Catterick Bridge Racecourse & Betting Review: Amazing Events, Great Offers and Facts

For a quick glance at some of the best features of our preferred Catterick Bridge betting sites for wagering on the different races, the table shown above serves as the perfect starting point. You’ll be able to see information relating to operator welcome bonuses, payout prices, betting types and special betting promotions. As we continue, you’ll be able to discover some historical details, general facts and technical course details. In the end, you’ll be all clued up and will be able to bet on the different races at Catterick with supreme confidence.

The Turf Itself

The Catterick Bridge Racecourse is a fairly short nine-furlong-long course shaped like an oval. Like most UK courses it is left-handed, however, the pronounced undulations and tremendously sharp turns are what set it apart. This makes it a tough course to navigate even for experienced competitors; smaller speedier types tend to fare better here as opposed to heftier, longer-striding types that often struggle to make clean turns. It’s also worth noting that horses often need time to adapt to the track, so first-time riders don’t often end up taking home winner’s honours.

The jumps course at Catterick doesn’t have the same dips and rolls as the flat course but still offers its own set of unique challenges. The fences themselves aren’t the stiffest but come in quick succession at certain points – especially down the back straight – which can catch riders out if they aren’t fully focused.

Most Popular Catterick Bridge Horse Racing Events

While there aren’t any top-tier events held at the course, Catterick Bridge horse racing is staged all-year-round, with the flat season running through the summer months and jump racing taking place through the winter. The feature event of the summer is the popular Friday Ladies Evening in August which features six low-level contests. Among these are: the Ladies Evening Amateur Riders’ Handicap, a flat event of 1 mile 4 furlongs and 13 yards reserved for horses aged three-years-old and above with a BHA rating between 0-70; the Raydale Preserves Nursery Handicap, a five-furlong race for two-year-olds worth around £5000; and a middle-distance race for horses aged three-years-old and above worth just over £3000.

The biggest jump racing event of the year is undoubtedly the North Yorkshire Grand National, which takes place every December. At 3 miles and 6 furlongs, its the course’s longest, most challenging race and it attracts top horses and trainers from across the British Isles.

Some Interesting Facts

The Catterick Bridge horse racing track hosts around 27 meetings a year, with at least one held every month. It doesn’t host quite the same level of racing as other venues in Yorkshire such as Beverley or York, but still makes for a fantastic day out for horse racing enthusiasts and casual spectators alike. In addition, it has seen a few future champions of the sport of kings make their start on the turf. Collier Hill, the British thoroughbred gelding bred by American sportsman George W. Strawbridge, Jr. won a bumper race at Catterick before going on to an illustrious International career. He won the Irish St. Leger in 2005 and the Canadian International Stakes and Hong Kong Vase in 2006.

Racecourse Information:
First Opened:	1813	Catterick Bridge logo The Grandstand at Catterick Bridge
Max. Race Distance:	3m 6f
Surface:	Turf
Event:	Ladies Day
Average Temperature:	0°/21°
Racecourse Capacity:	4000

As previously mentioned, one of the most-prestigious meetings at Catterick is the North Yorkshire Grand National – not to be confused with the Grand National, of course. It’s a real test of stamina that makes for a stern jumping challenge for aspiring National Hunt champions – it also constitutes a fair share of the Catterick Bridge betting market. The winning owner takes home the Denys Smith Memorial Trophy, a prize named after the dual-purpose trainer of the 1960’s that recorded a stunning 146 winners at Catterick (89 on Flat and 57 over jumps), and who also trained Red Alligator to victory in the 1968 Aintree Grand National.

Catterick Bridge Racecourse: The Story so Far

Catterick Bridge is yet another heritage UK racecourse where the history of horse racing goes back several centuries. There are historical records to suggest that racing started in the mid-1600’s, however, the first permanent stadium, the one that first resembled the course as it stands today, was constructed in 1813. The first major grandstand was built in 1906 to accommodate the growing popularity and increasing numbers in attendance at the track – it was also around this time that Catterick Bridge horse racing betting (although not strictly legal) began to take off. The original grandstand structure still stands today, which gives the track a charming blend of old and new architecture.

Since the first grandstand was built it has undergone a series of redevelopments. One of the most significant of which was seen in 2006 after a number of grassroots fundraising initiatives managed to gather more than £600,000, which was spent on a new stable yard. Since 2015 there have been plans to build a floodlit all-weather surface worth over £10million and completely change the layout of the course, although work has not started and an official starting date still hasn’t been confirmed.