Hamilton Racecourse Guide

Welcome to our official guide to Hamilton Racecourse.

Our teams explore this great and unique Scottish flat racecourse in detail, looking at its history, a guide to the track, hotel picks, fixtures, travel information and betting guides!

If you are looking for the latest betting tips for Hamilton, check out our full guide to Hamilton Racecourse tips.

Find out more about Hamilton Racecourse today:

Overview of Hamilton Racecourse

Hamilton may be a name on everybody’s lips due to the celebrated stage music, but it’s so much more.

Hamilton Park is one of the most scenic and picturesque racecourses in Scotland, boasting flat race meetings from May through to September.

Hamilton is a major venue in Scotland, located close to Glasgow. The racecourse does not hold too many reputable races (aside from the Lanark Silver Bell night), but every event is a party waiting to happen.

Most race days are themed and accompanied by musical performances or DJ sets. It’s a great venue.

Hamilton hosts exclusively flat race meets, kicking off its season in May and wrapping up in September.

If placing a bet, stamina is key, Hamilton Park is not an easy course and stamina is required. A tip is to locate yourself as close to the far rail as possible. This provides the best possible view of the racing action and most runners generally stick that was well.

The course is owned by the Hamilton Park Trust, which acts as a non-profit.

Since 1973, every penny made by Hamilton Park Racecourse has been spent on development and improvement by the trust.

Most recently, in excess of £2m was spent on revamping all facilities, making Hamilton a state-of-the-art venue.

Hamilton Park Racing Tips

History of Hamilton Racecourse

Hamilton Park enjoys a rich history in Scottish racing, dating back to 1782.

In 1947, Hamilton Park hosted the UK’s first-ever evening race meet – a tradition that continues to this day.

In 1971, Hamilton Park changed the racing landscape again, this time with the first ever morning meet.

The racecourse that stands today has been in operation since 1926, though naturally, a variety of modernisation processes have taken place since then.

Hamilton Racecourse Map

Below is a map of Hamilton Racecourse:

Hamilton is a unique course.

It is right-handed with sharp, undulating and with a steep uphill finish over the final three furlongs.

When the ground becomes testing the runners generally stick to the far side rail.

Is there a draw bias at Hamilton Racecourse?

There seems to be a slight bias towards low drawn horses at Hamilton Racecourse for the 5 furlong distance. However, the bias is not significant, and it is better to focus on other factors when making betting decisions.

The ground conditions can also play a role in the draw bias, with soft ground potentially giving an advantage to horses drawn on the outside.

For the 6 furlong distance, there doesn’t seem to be a significant draw bias at Hamilton. Both high and low drawn horses have a similar chance of winning.

The track is relatively straight, with just a slight bend, which could explain why there is no bias towards either side. In general, the track is known for being a galloping course, which can benefit horses with good stamina and speed.

What is the Draw Bias at Hamilton 5 Furlongs?

There doesn’t appear to be a significant draw bias over 5 furlongs at Hamilton racecourse.

While there is a perception that low drawn runners have an advantage, particularly on soft ground, the data shows that the split of winners is almost even when the ground is good or better.

In fact, there is even a slight bias towards high drawn runners in these conditions.

When the ground is soft, the low numbers do perform slightly better, but the bias is not significant enough to make a big difference in the outcome of the race.

It seems that track position and other factors, such as the pace of the race, may have a bigger impact on the results than the draw over 5 furlongs at Hamilton.

What is the Draw Bias at Hamilton 6 Furlongs?

After analysing the results, it seems that being drawn low has a slight advantage over 6 furlongs at Hamilton. However, this is not a significant bias as horses have won from different draws.

It is worth noting that the ground condition might affect the draw bias, as the soft ground seems to favour the low numbers at Hamilton.

In general, the draw bias at Hamilton over 6 furlongs is relatively small, and other factors such as form, pace, and ground condition might have a more significant impact on the race outcome.

What is the Draw Bias at Hamilton 1 Mile?

According to the stats, there is a clear advantage for horses drawn low over a mile at Hamilton.

This could be due to the fact that the mile course at Hamilton is a right-handed dogleg, and horses drawn low would be positioned on the inside of the bend, giving them an advantage.

However, it’s worth noting that the sample size is relatively small, so this bias may not hold up over time.

Main Races and Meetings at Hamilton Racecourse

Hamilton Park provides flat race meets for half the calendar year. Thankfully, the season runs through the summer. This ensures that weather in the Scottish Lowlands should have minimal impact on events.

The going will largely remain good, and events are less likely to be rained off.

Hamilton Park does not host many major fixtures aside from the Glasgow Stakes, Lanark Silver Bell race night and its great ladies night – all of which are superb and very busy. That said it remains a great location for star-spotting. Many reputable and famous jockeys and runners compete at the course over the season.

