Welcome to our official guide to Chester Racecourse.
We explore this stunning city centre racecourse in detail, looking at its long history, a guide to the unique track, the major races (including the May Festival), local hotel picks, fixtures, travel information and even the weather.
Find out about the beautiful Chester Racecourse today:
Officially recognised as the oldest racecourse in operation by Guinness World Records, Chester has a long, varied and rich history that makes a trip to the racecourse as educational and informative, as it is fun.
Chester Racecourse is also known as ‘the Roodee’, a name that originates from the mound in the middle of the track that’s decorated with a cross. The mound is the ‘rood’ and ‘roodee’ translates roughly as ‘the Island of the Cross’.
The racecourse is also the smallest used in significant British racing, measuring just one mile and one furlong around in total. It’s flat left-handed and unusually, the course is in the city centre – almost unheard of compared to other racing tracks in the UK.
This means that what it doesn’t offer in size, it makes up for in popularity; as it’s always very well-attended and very much a part of the city’s ‘going out’ culture.
Independently owned, Chester Race Company Ltd. runs both the Roodee and Bangor-on-Dee courses, as well as an on-site hotel, two restaurants, a bar, and a catering company (that operate at both courses as well as third party venues). Interestingly, the company broke out and made history back in 2012 by becoming Britain’s first course to launch and introduce their own betting system: ChesterBET, which was implemented in place of the existing Tote facilities at the site.
The course is open 365 days a year, remains critically acclaimed and (although small in size) can boast the titles of Large Racecourse Of The Year 2015, 2018 and 2019, alongside the Racehorse Owner’s Association Gold Standard certification.
Chester Racecourse History
Chester Racecourse is on the banks of the River Dee, which was originally a harbour, with legend stating that the cross on the ‘rood’ was to commemorate a former statue of the Virgin Mary that had been torn down.
It was also home to the Chester Midsummer Watch Parade before being used as a football ground.
The infamous Goteddsday football match took place on the field and was outlawed as a result in 1533.
Five years later, the city stipulated football was to be replaced by racing, and so in 1539, Chester Racecourse as we know it today was launched.
Victors at the races were awarded the ‘Chester Bells’, decorative (and very loud) bells to be fitted to the horse’s bridles, and later on, the Chester Cup gold trophy.
Today, of course, the prizes are all financial, but evidence of these accolades remain a part of history.
In 1766, a May Festival was added, and in 1824, the Tradesmen’s Cup; which went on to become the Chester Cup.
The first grandstand was completed in 1817 and the first ticket sold in 1897.
It has since diversified into a multi-purpose events venue with the main stand called the County Stand: in 2006, it hosted its first music gig (Westlife, as part of their UK tour, visited several British racecourses), opening its first restaurant in 2008 and its first bar in 2013.
Chester Races and Main Events
Six notable races take place at Chester annually in May at the famous and brilliant Chester May Festival.
The main races at the May Festival include:
The Cheshire Oaks
Chester Vase
Ormonde Stakes
Dee Stakes
Huxley Stakes
The Chester Cup
Unlike most other racecourses, attendance is high for all – because its location makes it easy to reach for all visiting the city.
The Cup is the “Grand Finale” of sorts and is a flat handicap race of two-track laps.
Chester Racecourse Map
Please see the Chester racecourse map below:
Courtesy of At The Races.
Chester is a left-handed and very sharp track.
It is almost circular meaning that horses are almost always on the turn. It is just over one mile around with a short run-in of just under two furlongs.
A low draw at Chester is a big advantage over sprints and even over middle-distance races, particularly so in large fields where being caught wide means a runner is giving lots of ground away.
Chester Racecourse Address
The full Chester racecourse address is:
Chester Racecourse
The Racecourse
New Crane Street
Chester
CH1 2LY
How To Get To Chester Racecourse
There are a number of ways to travel to Chester racecourse but being in the centre of the city, it is an easy racecourse to reach:
By Car – to get to the racecourse, you just need to head to Chester. A car park sits right at the entrance of the course and the city is easily accessible from the M53, M56, M6 and A483. The postcode for your stat nav is – Chester CH1 2LY.
Train – Chester train station is a six-minute taxi journey from the racecourse or a twenty-minute walk.
Air – for air travel, there are landing facilities at nearby Deeside, but arrangements need to be agreed and made in advance with British Aerospace (as this doesn’t just serve the course). Slightly further afield are Manchester and Liverpool Airports.
Hotels Near Chester Racecourse
Any hotel in Chester will be within walking distance of the Roodee, but the Holiday Inn Express Chester Racecourse sits on the site itself. It has a variety of room options and packages, breakfast included in all rates, free Wi-Fi and complimentary parking. The hotel does get booked up on race days, so book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Other chain hotels in Chester include:
Wetherspoons Inn
Doubletree by Hilton
Best Western
The Mill Hotel
Rowton Hall Spa
Crabwall Manor
Also, check out the fantastic range of brilliant Chester hotels available via Booking.com below: Booking.com
Online Betting Sites For Chester Races
At British Racecourses, we often recommend betting online and via apps. This is because you can often get the best odds guaranteed, great offers when signing up and you can place bets quickly and safely without having to queue.
With 3G, 4G and on course Wifi, online betting sites or betting via mobile app is a popular choice.
