at half-hourly intervals. [7]
Crowds rose to over 20,000 in the period following the Second World War. At the time, grandstands existed on both sides of the home straight. In the 1960s, the course held a Derby Trial for six years. No runners went on to win the Derby, but two won the St. Leger. A new stand was built for £400,000 in 1965. [9] Attendance declined as Brighton's tourist industry did, and the facility became run-down. Racecourse owning group Northern Racing took a majority stake in 1998 and spent £4m refurbishing the course. [1] As of 1999, Northern owned 81% of the course with Brighton & Hove City Council retaining a 19% interest. [10] Northern Racing merged with Arena Racing in 2012 to become the Arena Racing Company.
Today, Brighton is one of the smaller racecourses in Britain in terms of the quality of racing and prize money offered. In 2012/13, its average prize money per meeting was £26,349. Only Southwell, Chepstow and Folkestone (now closed) offered less. [11]
The season's highlight is the three-day Brighton Festival, on the first Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of August. Some 15,000 people attend on each day, and there are enclosures and facilities for all levels of desired race-day experience. [12] The main event is the Brighton Mile Challenge Trophy Handicap, worth £9,450 to the winner in 2021, and sponsored by Wainwright. [13] In 2021 Brighton hosted meetings on 21 days, including 5 evening meetings. [14]
On 3 August 1966, Norah Wilmot became the first official woman trainer of a winning horse in the UK when her horse won at Brighton. The Jockey Club had only granted women training licences after a legal challenge was taken to the Court of Appeal by fellow trainer Florence Nagle in July 1966, [15] citing the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. [16]
Prominent racehorse owner Sheikh Mohammed had his first winner at Brighton racecourse on 20 June 1977 when his filly Hatta, trained by John Dunlop, won the £968 Bevendene Maiden Stakes. [17] Top American jockey Steve Cauthen also reached a milestone at the course, winning his 1000th British race on odds-on favourite Picnicing on 5 August 1987. [18]
Cricketer Ted Dexter used to frequent Brighton races, and is said to have once declared an innings for Sussex from the course. [19]
The winning most horse at Brighton is Pour La Victoire who achieved his 11th win at the course in August 2021 at the age of 11 and duly had the winners suite at the track named after him. Trained by A W Carroll (Tony) and owned by Curry House Corner and Partner who announced his retired immediately that famous day.
The course is also available as a venue for exhibitions, conferences, car rallies, circuses, antique fairs, business promotions and product launches, wedding receptions and other private parties. [1]
Horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in Great Britain, and one of the longest established, with a history dating back many centuries. According to a report by the British Horseracing Authority it generates £3.39 billion total direct and indirect expenditure in the British economy, of which £1.05 Billion is from core racing industry expenditure and the major horse racing events such as Royal Ascot and Cheltenham Festival are important dates in the British and international sporting and society calendar.
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the United Kingdom. It owns 15 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs and both the Rowley Mile and July Course in Newmarket, amongst other horse racing assets such as the National Stud, and the property and land management company, Jockey Club Estates. The registered charity Racing Welfare is also a company limited by guarantee with the Jockey Club being the sole member. As it is governed by Royal Charter, all profits it makes are reinvested back into the sport.
Goodwood Racecourse is a horse-racing track five miles north of Chichester, West Sussex, in England controlled by the family of the Duke of Richmond, whose seat is nearby Goodwood House. It hosts the annual Glorious Goodwood meeting in late July and early August, which is one of the highlights of the British flat racing calendar, and is home to three of the UK's 36 annual Group 1 flat races, the Sussex Stakes, the Goodwood Cup and the Nassau Stakes. Although the race meeting has become known as 'Glorious Goodwood', it is sponsored by Qatar and officially called the 'Qatar Goodwood Festival'.
Ascot Racecourse is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and three Grade 1 Jumps races.
Newmarket Racecourse is a British Thoroughbred horse racing venue in Newmarket, Suffolk, comprising two individual racecourses: the Rowley Mile and the July Course. Newmarket is often referred to as the headquarters of British horseracing and is home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations, including Tattersalls, the National Horseracing Museum and the National Stud. Newmarket hosts two of the country's five Classic Races – the 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, and numerous other Group races. In total, it hosts 9 of British racing's 36 annual Group 1 races.
