Beverley Racecourse
Date of Review: 29th May 2024 (first review 17th August 2023)
RCA Reviewer: The Apprentice, The Doctor & Mr Shrewdy
Address: York Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire, HU17 8QZ.
Website: https://beverley-racecourse.co.uk/
Email: hello@beverley-racecourse.co.uk.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeverleyRacecourse/
Twitter (X): https://x.com/Beverley_Races
Phone: 01482 867488
Hotel Accommodation: https://www.trivago.co.uk/en-GB/lm/hotels-beverley-united-kingdom?search=200-19921;dr-20240619-20240620
Track Layout: (acknowledged & credited to At The Races)
Course Information: Beverley Racecourse is a right-handed, galloping track of 1-mile 3 furlongs, with both the top and bottom bends being sharp. The back-straight is downhill and the home straight uphill. It is one of the stiffest 5-furlong run-ins in the country. It is uphill all the way home and also has an additional camber, sloping down towards the stand rails, making it a test of stamina and speed over shorter distances.
The home straight – Beverley Racecourse
For these reasons, it is considered to be the most draw-dependent 5-furlong sprint track in the country. On good ground, horses that are drawn low to middle are deemed to hold a significant advantage racing against the far rail, which also has a dog-leg to the right, half way up the straight. On soft or heavy ground, they normally race up along the stand rail.
Racing in Beverley dates back to 1690 and racing at the current location of Westwood Pasture was established and the first 3-day annual meeting took place in 1767. The town had a number of racing stables, and horses were galloped on the pasture opposite the course, and that gallop can still be seen and followed by walkers even today. During this year, the first grandstand was built at a cost of £1,000, which was funded by money raised from the sale of 300 silver admission tickets, which offered free entrance to the course for life for those who subscribed.
In 1813, Squire Watt of the nearby Bishop Burton bred and trained four St. Leger winners, including Altisidora, after which the village pub is still named. The idiosyncratic nature of the course inevitably means it attracts its share of “course specialists” none more so than Rapid Lad, who won here 12 times starting in 1983 but never won anywhere else. A bar on the course is named in his memory.
In 2003, the Mark Johnston trained filly Attraction won the Hilary Needler listed race here before going on to win the English and Irish 1000 Guineas the following year.
Over the last 5 years, plans were developed to replace the grandstand; however, ultimately, a decision was taken to upgrade the existing facilities as well as build the new stables. The course is owned by Beverley Racing Co a not-for-profit organisation that continues to invest in and develop the course further.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Beverley Racecourse:
Course Access:
By Road: The racecourse is easily accessible by road, mainly via the M62. Exit at Junction 37 and follow the A614 / A163 to Market Weighton. If at all possible, avoid the town centre; it’s a one-way system which gets very busy on race days. The course is well signposted to avoid this.
By Rail: There are good train services running to Beverley Racecourse, which is located less than two miles from the railway station. Services operate from Hull, Leeds, and York to Beverley station, with trains running every 25 minutes. The one-way system means that most racegoers choose to walk through the town and up to the course on the very pleasant Westwood Pasture.
By Air: The nearest airport to the racecourse is Humberside, which is approximately 20 miles away. Leeds / Bradford airport is around 50 miles away. Landing facilities for helicopters are available but need to be booked in advance with the course. Rating: 7/10.
Parking: Free car parking is available on the grass at Westwood, which is directly opposite the main entrance. Racegoers can take their cars into the course enclosure in the middle of the track if they so wish, but at a cost of £7.00, and it has to be booked in advance. Parking for a minibus or motorhome in the same enclosure is £12.00. Disabled parking is available in both car parks. Rating: 8/10.
Pricing: The racecourse has three enclosures: the Premier Enclosure, the Grandstand, and the Course Enclosure, which is a grassed area in the centre of the course. On the day of our visit, a ‘Family Fun Race Day’ admission to the Premier Enclosure was £27.00, and admission to the Grandstand and Paddock Enclosure was £16. Unfortunately, no concessions were available the day, for some unknown reason.
Access to the Course Enclosure is £7 per person and £7 if you wish to take your car in. A “disabled and companion” ticket for the Premier Enclosure is available for £25. Tickets can be purchased in advance with a discount of up to 20%. No transfers are available between enclosures, so it’s important that tickets are booked for your preferred enclosure beforehand.
A number of hospitality packages are available, such as the Paddock Club in the Premier Enclosure, where for £65.00 a ticket (£70.00 for a Saturday fixture), you get a private table, a glass of Prosecco, a three-course platter lunch, and a race card. Be aware that your table is only reserved up to the start of the first race, when the bar is then opened to the public.
A step up from this is the Attraction Restaurant, which is situated on the first floor of the Premier Enclosure. Priced at £100-£105 per ticket (depending on the raceday), you gain access to the restaurant balcony, which overlooks the racecourse, a private table for the day, a three-course meal, and a race card thrown in.
