Huntingdon Racecourse Explained

Huntingdon Racecourse
Website:	https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/huntingdon/
Location:	Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Owner:	Jockey Club Racecourses
Channel:	Racing TV
Coursetype:	National Hunt
Notableraces:	Peterborough Chase
Prev:	Hexham
Next:	Kelso

Huntingdon Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Brampton near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on a Site of Special Scientific Interest of the original Brampton Racecourse.

The most notable race held at Huntingdon Racecourse is the Peterborough Chase in December.

History

The first race meeting at Huntingdon Racecourse took place on Easter Monday, 1886. The race was a three mile steeplechase won by a horse named Catherine The Great. In 1920, the racecourse was part of the Huntingdon Steeplechase Group managed by Bob Lenton for 25 years.^[1] In 1953, chairman of the committee John Goodcliff managed construction of the grandstand that still stands on the racecourse today.^[2]

The Peterborough Chase is Huntingdon's showpiece event and started in 1969. By 1979 it secured its formal name as used today. The race has seen big name winners including Best Mate, Desert Orchid and One Man.^[3] Edredon Bleu is the most successful horse in the race, winning four times in a row between 1998 and 2001.^{[4] [5]} Trainer Henrietta Knight saddled 8 winners in the race over 10 years.^[6]

Currently the racecourse is owned and operated by The Jockey Club.^[7]

Huntingdon Racecourse has been voted Best Small Racecourse in South Midlands and East Anglia by the Racegoers Club twice in 2011 and 2014.^{[8] [9]}

The course

Huntingdon Racecourse only hosts National Hunt races. It is an oval shaped course that runs right-handed. It is notable for its flatness, with few undulations. It is a fast course, however due to its location there can be muddy and testing conditions.

The steeplechase course has nine fences, meanwhile the hurdle course has five on each circuit. The home straight features two fences for each type. Until 2008, Huntingdon featured a water jump.^[10]

The land the racecourse is on was originally known as Brampton Racecourse. It is a 21.1hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest. It sits on the flood plain of Alconbury Brook and has a number of rare species including the largest population of green-winged orchids in the UK.^{[11] [12]}

Over the years, Huntingdon Racecourse has suffered with extensive flooding which has caused a number of race days to be postponed.^{[13] [14] [15]}

Notable races

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Month	DOW	Race Name	Type	Grade	Distance	Age/Sex
	Thursday	Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle	Hurdle	Listed		4yo +
	Thursday	Peterborough Chase	Chase	Grade 2		4yo +

References

52.3342°N -0.2336°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Huntingdon Racecourse. greyhoundderby.com. 20 April 2022.
2. Web site: Huntingdon. Racing TV. 20 April 2022.
3. Web site: ABOUT HUNTINGDON RACECOURSE. The Jockey Club. 20 April 2022.
4. Web site: How bold-jumping Edredon Bleu bravely triumphed in the King George. Racing Post. 20 April 2022.
5. Web site: STELLAR LINE-UP IN PROSPECT ON SUNDAY AS PETERBOROUGH CHASE REACHES ITS HALF CENTURY. The Jockey Club. 20 April 2022.
6. Web site: Huntingdon Racecourse. Racecourse Directory. 20 April 2022.
7. Web site: ABOUT THE JOCKEY CLUB. The Jockey Club. 20 April 2022.
8. Web site: Best small course in the North. Sky Sports. 20 April 2022.
9. Web site: 2014 Awards. Racegoers Club. 20 April 2022.
10. Web site: Huntingdon Racecourse. UK Betting Sites. 20 April 2022.
11. Web site: Overview of Huntingdon Racecourse. British Racecourse. 20 April 2022.
12. Web site: BSBI Report. BSBI. 20 April 2022.
13. Web site: Huntingdon Racecourse: Flooding forces Boxing Day race cancellation. BBC. 20 April 2022.
14. Web site: Stunning aerial images capture extent of floods at Cambs racecourse. Cambs Times. 20 April 2022.
15. Web site: Huntingdon Racecourse - surviving the pandemic and then came the floods. Hunts Post. 20 April 2022.