Leicester Racecourse & Betting Review: Popular Events, Best Offers and Facts

Our page seeks to provide UK punters with all the most important info relating to the Leicester betting. To begin, we’ve put together this easy-to-read table where you can get an idea of what some of the better sites on the market offer with regard to welcome bonuses, betting options, payout prices and special betting promotions. As we go deeper we will also take a look at some technical course specs, some general facts and stats and some background historical info. By the time we’re through, we would have provided you with a comprehensive overview of the course so that you can go ahead and start placing bets with full assurance.

The Turf Itself

As previously mentioned, the Leicester Racecourse horse racing track hosts both National Hunt and flat racing events. It would be fair to state, however, that most of the action takes place on the right-handed, flat, round course, which is one mile and three-quarters long with a run-in of around four-and-a-half furlongs. The straight track hosts races between five and seven furlongs are pretty much downhill up to the halfway point and then rises steadily again over about two furlongs to the finish line.

The jumps course at Leicester features a total of ten fences, all of which are considered to be fair. Up until 2009, the open ditch was the course’s fourth obstacle; it was moved to the home straight, which now means that there are a total of four fences as runners are on their way home, providing a stern test of stamina at the end.

Most Popular Leicester Racecourse Horse Racing Events

Given its jam-packed schedule, it’s no great surprise that the Leicester Racecourse horse racing track hosts a number of fairly prestigious events. The highlight on the flat course is the King Richard III Stakes, a Listed race for horses aged four and above that haven’t won a Group 1 or Group 2 race in the last eight months. Run over about seven furlongs, it is scheduled to take place every year in April and is worth about £60,000.

On the jumps course, the race that tends to draw the most attention is the Leicestershire Silver Fox Handicap Chase. It’s held every December and is run over two miles and four furlongs. Around £12,500 goes to the winner, £3700 to the second-place runner and the rest is shared among the third and fourth place entries. There are also a great number of Hunter Chases staged during the Spring that has been known to produce the odd champion chaser.

Some Interesting Facts

Did you know that the Leicester horse racing track hosts about 31 separate meets every year?! 20 are held on the flat course with the remaining 11 held on the jumps course. There are a total of 108 stables of which 6 are reserved for those high-profile runners that need an extra bit of security! It boasts over 220 acres of stunning, green land, and no strict dress code is enforced, meaning that attendees are welcome to wear casual dress in the non-hospitality sections – dressing up is, however, encouraged on Ladies Day events. Leicester is also a venue that likes to hold evening events during the summer.

Racecourse Information:
First Opened:	1883	Leicester Racecourse logo The Grandstand at Leicester Racecourse
Max. Race Distance:	2m 4f
Surface:	Turf
Event:	King Richard III Stakes
Average Temperature:	2°/21°
Racecourse Capacity:	8000

Did you know that in 2014 a new event space covering an extra 700 square metres of space was added to the Leicester Racecourse?! The new structure known as The Kube is exactly that – a cube-shaped structure designed to offer original event spaces for business functions, theatre events, exhibitions and more! It boasts good transport links from Leicester City centre and offers free parking for up to 2000 attendees.

Another interesting fact: did you know that Leicester Racecourse betting represents one of the most lucrative horse racing betting markets in the East Midlands?! This is largely due to the multi-purpose track which allows for events to be held all-year-round.

Leicester Racecourse: The Story so Far

Before it found its current home in Oadby in 1883, horse racing in Leicester was held at what is now Victoria Park, an area much closer to the City Centre. Not long after it began staging some of the most prestigious races of the era, including the Prince of Wales Stakes, which is now run at the world-famous Ascot; and the Portland Handicap, a flat Handicap race currently held at York. Both races were more valuable than any of the Five British Classic races back then. Although Leicester horse racing betting represents an important market for UK betting sites, it’s safe to say that it would have been a lot bigger had those events remained at Leicester!

Despite not hosting a great deal of super-prestigious meetings, a couple of well-respected champions have made their start on the Leicester horse racing track. Most-famously, Teeton Mill – trained by one of the most successful female trainers in the business, Venetia Williams – won a Hunter Chase event in 1998. The gelding won five of his first six races under National Hunt rules before going on to win four consecutive events: the Badger Beer Chase (1998), the Hennessy Gold Cup (1998), the King George VI Chase (1998) and the Ascot Chase (1999).