Bath Racecourse

Bath is a flat racing course and is regarded as one of the most relaxed, intimate and friendly racecourses in Britain. It is situated on a hill overlooking the Roman City of Bath in Somerset and that is a main feature of the course.

The course is a busy course with many meetings each year - it will play host to twenty meets in 2008. Bath is not one of the top level racecourses but does attract a large crowd and it has the honour of being the ground on which several trainers will give their horse its first run ever run out.

History

The first record of racing in the vicinity of Bath can be traced to 1728, when racing was reportedly held at Claverton Down, near to Bath City. The last recorded meeting at Claverton Down was in 1796.

Bath Racecourse

Records show that a meeting took place in 1811 at Lansdown, which is the current site of the racecourse. The racecourse is now situated on Lansdown Hill, overlooking the picturesque Roman City of Bath.

Meetings regularly took place during the 1900s, with the principal race being the Somersetshire stakes. In 1903, Bath racecourse was deemed to be the highest English racecourse above sea level at 780 feet.

Major Races and Events

Bath plays host to several race meets every year. In 2008, there will be twenty race meets, with several family ‘fun days. The first meeting of the year is a ‘Half term afternoon race meeting’ on April 9 from 2.10pm. The calendar of events throughout the year sees several ‘fun’ race meets, including an evening race meet which incorporates the ‘Miss Bath’ competition on April 22.

The majority of races held at Bath take place in the summer months, although racing does continue through to October, with the last meeting of the year being an afternoon of racing on October 22. There are also several special events with racing and live music.

The first of these is an ‘Aussie Beach Party’ on June 6 with a full race programme followed by a BBQ, surf competition and a live performance from Rolf Harris. This is just a small glimpse of the fun events held at the racecourse throughout the course of the year. A full calendar can be found here.

Ticket Information

Tickets can sometimes be bought at the entrance depending on the meeting. If you prefer to book in advance, you can buy tickets and badges on the website or by telephoning the course on 01225 424609.

Ticket prices in the grandstand range from £13 to £18 and in the Premier Enclosure from £18 to £22. You can also go ‘on the course’ from £8 to £10, but these tickets are only available on the day of the race.

Travel

By Car

Located two miles north of the city centre, you will find Bath Racecourse about six miles south of Junction 18 of the M4 Motorway. It is well sign-posted from all major routes to its location on Lansdown Hill.

By Train

Bath Racecourse can be reached from both the main London Paddington and South Wales lines. Regular connections from Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham also run. Buses and taxis are the best way to get from the station to the course (taking 10 to 15 minutes).

The ‘First’ bus company provides a bus service to the course which runs every half an hour throughout the day, starting two hours before the first race. The service number is 22 and it picks up from Dorchester Street. For more information call 0845 6064446.

Contact Information

• Bath Racecourse
• Lansdown
• Bath
• BA1 9BU
• Tel: 01225 424 609
• Fax: 01225 444 415
• Email: [email protected]