If you head to the city of Bangor in North Wales in search of Bangor Racecourse, you’ll be disappointed to find that the racecourse is, in fact, situated near the village of Bangor-on-Dee, 66 miles to the southeast. Nevertheless, Bangor is a charming rural course on the banks of the River Dee, where it has stood, largely unchanged, since 1859. Bangor has the distinction of being the only racecourse in the country without a grandstand and relies instead on grass banks, which offer excellent viewing.
Course Characteristics
Bangor is a National Hunt only course, consisting of a fairly sharp, left-handed triangle, approximately a mile and a half around. The course is on the turn for most of the way and the paddock bend, immediately after the winning post, is especially tight, so agile, handy types are more at home than relentless gallopers. The nine fences, or six hurdles, per circuit present a thorough examination of jumping ability.
Track Facts
Fred Archer, who went on to ride 2,748 winners in his tragically short career, rode Maid Of Trent to win a pony race, over two miles of the steeplechase course at Bangor, as a boy of 10 in 1868.
The late Dick Francis, described by legendary racing broadcaster as “one of the outstanding horsemen of his era”, rode the first of his 345 career winners, Wrenbury Tiger, in a hunter chase at Bangor on May 3, 1947. He rode his second winner, Blitz Boy, in a novices’ chase later the same afternoon.