Windsor
Date of Review: 12th June 2023 RCA Reviewers: Dave & Ray
Address: Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 5JJ
Website: https://www.windsor-racecourse.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoyalWindsorRacecourse
Phone: 01753 498400
Hotel Accommodation: https://www.trivago.co.uk/en-GB/opr/hotels-near-royal-windsor-racecourse?search=500-1573615
Track Layout: (images acknowledged & credited to Timeform & At The Races)
Windsor is a dual-purpose (flat & jumps) racecourse, and one of only two in Britain with a figure-of-eight shape (Fontwell Park being the other). The course is flat but sharp, with tight turns, and is somewhat quirky in nature, as it features both left and right turns for races around a mile and a half, but only right-handed turns in races below that distance. It measures around 2 miles and 2 furlongs in circumference. In longer races, a very tight loop is required to be negotiated soon after the start, and it has a long run-in, with the home straight being a 6-furlong stretch, which suits strong, galloping types of horses.
The course has a definite draw bias. In races over 5 and 6 furlongs, a high draw can be advantageous. In races above this distance, a low draw is of benefit. In racing circles, Windsor’s bottom turn has been dubbed “carnage corner” and with good reason. If the front-runners begin to slow down on this turn, then other horses can easily get caught up in a concertina effect, causing all sorts of mayhem. Due to this, a clear run will often open up late on the rail side of the stands.
The Racecourse Advisor Guide to Windsor Racecourse:
Windsor Racecourse is located in 165 acres of Berkshire countryside, beside the River Thames and in sight of Windsor Castle.
Location Map – Windsor Racecourse
Windsor Great Park has been a favourite of the royalty for a very long time. It was enclosed and preserved as a royal hunting ground some 700 years ago. The current location of the course has been associated with horse racing since 1684, when King Charles II rocked up to attend a race meeting at Datchet Ferry. In the 18th century, it was the site of the Egham meeting, which at the time was more prestigious than Royal Ascot. During the 1800s, steeplechase racing gained popularity, particularly among the military and other professionals.
The extremely popular Monday evening meetings commenced in 1964 and are run throughout the spring and summer. Here at Racecourse Advisor we do like a little bit of trivia, how about this: In 1926, the year of the General Strike, even the bookmakers in the Tattersalls Ring had had enough and said, “One out all out,” and went on strike, in protest at the introduction of a 5% betting tax, imposed by Winston Churchill, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer at the time. The bookmakers refused to accept bets in the Tattersalls ring. This was drastic action, as Tattersalls provided the official starting prices for all off-course betting. Due to this, all such bets across the country had to be declared void. The bookmakers got their way, and the betting tax was eventually repealed. However, shortly after, in 1928, the government introduced the Tote to handle on-course, cash pool bets on racecourses. As the old saying goes, “Be very careful what you wish for!”
Also, at Windsor, the jockey Gordon Richards, who later became Sir Gordon Richards, beat the legendary Fred Archer’s record tally of 2,748 winners in 1943. Windsor was one of the few courses allowed to stage race meetings during both wars. On one occasion, a flying bomb fell during racing, but no lives were lost. On October 15th, 2012, jockey Richard Hughes became only the second jockey ever to complete a seven-timer at the odds of 10,168/1. The course hosts 26 fixtures a year, with flat racing between May and September and National Hunt (jumps) racing between October and April.
Course Access:
By Road: The course is situated on the A308 between Windsor and Maidenhead. From the M4, leave at junction 6, and follow the signs to Windsor. From the M3, leave at junction 2, and join the M25. From the M25, take junction 15 to join the M4 at junction 6, and follow signs to Windsor Racecourse. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time. The traffic leading up to the racecourse is absolutely horrendous. It took us around an hour to get to the course from a distance of about two miles.
By Rail: Windsor Central and Eton stations are the closest to the course. From both stations, head for Barry Avenue, where you can catch the river boat taxi to the course. You can also take a train directly from London Waterloo Station to Windsor. Then take the number 2, 702, 8, or 8A bus to the racecourse, which is approximately a 20-minute journey.
By Air: The nearest airport to Windsor Racecourse is London City (LCY) Airport, which is 10.7 miles away. Other nearby airports include London Heathrow (LHR), 11.3 miles away. London Gatwick (LGW) 24.4 miles. London Luton (LTN) is 27 miles away, and London Stansted (STN) is 33.2 miles away.
By Boat: Yep, by boat! As Windsor Racecourse is located on the banks of the River Thames, you can arrive at Windsor in style. Take the river boat taxi service from Windsor Town Centre directly to the racecourse. For more details, visit: https://www.frenchbrothers.co.uk/public-trips/windsor-races-shuttle. At the time of writing, a single ticket is £5.00, and a return ticket is £8.50 per person. Be aware that on racedays, it is not unusual to experience horrendous traffic jams approaching the course from all directions, so make sure you give yourself plenty of travelling time. Rating: 5/10.
