Beverley Racecourse has stood on Beverley Westwood, overlooking the market town of Beverley, since 1690. In recent years, Beverley Racecourse has invested nearly half a million pounds, including £300,000 on a new sprinkler system and £75,000 on solar panels on the roof of the grandstand, to improve its facilities and infrastructure. For racegoers on the East Coast of England, Beverley operates a subsidised coach service, known as the “Beverley Racebus”, with pick-up points in Filey, Bridlington, Nafferton, Driffied and Middelton on the Wolds.
Course Characteristics
The round course at Beverley is a right-handed oval, nearly a mile and a half around. Although primarily galloping in character, the downhill turn into the home straight and the length of the straight – just two and a half furlongs – add sharpness to the round course. The straight course, on which 5-furlong races are run, is uphill all the way to the winning post and presents a stiff test of stamina, especially on soft going. Furthermore, the straight course bends to the right at halfway, offering horses drawn low, against the inside rail, a massive advantage in 5-furlong races.
Track Facts
Rapid Lad, a handicapper trained by John Spearing, won 12 races at Beverley between 1983 and 1989, but never won anywhere else. Beverley stages the Rapid Lad Handicap annually in his honour and one of the Tattersalls’ bars also bears his name.
Caspar Netscher, who returned to the racecourse in July 2013 after suffering subfertility problems at stud, landed a monster gamble on his debut at Beverley in May 2011, after being backed from 20/1 to 100/30 favourite.
Bordelescott, who also, coincidentally, came out of retirement as an 11-year-old in July, won one of the principal races at Beverley, the Beverley Bullet, over 5 furlongs, in September 2012.