Fontwell Racecourse, situated between Chichester and Arundel in West Sussex, has the distinction of having the only figure-of-eight steeplechase course in the country. The design stems from the fact that, when the course was built in 1924, only limited space was available. Now part of the Arena Racing Company (ARC), which has invested heavily in the facilities in recent years, Fontwell Racecourse stages 24 National Hunt fixtures throughout the season.

Course Characteristics

The chase track at Fontwell is an undulating figure of eight, approximately two miles around, with a run-in of just over a furlong. There are six average fences per circuit, but the unusual twists and turns can cause problems for inexperienced chasers. The hurdle track is a more conventional, but fairly sharp, oval, approximately a mile around with four flights of hurdles per circuit. On both courses, big, long-striding horses are at a major disadvantage.

Track Facts

The most valuable race on the Fontwell calendar is the National Spirit Hurdle, named after National Spirit, who won the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 1947 and 1948, but also won five times at Fontwell during his career.

Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, visited Fontwell in 1949 to watch Monaveen become her first winner as an owner.

In 1973, some of the scenes for the film version of Dick Francis’ novel Dead Cert were shot at Fontwell.

In 1984, jockey John Francome broke Stan Mellor’s record for the number of career wins by a National Hunt jockey, at Fontwell.

Notwithstanding the trials and tribulations of Great Leighs, now Chelmsford City, in Essex, Ffos Las Racecourse has the distinction of being the first new racecourse in Britain for 80 years. It stands on the site of what was formerly the largest open cast coal mine in Europe, five miles from Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Ffos Las opened its doors in 2009 and, today, hosts 27 Flat and National Hunt Fixtures throughout the year.

Course Characteristics

The round course at Ffos Las consists of a flat, galloping oval, approximately a mile and a half around. The course is characterised by easy, wide bends that suit long-striding galloping types. However, the downhill finish favours horses that like to lead, or race prominently, especially on fast ground. The sprint course, which joins the round course at the top of the home straight is very wide, with gentle undulations throughout. On the National Hunt course there are nine average fences, or six flights of hurdles, per circuit.

Track Facts

The first ever winner at Ffos Las was Plunkett, trained by Evan Williams and ridden by Donal Fahy, on June 18, 2009.

One of the most valuable races on the Ffos Las calendar is the resurrected Welsh Champion Hurdle, formerly run at Chepstow. The 2013 winner, Medinas, followed up, at 33/1, in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival the following month.

Fakeham Racecourse is situated 11 miles inland from the seaside town of Wells-next-the-Sea on the north Norfolk coast. National Hunt racing first took place on the course, in its current location, in 1905 after the West Norfolk Hunt transferred its race meeting from East Winch, near King’s Lynn, 20 miles to the west. The number of fixtures staged at Fakenham gradually increased over the years, particularly under the auspices of Fakenham Racecourse Ltd, formed in 1965, to the eleven currently held annually. HRH The Prince of Wales officially opened a new members’ stand at the course in 2002.

Course Characteristics

Fakenham is left-handed, sharp, undulating square, barely a mile around. There are six, fairly stiff fences, or four flights of hurdles, per circuit and a run-in of 250 yards. The undulations, tight turns and short back and home straights favour handy, front-running types rather than out-and-out gallopers.

Track Facts

Grand National winning jockey Bob Champion visited Fakenham in May 2010 as part of his charity ride to all sixty racecourses that existed in England, Scotland and Wales at that time in as many days.

One of the peculiarities of Fakenham is that in hurdle races over three miles the last flight is jumped four times in total. Numerous jockeys, including experienced jockeys, have been banned for taking the wrong course at Fakenham over the years.

In her hundredth year, in 2000, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother visited Fakenham, only for racing to be abandoned because of bad weather.

Exeter, formerly Devon and Exeter, Racecourse is situated high on Haldon Hill, overlooking Dartmoor. At a height of 850 feet above sea level, it has the distinction of being the highest in the country. Nowadays, Exeter Racecourse is exclusively a National Hunt course, but National Hunt racing didn’t actually arrive until 1898, over a hundred years after the first official Flat meeting on the course. A multi-million pound extension of the Haldon Premier Stand was completed in 2009 and, today, Exeter stages 15 competitive National Hunt fixtures throughout the season.

Course Characteristics

Exeter racecourse is a right-handed, highly undulating, testing oval. There are eleven, fairly stiff fences, or seven flights of hurdles, on each two-mile circuit and a run-in of less than a furlong. The last half mile is uphill all the way to the winning post, so Exeter presents a very stiff test of stamina, particularly when the going is heavy.

Track Facts

Desert Orchid, Best Mate and Denman all made winning debuts over fences at Exeter racecourse.

In November 2005, triple Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Best Mate collapsed and died from a suspected heart attack after pulling up in the Haldon Gold Cup Chase at Exeter.

In March 2011, the biggest ever winning dividend in the history of the Tote Jackpot, £1.45 million, was declared at Exeter racecourse.