Parking: Windsor Racecourse has both paid and free car parking. On the day of our visit, a £5.00 charge was applied to park near the course, which, in our opinion, is nothing but a rip-off. However, be aware that the free car park is at least a 10-minute walk from the main entrance, which is a considerable distance. On the day of our visit, the rain was persistent, to say the least, so it was not good. Update: At the time of writing, the official racecourse website now clearly states, “all parking here at Windsor Racecourse is now free”. Hopefully, things have changed since our visit in June 2023. Let’s hope so. Rating: 5/10.
Pricing: On our visit, a Monday evening meeting, tickets into the Premium Club area were priced at £24.00 for an eight-race card. This gives you access to all areas of the racecourse. There is a concession of £5.00 for OAPs and students with a valid form of ID. However, the £5.00 reduction is only available on tickets purchased on the day, and not in advance. Children aged 17 and under enter for free if accompanied by an adult. A discount of £2 per ticket is available when six or more tickets are purchased in advance. However, as always, be aware of the £3.00 “fulfilment fee” which all ARC-owned racecourses apply to all online bookings. Update: The good news is that ARC Ltd have at long last now removed the “fulfilment fees”.
As always, on ARC-owned courses, a good number of upgrades were available, starting with the Royal River option. For £53.00 per ticket, you get Club admission, a free racecard, two free drinks at the racecourse (beer, wine or soft drinks) and a return boat trip from Windsor Town Centre. For £40.00 per ticket, there is the Reserved Base option. This includes Club admission, a reserved table with seating, bar and betting facilities. Parties of 7 or more people will be on a private table.
The next level up is the Royal Club Restaurant package at £100.00 per person. Located in the Victorian Grandstand, you get a private table, a two-course sharing board menu, drinks service at the tables, betting facilities and a racecard thrown in for good measure. The top-of-the-range hospitality option is the 1866 Restaurant package. This includes a guaranteed private table, located directly next to the window in the restaurant, a three-course meal, dedicated bars and betting facilities and a racecard to boot. All for £144.00 per person.
Overall, a wide variety of options and packages are available to suit all tastes and budgets. Rating: 7/10.
Racecard: The racecard for the meeting was very thin, at 32 pages, of which 12 were full-page adverts. There was nothing in the racecard except the Timeform list of runners and riders. There were no course facts and no layout map to help get you around the course. They did, however, heavily promote the live music after the racing through advertisements, which confirmed the ‘party’ vibe to the course. Hey, if that’s your thing, then go for it, but we imagined that most of the crowd were there for a session and the racing aspect was just the hors-d’oeuvre.
The Racecard – Windsor Races
They have Music nights most Mondays. In fact, of the 10 remaining Monday night meetings, there was just the Finale that didn’t have music advertised. From the size of the large crowd, this formula appears to be effective here. It's a good job that they managed to get a horse, hidden behind the pint of Guinness, on the front cover of the racecard; otherwise, you might have struggled in thinking you were somewhere else. There was, however, a full welcome to the course from the Director, who said that the weather had been kind for the previous two meetings and was looking good for tonight as well. Sadly, it rained so heavily that the horses in the 5.40 had a standing flagged start rather than use the stalls due to lightning in the area!
Viewing: Windsor Racecourse features two stands: the Jubilee Stand and the Royal Windsor Grandstand, with the Annual Members Bar situated between them. The overall viewing experience at Windsor Racecourse is good, as you can see the horses when racing for the majority of the time.
The Jubilee Club Stand – Windsor Racecourse
The Jubilee Club Stand is the older, more quaint enclosure, situated directly in front of the winning post. It is relatively small in size and features 15 concrete terraced viewing steps leading up to the rear of the stand, where a small seating area with wooden benches is located. It is covered, and the roof offers shelter from the elements over the majority of the stand. Due to the bijou size of the stand, it does get very busy, particularly on the Monday night fixtures held in the summer months.
The Royal Windsor Grandstand is located a little further down the home straight and is much larger in size.
The Royal Windsor Grandstand – Windsor Racecourse
It is situated on three levels, with the first level comprising 17 rows of concrete terracing and crash barriers. The second and third levels house the corporate hospitality restaurants and the private boxes. A large TV screen is positioned at the very end of the Grandstand, which takes the horses out of view for a short period of time. There is another, smaller TV screen just past the finishing post. Unfortunately, we must report that, in our opinion, the area at the rear of the stands, leading to the Parade Ring and food areas, has a tired and somewhat dilapidated appearance and feel to it.