New for 2024 is the Racing Club Lounge. This will be open for fixtures in June, July, and August. This package gets you a Premier Enclosure badge & admission. A glass of Prosecco on arrival, a menu selection of savoury bowl food and dessert taster pots, along with a free Racecard. The area has a private garden, toilet facilities, and Tote betting facilities.
Overall, the pricing is consistent with most other racecourses of this size that provide an equivalent level of racing. Rating: 8/10.
Catering: Here at Racecourse Advisor, we enjoy doing “racecourse reviews” and not restaurant reviews. Nor do we pretend to be food critics. Our aim is to give you an overall idea of what is available regarding the culinary options and prices at the track on racedays.
The catering options at Beverley are genuinely superb! They leave all other provincial tracks we have visited way behind, as well as more than a few so-called ‘Premier’ racecourses. They include Cleverley’s Bar and Bistro, which is situated in the Grandstand & Paddock Enclosure, and above the Rapid Lad Bar, which serves up delicacies such as: seven-hour beef brisket, and seasoned fries for £11.50. Fish Pie, Seasoned Fries, and House Salad for £12.25. Beef Burger Patties, topped with Cheese Slices, Crispy Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Sweet Sauce, and American Mustard, are served with Seasoned Fries for £11.50. Big Bird Crispy Coated Chicken, Garlic Mayo, Naff Cheese Slices, Crispy Lettuce, and Tomato, with Seasoned Fries for £10.50, along with a Samosa Chaat Saag Aloo and Fresh Indian Salad for £9.95.
If all of that is a bit too much on a raceday, then a selection of ‘Light Bites’ such as a Hot Deli sandwich - British Pork, Epic Crackling, and Sharp Apple Sauce with Seasoned Fries for £10.00 or Dirty Fries Loaded With BBQ Sauce, Crispy Onions, Crushed Nachos, and Grated Cheese for £8.00.
The Catering Facilities – Beverley Racecourse
The 1690 bar also sells a good selection and variety of food and drinks, such as the following sandwiches: ‘The Italian’ Prosciutto, sliced tomatoes, cheese, mayo, & basil leaves on Ciabatta bread for £7.95. ‘East Coast To Toast’, which is tuna mayo with spring onions, chopped capers, and a squeeze of lemon juice (very important!) served with sliced cucumber on a white baguette, again at £7.95. Then there was the ‘Grandstand 1960’, which is a smoked salmon and egg mayo on a white baguette for £6.95. Or how about ‘The Furlong’ mature cheddar cheese with pickle and roast tomatoes, red onion, with mayo and mustard cress for £6.95 each. If you have a sweet tooth, then that’s no problem. Go for the ‘Afternoon Tea Box For-One’ which is egg mayo and ham & mustard sandwiches with a vanilla slice, chocolate éclair, sultana scone with cream & jam, and a cup of tea or coffee for £13.95.
The bar price list is as follows: Amstel & Draft Guinness: £6.95 a pint. Strongbow cider is £7.30, Theakston’s Bitter is £6.50, and Theakston’s Pale Ale £6.95. Spirits (25ml measure) are Gordon’s Gin, £4.80. Slingsbury Gin, £7.40 (ouch!). Smirnoff vodka costs £4.80. Jack Daniels is £5.30, and a Malibu is £5.20. As for the wine & champagne: 125ml glass of house wine (white or red) £4.25. A bottle of house wine (white or red) £26.50. A bottle of Prosecco will set you back £29.95, and a bottle of house Champagne is £46.50, if you fancy something a tad more exotic, a jug of Pimm’s No 1 is a mere £30.40.
More Catering Facilities – Beverley Racecourse
If a more traditional selection is required, then simply head down to the Touch Above Bar which is located at the very end of the Grandstand, where they have a good old-fashioned chippy called ‘Trawlers’ serving up Freshly battered haddock & chips for £11.00. Sausage and chips or fishcake & chips for £7.00. A good old fashioned chip butty is a more than reasonable £4.60, a portion of chips for £4.00 and a serving of mushy peas, curry sauce, gravy or grated cheese (that’s a strange one!) for only £1.20 each It is claimed that this establishment serves the best fish & chips outside of Whitby. Cod bless the plaice!
The Tea & Coffee Shop & the Ice Cream Van – Beverley Racecourse
In addition to this, there is also a tea & coffee shop, a traditional sweet shop and an ice-cream van also on site. Overall, the selection, pricing and quality of the food and catering operations at this racecourse is genuinely excellent. It really cannot be faulted. Rating: 10/10.