Be sure to check out the awesome betting bonuses for online betting below:
There are lots of new gambling websites all of which have some great sign-up offers, as well as featuring great odds for races at Chester.
18+ New Customers opt in, deposit and bet £5 at odds 2.00+ on Horse Racing within 7 days of registration; excludes cashed out bets. Get 3x £10 Free Bets, set events only at odds 2.00+. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs Apply, see below. | begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
New UK customers only. Register using the promo code BETFRED60, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £20 in Free Bets to be used on Sports, £10 in Free Bets to be used on Lotto and 50 Free Spins (20p per spin) credited within 48 hours of bet settlement. Further £20 in Free Bets credited 5 days after settlement. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required.
18+ New UK+IRE customers. PayPal and certain deposit and bet types excluded. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply.
New customers only – Minimum deposit of £10 using deposit code 30F – A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 placed on any sports market – Minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5) – Free bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days – Free bet stakes not included in returns – Deposit method and withdrawal restrictions apply.
New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply.
18+ New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply.
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first racing bet loses. Wagering: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Sports bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. Full T&Cs apply. #Ad
18+ New customers only. Opt in and place a £10 qualifying bet on Horse Racing at odds of 2.00+ within 7 days of registering; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 3x £10 Horse Racing Free Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00+. Plus, a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw a max of £250. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs Apply, see below. Please Gamble Responsibly.
18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible.
New UK customers only. £10 Min Deposit. 100% matched free bet on your first deposit of £10. 1 x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bets. Debit Card deposits only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way.
All betting facilities at Chester Racecourse are managed by the brand’s own gaming system, ChesterBET, alongside the standard independent bookmakers to the side of the course.
ChesterBET offers an alternative to traditional pool-based dividends, as well as Win, Each-Way, Forecast, Trixie and Tri-Place bets. Variances aren’t huge on traditional betting, but staff are trained to explain clearly the differences – so ask if you need any clarification.
Being a city, there are of course plenty of betting options in Chester itself. Branches of:
as well as independent branches of Cook Bookmakers, Corbett Sports and David Pluck.
Chester Racecourse Fixtures 2022
The current Chester race meetings for 2022 are:
4 May – City Day
5 May – Ladies Day
6 May – Chester Cup Day
28 May – Roman Day
11 June – Summer Saturday
24 June – Ladies Evening
25 June – Summer Festival
8 July – Ladies & Gents Evening
9 July – City Plate Day
16 July – Midsummer Meeting
31 July – Family Funday
20 August – Ladies Day
9/10 September – Autumn Festival
24 September – Season Finale
The busiest day is probably Ladies Day as part of the May Festival.
Chester Racecard
The racecards for Chester races will be released the day before the races are set to happen. You can view full racecards in advance, check out – horse racing cards tomorrow and horse racing cards today. In these, you will get an advance look at all the runners, trainers, form and riders.
You can also of course purchase a racecard from the track which carries much of the same useful information. Many like to keep these as souvenirs, especially from major racing events.
Chester Racecourse Weather
Punters and race-goers love to keep up with the weather to predict going conditions, as well as making sure what they wear is suitable.
Here’s the current weather forecast for Chester racecourse: CHESTER WEATHER
Other Events Held at Chester Racecourse
Chester Racecourse isn’t just home to traditional racing – it hosts the Chester Polo Club too! Fixtures vary annually but the course is known for its tradition of a hidden silver cork in each divot-treading session. The person who finds it is awarded a prize.
As a city-centre venue with plenty of space, it’s unsurprising that Chester Racecourse hosts events almost every day of the year. Plenty of such occasions are private, but public events include running races and gigs.
Popular Questions
Can you wear jeans to Chester races?
Yes you can wear smart jeans to Chester races.
Smart casual dress is the suggested attire.
For men a collar is required, which can either be a polo shirt or collared shirt. Smart jeans, trousers or chinos are allowed, although no trainers, sportswear or fancy is permitted.
Is there a dress code for Chester races?
There is no strict dress code for Chester races.
However smart causal is permitted – no trainers, no sportswear and no fancy dress.
Can you take food and drink into Chester races?
Race-goers are allowed to bring food and soft drinks in sealed plastic containers into Chester racecourse – but no alcohol.
What is the postcode for Chester racecourse?
The postcode for Chester racecourse is CH1 2LY.
Summary of Chester Racecourse
Chester is a stunning racecourse with a very British feel.
Situated in the centre of the beautiful city of Chester with a unique and tight track, there is not a bad seat in the house.
With great food, hospitality, a fun crowd and a family feel as well, it is well worth a visit.
It hosts great race meetings throughout the summer with the most popular day probably being Ladies Day as part of the May Festival.
It is one of our favourite courses here at British Racecourses and the team love to attend the May meeting every year. A British Racecourse Guide top pick and one of our Top 10 Racecourses in the UK.
Highly recommended.
Other Racecourses in the UK & Ireland
Our team as of May 2022 have reviewed these racecourses that are also definitely worth a visit:
As the Founder of British Racecourses, I have a life-long passion for horse racing and have loved the sport as long as I can remember. I am also a keen racehorse owner and have worked in the gambling industry for several years. I set up British Racecourses with the desire to share my passion for racing with other like-minded people.