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

On this page, we seek to provide UK punters with all the most important info relating to the Thirsk Racecourse. 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 UK market offer when it comes to welcome bonuses, betting options, payout prices and special bonuses and promotions. As we progress we will also review some technical course specs, some general facts and stats and some background historical info. By the time you reach the end, you’ll be a whizz on all things related to Thirsk horse racing betting.

The Turf Itself

Left-handed, oval-shaped and just over a mile-and-a-quarter all the way around, Thirsk Racecourse is known to be a reasonably fair run. It features a round course, which is virtually all flat, and a six-furlong flat course which is has a few minor undulations. Although the surface is even and immaculately well maintained, the turns at both the bottom and top ends are sharp while the turn at the top-end turn is the most undulating area, of course, so riders have been known to get caught out here if they aren’t careful – balance and precision here is key. In races with a lot of runners the stand side rail can get very congested, so horses and riders that aren’t comfortable vying for position can get caught out here, too. All in all, your best bet is to go for runner with a proven ability to handle testing turns well under pressure.

Most Popular Thirsk Horse Racing Events

Thirsk horse racing is best-known for a handful of semi-prestigious events. Among them are the Hunt Cup, the Michael Foster Conditions Stakes and a few other conditions races. The Hunt Cup is a one-mile-long race for horses aged three-years-old and above. It’s worth around £6,000 – £3,881 goes to the winner, £1,155 to the second-place runner, £577 to third and £289 to fourth – and normally features around 10 runners, but it can accommodate a lot more. The Michael Foster Conditions Stakes is a Class 3 race reserved for horses aged four-years-old and above. It’s a four-furlong race worth £15,000, making it the richest race at the course – about £9,338 goes to the winner, £2,796 to the second-place runner, £1,398 to the third-place runner and £699 to the fourth.

Some Interesting Facts

Despite there not being a great number of hugely prestigious events staged, the Thirsk horse racing track has crowned a fair few handy competitors champion over the years. The Michael Foster Conditions Stakes, in particular, has been won by some very capable sprinters. Markab, for instance – a British-trained French-bred gelding – won the race aged 7 in 2010 before going on to the claim the Greenlands Stakes (2010) Betfred Sprint Cup (2010) Leisure Stakes (2012). Heaven’s Guest, an Irish-bred gelding, is another memorable name. He won the race in 2015 before going on the claim the Betway Casino Handicap (2018), the Owenstown Stud Stakes and the Gigaset International Stakes.

Racecourse Information:
First Opened:	1927	Thirsk Racecourse logo The Grandstand at Thirsk Racecourse
Max. Race Distance:	3m 2f
Surface:	Turf
Event:	Thirsk Hunt Cup
Average Temperature:	1°/20°
Racecourse Capacity:	2000

Farhh is another top name that has featured at the racecourse. He made his four-year-old debut in 2012 and won the Thirsk Hunt Cup in emphatic style as he took the lead two furlongs out and finished strong to win by six lengths. He went on to win the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in 2013 and the Champion Stakes at the wonderful Ascot in the same season. Osteopathic Remedy is also a key figure. The Irish chestnut Gelding featured in the Thirsk Hunt Cup six years in a row, coming first in 2010 and then finishing in 6th, 2nd, 6th, 4th and 3rd. All of these runners have contributed to Thirsk horse racing betting becoming a major UK market.

Thirsk Racecourse: The Story so Far

Although the current racecourse first opened in 1923, racing had been taking place in the area for more than 300 years. The earliest reports of horse racing can be traced back to 1612 during the reign of King James I, who was said to have commissioned a prestigious race and awarded a gold cup to the victor. More than two centuries later in 1855, the first meeting at the present venue was held. Not long after this one Fred Archer, a British jockey that many say is the best all-round jockey ever known to the sport of kings would visit the course. It would, however, be another century before Thirsk betting would emerge as a fully regulated, legal pastime.

Nowadays the Thirsk horse racing track is a local treasure. It’s a well-attended and popular course that enjoys close proximity to the Malton and Middleham training centres, which means that many top trainers from the region send their horses there to compete. It has quality training facilities, fine-dining banqueting halls, business suites and areas available for hire for weddings, conferences, trade fairs and more. Now that we’ve come to the end, why not sign up to one of the operators featured here in our review series and use the new-player welcome bonus to bet on one of many fantastic racetracks across the UK!