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

Our page aims to provide you, our readers, with all the most up-to-date and relevant info relating to the Salisbury Racecourse. To start off, we’ve put together a neat table (shown above) where you can get an idea of what some of the better UK betting sites offer with regard to new-player welcome bonuses, betting options, payout prices and special betting promotions. As we continue, we will also take a look at some technical course details, some general facts and stats and some background historical info. For the full report, keep scrolling down to the following sections!

The Turf Itself

Right-handed and mostly straight (except for the three-furlong loop at the bottom end), Salisbury Racecourse offers up a unique test for horse and rider. The bend around the loop is a lot sharper than it appears on first glance, which can catch some of the runners – many of them early-season two-year-olds – off guard. The straight course is a mile long and is pretty much all uphill for the second half, which again makes for a fairly stiff test of stamina.

For races that run the full trip (1mile and 6 furlongs), the ideal competitor would be nimble around the bend, staying close to the rail, and have good stamina in order to get through the final uphill push. On the straight, larger, galloping horses with big lungs can have the advantage as aside from the slight right-handed elbow, it’s pretty much a straight, but long, dash for the line.

Most Popular Salisbury Horse Racing Events

Salisbury horse racing is most famous for Group 3 Sovereign Stakes, which is traditionally held in August, however, there are also a handful of semi-prestigious Listed events held throughout the year. In June there’s the Cathedral Stakes, a Listed race of 6 furlongs reserved for horses aged three and above; in August there’s the Upavon Fillies’ Stakes, another Listed race, but run over 1 mile, 1 furlong and 200 yards and reserved for fillies and mares aged older than three; and also the Sovereign Stakes, Salisbury’s feature race run over 1 mile, worth £75,000 and reserved for colts and geldings aged over three. Then, the last event of real worth – the Dick Poole Stakes – is held in September. It’s a 6-furlong race for two-year-old fillies that’s worth just over £40,000.

Unfortunately, special Salisbury horse racing promotions are quite hard to come by. Your best bet is to sign up to a new operator and use the new-player welcome bonus to bag a free bet. Why not try the Bet £10 Get £30 offer at William Hill?!

Some Interesting Facts

Did you know that Richard Hannon is the trainer with the best record at the Salisbury horse racing track? From 237 runners he’s recorded 33 wins, 92 places and accumulated £242,013 in prize money, meaning that he has a strike rate of 13.92%. The second-best trainer is A M Balding, a British trainer based close to Newbury, Berkshire. From 107 runners he’s recorded 16 wins, 33 places and accumulated £77,885. His strike rate is 14.95%, slightly higher than that of Hannon.

Racecourse Information:
First Opened:	1722	Salisbury Racecourse logo The Grandstand at Salisbury Racecourse
Max. Race Distance:	1m 1f 198y
Surface:	Turf
Event:	Cathedral Stakes
Average Temperature:	2°/22°
Racecourse Capacity:	4000

Due to the wide range of races held, Salisbury betting can be particularly enjoyable. There are several handicaps, in which horses of a similar ability are pitted against one another, and Maiden races, where horses that have not yet recorded a win go head-to-head. The most-famous contests, however, are the races for two-year-olds. These races, particularly the Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes, have sometimes produced some very memorable jockeys and horses that go on to win some championships of real worth. We will review some of these names in the final section.

Salisbury Racecourse: The Story so Far

The town of Salisbury has a very impressive history of horse racing that dates back to the late-14th century! Evidence suggests that it all started back in 1584 when a horse race was staged, and won, by the Earl of Cumberland. Racing continued right up until 1722 when the famous round course was built, however, it was later moved to Combe Down – which is actually closer to Bristol – and it was here that the course formed its official partnership with the Bibury Club. Fast forward to the 20th century and it is a top racecourse. By the 1950’s Salisbury horse racing betting began to develop into a major UK market.

When looking back at the hall of fame at the Salisbury horse racing track you’re bound to stumble upon some top champions. One of the most famous horses to have been crowned champion is Sakhee’s Secret, a British chestnut colt trained by Hughie Morrison. He won the July Cup in 2007 as well as the Cathedral Stakes in the same season. He was also awarded the World Champion 3-year-old Sprinter on Turf award for his exploits. Other memorable competitors include Kodi Bear, an Irish colt that won the Group 3 Sovereign Stakes in 2015. He also won the Celebration Mile at the much-loved Goodwood and the Unibet Mid Summer at Windsor in the same season. For more top-drawer reviews from this sports, head on back to the UK racetracks review hub page.