Hamilton Park Racecourse & Betting Review: Best Events, Awesome Offers and Facts

In the table above you can get an idea of our overall ratings of the best UK betting sites when it comes to betting on the different races at Hamilton Park. In the sections that follow we’ll be taking a look at some historical facts, general stats and figures and some technical course specs so that by the time you’re done, you’ll know everything there is to know about the historic Scottish course. So, what are you waiting for?! Scroll down to the rest of the article and get all the facts so that you’re ready for the next big race at Hamilton Park!

The Turf Itself

Undulating, right-handed and not without its fair share of sharp bends, Hamilton Racecourse is by no means a walk (or gallop) through the park. There are considerable gradients around the very noticeable dip that comes about three furlongs out from the finish line and the final stretch to the end is a tough, uphill battle. Jockeys that have raced here in the past have commented that good balance and good timing is key. The undulations, combined with the tendency of the ground to get testing at times, means that you really have to keep your footing, and the steep downhill descent to the bottom of the dip early on can cause runners to get ahead of themselves and run out of steam long before they’ve come to the final uphill finish. It is for this reason that course specialists tend to do better here than less-experienced customers.

Most Popular Hamilton Park Racing Events

Hamilton Park Racecourse horse racing events are held throughout the summer flat racing season with the most popular event, the Listed Glasgow Stakes, traditionally held in mid-July. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 14 yards, is worth around £42,000 and is reserved for three-year-old horses – there’s a 5lb allowance for fillies, a 5lb penalty for Group 3 winners, a 3lb penalty for Listed winners while Group 1 and Group 2 winners aren’t allowed to compete. The other major event held here is the Lanark Silver Bell, which is one of the oldest sporting contests in the world! Its origins date back to 1160 and aside from a brief hiatus between 1977 and 2008, is still going strong to this very day!

Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for special betting promotions at Hamilton Park. In general, the offering does tend to be pretty thin but if you look hard enough you can sometimes find some bet insurance deals and or the occasional odds price boost offer.

Some Interesting Facts

Fun fact: did you know that in 2010 the Hamilton Park horse racing track became the first in the UK to host a sellout concert event where no racing took place?! British boyband JLS, who have a string of UK number-one records to their name, packed out the 10,000 capacity venue with support from local Scottish pop singer, Alex Gardner. While many small venues have staged concerts, none have managed to sell out without the added attraction of horse racing being staged alongside, something that makes this track in comparison to the others we’ve reviewed.

Racecourse Information:
First Opened:	1782	Hamilton Park Racecourse logo The Grandstand at Hamilton Park Racecourse
Max. Race Distance:	2m 4f
Surface:	Turf
Track:	Glasgow Stakes
Average Temperature:	2°/19°
Racecourse Capacity:	20000

Did you know that Hamilton Park racecourse became the first venue in the UK to host evening meets? This is something that is now commonplace in international horse racing, like at the Dubai World Cup however, it was first pioneered in Hamilton in 1947. Similarly, the course became the first venue to host a morning race meet in 1971 – again something that has since become common at venues around the world. Hamilton Park betting has since become a major market for UK betting sites and a much-loved pastime for horse racing fans in the area, with these two important historic moments being a major contributing factor.

Hamilton Park Racecourse: The Story so Far

While racing at Hamilton Park has been staged at its current venue since 1926, there is evidence of a long history of racing that dates back as far as 1782. The original site was named Chatelherault and after experiencing great success and popularity in its first three seasons it began hosting three meetings a year as of 1785. At the old venue, jump racing was held right up until 1907, however, in the same year, it was forced to close. After raising £100,000, racing resumed and the new site on Bothwell Road was born. Hamilton Park horse racing betting would not have evolved the way it has without this redevelopment.

Some memorable figures have performed at Hamilton Park over the years. Among them is the Irish-bred British-trained colt, Postponed, that won the Glasgow Stakes in 2014. He went on to win King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Coronation Cup and the International Stakes – among many more – and earned an estimated £5million is his stunning career. Another famous figure is the British trainer Mark Johnston, trainer of more than 100 British winners for 25 consecutive seasons and winner of the Lanark Silver Bell on three separate occasions between 2011 and 2014.