Newcastle Racecourse was transferred to its current location, in High Gosforth Park on the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1882. The Tattersalls and Club stands were originally opened in 1965 but, more recently, under the auspices of Arena Racing Company (ARC) the course and its facilities underwent a multi-million pound facelift. In 2017 Newcastle played host to 62 Flat and National Hunt fixtures.
Course Characteristics
In 2016, the old turf course used for Flat racing at Newcastle was ripped up and replaced with an all-weather Tapeta track, around the outside of the existing National Hunt course. The round course is a left-handed, galloping, testing oval, approximately a mile and threequarters around. The last three furlongs of the round course, and of the straight mile course, rise steadily all the way to the winning post, placing the emphasis firmly on stamina.
The National Hunt course is testing, with ten stiff fences, or seven flights of hurdles, per circuit.
Track Facts
The Northumberland Plate, also known as the “Pitmen’s Derby”, was the highlight of a holiday for local mine workers until 1949.
The Fighting Fifth Hurdle is a recognised early season trial for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The last horse to win both races was Punjabi, trained by Nicky Henderson, in the 2008/09 season, although that year’s renewal of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle took place at Wetherby.
The “Fighting Fifth” was the nickname of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, formerly the Fifth Regiment of Foot.
The Tapeta track at Newcastle Racecourse includes the only floodlit all-weather straight mile in the world.