A typical fixture list for Hamilton Park Racecourse will look like this:

• May – Hamilton Park may not be active all year round, but there is certainly plenty going on during the season. May sees three events at the racecourse. A Family Raceday kicks off proceedings, typically on the first weekend of May. A second, evening meetings take place mid-Month, usually followed by a major DJ set and dance party. May is rounded out by the Cadzow Castle Raceday.
• June – June is a bumper month at Hamilton Park, with no less than five events typically scheduled. Two traditional racedays kick off the month, followed by the Bothwell Castle Raceday in the middle of June, headlined by the Bothwell Castle Handicap Stakes. The Saints and Sinners Racenight is a themed event later in the month, which raises money for numerous small charities. The Almada Raceday, which features the valued Almada Mile, rounds out the month. If the foibles of the calendar dictate, the latter may be bumped to July.
• July – July hosts The Big One at Hamilton Park – The Glasgow Stakes. A listed race that unfolds on a Friday night, The Glasgow Stakes is a major event in the Sottish sporting calendar and is celebrated with appropriate levels of pomp and ceremony. July also sees a Family Race Night and a traditional race night.
• August – Hamilton Park does not rest on its laurels after the bonanza of July. August opens with Ladies Night, usually headlined by a celebrity judging the Best Dressed Lady of the evening and playing a DJ set to complete the party atmosphere. This is followed by the Scottish Trophy Raceday, headlined by the Scottish Trophy Handicap Stakes. August is rounded out with another major race – the Lanark Silver Bell Racenight, in which the titular bell is awarded ahead of a night of music and decadence. The Lanark Silver Bell is one of the oldest races in the world
• September – September concludes the Hamilton Park season with a bang. A traditional race night opens the month, followed by standard race day. Toward the end of the month, the Sodexo Raceday is another afternoon-long party, but the season wraps with a Family Weekend Raceday that is fun for all ages. Under 18s enter free, and there are a plethora of complimentary children’s activities throughout the venue.

Hamilton Races Address

The official address of Hamilton Racecourse is:

Hamilton Park Racecourse
Bothwell Road
Hamilton
South Lanarkshire
ML3 0DW

How to Get To Hamilton Racecourse

The ways to get to Hamilton Racecourse are:

• By car – naturally, driving also remains an option. You’ll need to get onto the M74 and leave at Exit 5. This will lead you to a roundabout. From here, unmistakable brown signposts will lead you directly to Hamilton Park Racecourse.
• By train – If taking the train, the nearest station is Hamilton West – around a fifteen stroll from the racecourse. You’ll need to change at Glasgow Central of Motherwell to get to this station, as it’s comparatively small and localised. By bus, take route 255 from Glasgow city centre or Hamilton bus station. This service runs roughly every ten minutes and drops you right outside the racecourse.
• By air – just jet into the aforementioned Glasgow and take a taxi. You could even fly into Edinburgh, though this airport is a further ten miles afield.

As you can see as it’s based a mere fifteen minutes from Glasgow, Hamilton Park Racecourse is pleasantly simple to travel to.

Hotels Near Hamilton Racecourse

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to affordable accommodation around Hamilton. There are no less than five hotels within a mile of the track, all of which will typically charge under three figures for an overnight stay.

If you’re keen on a reputable chain, look no further than the Hilton based in Hampton. This also happens to the closest hotel to the racecourse.

The Strathclyde Park Holiday Inn is also close, and surprisingly low-cost.

If you’re really keen to keep the budget low, take a look at the Innkeeper’s Lodge, the AlonA or the Day’s Inn. Any of these hotels are perfectly reputable and are based within a stone’s throw of Hamilton Park Racecourse.

Other Events at Hamilton Park Racecourse

Like all major racecourses, Hamilton Park can be booked for private functions. If you’re interested in reserving the venue for a wedding or corporate event, why not take a virtual tour of the facilities?

As the racecourse does not operate between November and April, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to make use of the function rooms.

In addition, Hamilton Park occasionally hosts musical performances. Oftentimes these are tied in with race days, but occasionally standalone shows are booked.

Some of the major names to perform at Hamilton Park in recent years include Tom Jones, Steps, JLS, Peter Andre, The Saturdays and Westlife.

Summary of Hamilton Park Racecourse

A quirky track with some great evening racing, including the Lanark Silver Bell race night, we love Hamilton.

A right-handed track with a stiff final three furlongs, racing is always competitive here, crowds busy and the fun factor high.

It is a superb night out for those who love racing as well as those just looking for a great day out.

Easy transport links and great customer service, it’s a gem of a course and one we highly recommend.