Thirsk Racecourse is situated to the west of the town of Thirsk, North Yorkshire, in the direction of the village of Carlton Miniott. The first meeting was staged at the course, in its current location, in 1855 and the racecourse has continued to flourish ever since. Thirsk plays host to 14 Flat meetings throughout the season.
Course Characteristics
The round course at Thirsk is left-handed, fairly sharp oval, a mile and quarter in circumference, with a four furlong home straight. Perhaps surprisingly, for a perfectly level course with wide, easy bends, Thirsk tends to favours agile, handy types.The straight course, on which races up to six furlongs are run, starts on a chute that joins the round course at the top of the home straight. Horses drawn high, against the stands’ side rail, are massively favoured in races over five and six furlongs when the going is good or faster.
Track Facts
The Thirsk Hunt Cup, run over a mile in May, is the most valuable race on the Thirsk calendar.
Thirsk racecourse hosted the St. Leger, for the one and only time, in 1940.
Terimon, who finished second in the 1989 Derby at odds of 500/1, had just been touched off in the now defunct Thirsk Classic Trial earlier in the season.