Chester Racecourse, also known as the Roodee, is a racecourse located in Chester, England. The horse racing venue is officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the "oldest racecourse still in operation". Horse racing in Chester dates back to the early sixteenth century, with 1539 cited as the year racing began, although some sources give a date of 1512 for the first races in Chester. It is also thought to be the smallest racecourse of significance in England at 1 mile and 1 furlong (1.8 km) long.
Beverley Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Nottingham Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. It is situated at Colwick Park, close to the River Trent and about 3 km east of the city centre.
Pontefract Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England.
Salisbury Racecourse is a flat racecourse in the United Kingdom featuring thoroughbred horse racing, 3 miles (5 km) southwest of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Fifteen race meetings a year are held there between early May and mid-October.
Lincoln Racecourse is a former horse racing venue to the west of the city of Lincoln, at Carholme, a flat tract of common land, Lincolnshire, England. It was the original location of the Lincolnshire Handicap. The course closed in 1964, and the following year the race relocated to Doncaster Racecourse where a small change to the race title sees it run as the Lincoln Handicap.
Orville (1799–1826) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from August 1801 until October 1807 the horse ran thirty-four times and won twenty races. In his early career he was based in Yorkshire and won the classic St Leger Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse as a three-year-old in 1802.
Elis was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic St Leger Stakes in 1836. In a racing career which lasted from July 1835 until April 1837 he won eleven of his fifteen races. He finished second in his four defeats, two of which came when he was matched against the undefeated Bay Middleton. As a two-year-old he won five of his six races including the Chesterfield Stakes, Molecomb Stakes, Clearwell Stakes and Criterion Stakes. In 1836 he rebounded from a defeat by Bay Middleton in the 2000 Guineas to win Drawing-room Stakes, Racing Stakes, and Lewes Stakes in the summer. Elis was one of the first horses to be transported by horsebox and landed a major betting coup for his owners by winning the St Leger. He had limited impact as a sire of winners before being exported to Germany.
The 1780 Epsom Derby was the inaugural running of The Derby – the horse race which would become the "greatest turf event in the world" and after which more than 140 other horse races, including the famous Kentucky Derby, are named. It took place on 4 May 1780 on Epsom Downs in Surrey, England, and was won by Diomed, owned by Sir Charles Bunbury and ridden by Sam Arnull.
Lanark Racecourse was a Scottish horse racing venue, situated in the small town of Lanark in Scotland's Central Belt, 25 miles (40 km) from Glasgow. It was reputedly founded by King William the Lion of Scotland (1165-1214).
Sallust (1969–1987) was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed good form as a two-year-old in 1971, winning two of his five races including the Richmond Stakes, but appeared to be just below the highest class. He ran poorly on his three-year-old debut but then won the Diomed Stakes, Prix de la Porte Maillot, Sussex Stakes, Goodwood Mile and Prix du Moulin. By decisively defeating opponents such as High Top and Lyphard he established himself as the best specialist miler in Europe and was rated the best three-year-old of 1972 by Timeform. He returned to Ireland for his stud career and had some success as a sire of winners.
Tap On Wood was an Irish-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1979. As a two-year-old in 1978 he won seven of his thirteen races including the National Stakes. In the following spring he defeated the outstanding miler Kris to record an upset victory in the Guineas. His later career was disrupted by illness and he appeared in only two more races, finishing unplaced in the Derby and winning the Kiveton Park Stakes. He subsequently had some success as a breeding stallion in Europe and Japan.
Ernest Johnson is an Epsom Derby winning British flat racing jockey.
Norah Wilmot (1889–1980) was the first British woman racehorse trainer to officially train a winning horse. Her historic win came with her filly Pat, at Brighton in August 1966, just one day after she became one of the first two women to be granted a training licence by the Jockey Club. She was the eldest daughter of racehorse trainer Sir Robert Wilmot, 6th Baronet (1853–1931) and his second wife Eleanor Georgiana, née Hare.
Commotion was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who raced during World War II and was best known for winning the classic Oaks Stakes in 1941. After racing over sprint distances, she was stepped up in distance the substitute "New Oaks" over one and a half miles at Newmarket Racecourse. On her next appearance she won the Falmouth Stakes and was then retired from racing. She later became a very successful broodmare.
Cawthorne, George James; Herod, Richard S. (1902). Royal Ascot, Its History & Its Associations (PDF). London: A Treherne & Co. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
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