The View at the Rear of the Stands - Windsor Racecourse
A little bit of badly needed investment and TLC would not go astray. Further down the home straight and on the first bend is the Paddock Pavilion. This is mainly reserved for owners and trainers, which surprised us as it is absolutely nowhere near the finishing line, so the viewing would not be good at all. It is, however, immediately adjacent to the Parade Ring. Rating: 7/10.
Parade Ring / Winners Enclosure: The winners' enclosure is circular in shape and large in size.
The Parade Ring – Windsor Racecourse
It is surrounded by large, mature trees and a well-kept hedge, which makes it look attractive. It has several raised viewing platforms, which is always a bonus; however, access is only available around 60% of its perimeter.
The Pre-Parade Ring & Saddling Enclosures – Windsor Racecourse
Immediately to the right is the Pre-Parade Ring and saddling enclosures, which is oval in shape. The viewing experience here is also good.
The Jockeys/Weighing Room – Windsor Racecourse
The Jockeys' Weighing Room is located to the left of the Pre-Parade Ring. It's not particularly large in size, and like many areas of Windsor Racecourse, it has a somewhat vintage look, circa 1970s. Rating: 7/10.
Bookmakers / Betting Facilities: The majority of the on-course bookmakers are located on a large concourse area, immediately in front of the two stands. However, there are also a few more next to both the Parade Ring and the winners' enclosure. Additionally, a decent-sized William Hill concession is located in the Sprint Bar, and several Tote outlets are scattered throughout the racecourse. Rating: 8/10.
Catering: Here at Racecourse Advisor, we enjoy doing “racecourse reviews” rather than restaurant reviews. We do not pretend to be food critics. We aim to provide you with an overview of the culinary options and prices available at the racecourse on race days.
It has to be said that there is no shortage of bars at Windsor Racecourse. Catering outlets are another matter, but getting a drink will not be a problem. The first bar we encountered was the Fitzdares Arms, an old-fashioned, late 1800s Victorian-themed establishment located on the ground floor of the Jubilee Club Stand. It was serving pints of Somersby cider for £5.60. Guinness, Carlsberg and Shipyard IPA for £6.30. San Miguel was £6.50 a pint. Wine was £6.50 a glass and £26.50 a bottle. A variety of mixer cans of cocktails were £7.80 each. Next to the winners' enclosure is the Real Ale bar serving up local craft beers at a variety of prices.
The other main bar area on the racecourse is the Sprint Bar, located on the ground floor of the Royal Windsor Stand, which was serving the same drinks at the same prices as above. We must say that the catering options on the day of our visit were somewhat limited, which was disappointing for a Monday evening summer meeting.
There is a small area in front of the Parade Ring, which features a couple of huts, one of which is the “Roti Shack,” serving a selection of wraps for £9.50 each. Next to this was Burrito Bar, knocking up a variety of options at £9.00 each. The other main food outlet was the fish & chip shop just behind the Royal Windsor Grandstand.
The Chippy - Windsor Racecourse
This was serving a portion of England’s finest cuisine for £11.50. Scampi and chips would set you back £8.50 a serving. Overall, a decent number of bar areas, but with a limited selection of food options at London prices. Rating: 5/10.
Guinness Standard: Draught Guinness was served at all the bars and priced at £6.30 per pint, not too bad at all. We did imbibe, and it was a decent pint to be fair. Nice and chilled, with a decent head. Rating: 7/10.
Friendliness of Course Staff: The course staff we met on the night were friendly and helpful, so no issues here. Rating: 9/10.
Pros & Cons: For us, the main con was being charged for parking your car anywhere near the main entrance. As stated above, we are now led to believe that all parking is free of charge, which is how it should be. Also, the location and access both in and out of the racecourse is nothing short of a nightmare due to the vast amount of traffic.
The catering option on the day of our visit was subpar, and significant improvements are needed in this area. The pricing was on the top side for a Monday evening fixture, in our opinion. The pros include the Parade Ring and Pre-Parade Ring, which were good. The overall viewing experience was also pretty good. Whilst the catering options were limited, the number of bars available for a drink was plentiful. Rating: 5/10.
As always, here at Racecourse Advisor, after each visit to a racecourse, we ask ourselves the question: would we return? The answer is that no, we wouldn’t, due to the cons listed in the above paragraph. Furthermore, in our opinion, the racecourse had a down-at-heel feel about it. With a wide selection of other racecourses available in the London area, it must be said that for us, Windsor would not be near the top of them.
Overall Racecourse Advisor Rating: 6.5/10.
The entire day's racing results can be found here: https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/meeting/2023-06-12/windsor/97878
Facilities & Location Map Windsor Racecourse: (Image acknowledged & credited to the Arena Racing Corporation Ltd.)
Aerial View - Windsor Racecourse: (Image acknowledged & credited to Google Earth)
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