Guinness Standard: We are pleased to report that draft Guinness was available in plastic pint glasses at a cost of £6.95. It was a nice drink, cold and well-kept. Although not Cheltenham Festival prices, they are not far off. Rating: 7/10.
Viewing: The viewing experience at Beverley Racecourse is very good. The good news is that regardless of where you are situated, you can watch the races at the finishing post on the rails, which we like a lot.
There are three main viewing areas on the course, which are: the Course Enclosure, the Premier Enclosure, and the Grandstand Enclosure:
The Premier Enclosure: The viewing from this stand is superb, and it is located bang on the winning post. It has a small number of padded seats, which are situated just behind the terraced standing area. Once again, plenty of cover is available if required. It is located above the Terrace bar, the 1690 bar, and the main restaurant where the corporate hospitality suites are located.
The Grandstand & Premier Enclosures – Beverley Racecourse
The Grandstand Enclosure is the largest of the three stands and offers excellent viewing. The horses can be seen for virtually 100% of the time whilst in running. Plenty of seating is available, with a standing area at the front of the stand. Plenty of cover to shield from the elements is available if required. The Rapid Lad bar, the Minster & Lavender Lawn bar, and the Paddock bar are all located within this area.
The Course Enclosure is located in the centre of the track. This is also used as a picnic area in the summer. It also has plenty of seats in the form of benches and a small viewing platform at the winning post. At £8.00 a ticket for a full day of racing, we feel this offers seriously good value for money.
A large portable viewing screen is located close to the winning post and is accessible from all three enclosures.
Overall, the viewing at Beverley cannot be faulted and is one of the best we have seen so far on our travels. Rating: 10/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: Can be accessed from everywhere, with the exception of the Course Enclosure. It is located left of the two main stands (facing the course), and it is large in size, oval in shape, and it is impressive. It has a number of padded seats along one side of the enclosure.
The Parade Ring & Winners Enclosure – Beverley Racecourse
It is very neatly tended, with hedging around the perimeter. The only downside is that access is only available to approximately 30% of the ring to view the horses. The winners enclosure is located within the ring towards the right-hand side. The weighing room is located just behind it. Rating: 9/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: On the day of our review, there were plenty of on-course bookmakers in attendance. The Course Enclosure had 10 pitches.
The Bookmakers Main Ring - Beverley Racecourse
The Grandstand 20 and the Premier Enclosure had 5, with a further 10 being shared with the Grandstand. There is also a large William Hill betting concession located on site if that is required.
Overall it was absolutely no problem to get a bet on and pick up anywhere on the course. Rating: 10/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: A generous Yorkshire welcome was given by the numerous course staff who were available if required. All of the staff were friendly and helpful. Rating: 10/10.
Pros & Cons: Beverley Racecourse is an independently owned racecourse that is run on a not-for- profit basis, with only 8 full-time staff. It was confirmed as being in the top 10 racecourses in the UK in January 2023. It was the only small, independent course to make it into the top group alongside a number of other large and prestigious tracks. That is some achievement and, without a doubt, a credit to the owners and the small number of staff who run and maintain it.
Beverley has good access with both road & rail links. However, do avoid the town centre on racedays if at all possible.
Ticket pricing is competitive and more than in line with other similar racecourses.
The catering options really are excellent for a course of this size (the Jockey Club and ARC, please take note!), and much better than a good number of larger courses we have visited in recent times. The pricing of the food and drink was, in our opinion, also very good. The only fault we have, is the lack of concession pricing for OAPs in the Premier Enclosure.
The viewing experience is genuinely excellent and cannot be faulted, regardless of where you are located on the course. The same is true with the parade ring and winners enclosure, where the attention to detail is noticeable.
There are more than an ample number of bookmakers looking to take your bets, and a large William Hill concession is on course also. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and nothing is too much trouble.
Overall, it was a very pleasurable days racing at an excellent track with excellent facilities. We will return again without a doubt.
One other small but important thing to that caught our attention, is that in the public toilets, the course has installed sun tan lotion dispensers, which can be used free of charge. To us, this sums up the attention to detail and the excellent level of customer service / satisfaction that the management of Beverley Racecourse goes out of their way to provide. If the Jockey Club and the Arena Racing Company want to learn how to run a racecourse and provide top-notch customer service and satisfaction, then they should invest in a day out at Beverley. They would most definitely learn a thing or three. Rating: 9/10
VIP Watch: No VIPs were spotted at the course on the day of our visit.
Wi-Fi / Internet Connection: Absolutely no problem with the on-course wi-fi on the day of our visit. Excellent reception and coverage in all areas of the course.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 8.8/10
The full day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2024-05-29/beverley/104821
Facilities & location layout of Beverley Racecourse: (Image: acknowledged & credited to Beverley Race Company Ltd.)
Aerial View Beverley Racecourse: (image acknowledged & credited to Google Earth)
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