Leicester Racecourse

James Dooley avatar

Written By:

Updated:

Welcome to our official guide to Leicester Racecourse.

In this section we explore this popular flat and jumps racecourse in detail, looking at its history, the best local hotels, fixtures, travel information, and betting guides.

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

Find out more about Leicester Racecourse today:

Leicester Racecourse

Overview of Leicester Racecourse

Steeped in over a century of racing history, Leicester Racecourse is a reputed tough nut to crack – a tricky course and an air of historical prestige lend to this course’s stature.

Situated a couple of miles south of the East Midlands city of Leicester, it has made a name for itself on several occasions through the years.

The track itself is right-handed and measures almost two miles and hosts both flat and National Hunt racing.

Leicester Racecourse hosts a racing schedule of around 30 events a year, approximately two-thirds of which are flat. Leicester Racecourse’s facilities are ample and amongst the best in the UK, primarily because of the use of physical space on the course.

There are 108 stables available, and 6 with high-priority security features for those very high-profile runners!

Leicester Racecourse is well known as a tough course for horses and is very much seen as a stamina test for those racing here, particularly early in the season. On both soft going the uphill finish is tough, and National Hunt runners face a formidable run-in.

That said, the course’s fantastic facilities for horses, their trainers and jockeys, means that they are rarely injured here and the course’s record of dealing with injuries and accidents is superb.

Whilst no longer one of the most prominent racecourses in the UK racing calendar, Leicester has like many venues in the sport, diversified its offerings.

Entertainment and conferencing venue ‘The Kube’ opened at Leicester Racecourse in 2014 and hosts a variety of events for both business and pleasure! This includes conferences and exhibitions as well as themed parties and occasion nights, and even weddings. With a capacity up to 1,000 people, The Kube has quickly become a popular venue in the wider Leicester area.

Leicester Racecourse History

Racing in Leicester is well documented from 1773, where it took place at Victoria Park; a venue closer to what is now the built-up city centre.

Some 110 years later, in 1883, Leicester’s horse racing centre moved to what is Leicester Racecourse today, in Oadby, and has been situated there ever since.

It would be fair to say that Leicester Racecourse’s ‘heyday’ was in the last 19th Century, when it hosted some of the country’s most valuable races. This included The Portland Stakes and The Prince Of Wales Stakes, which, back in the 1880s, carried a higher prize fund than any of the UK’s five classic race meets.

Leicester races made headlines not just across the country but across the whole world in the 1980s when it was the venue for the Flockton Grey scandal: one of the largest betting scandals to ever hit Great Britain. As an unknown and undistinguished gelding, Flockton Grey made his debut at Leicester Racecourse in March 1982, and as such was priced at 10/1 odds. Some £20,000 was bet on Flockton Grey by just two people (spread across several bookmakers), and the horse was slyly replaced with a more successful runner, Good Hand – who was a year older and had a considerable weight advantage. Good Hand won the race easily, and the bookmakers became so suspicious that pay-outs were suspended. Investigations involving the course veterinarian and the study of official race photographs proved that the horse who raced was not Flockton Grey, and instead was traced back to the perpetrators. It remains a big scandal, although both those involved, Ken Richardson (owner) and Stephen Wiles (trainer) have popped up in other sports since!

Be sure to watch the video below for our Leicester Racecourse Guide and how you can make the most of your day at Leicester races.

Leicester Racecourse Maps

Below are the Leicester Racecourse maps for the flat and jumps course:

Leicester Flat Track

The Leicester flat course is round course, right-handed track which is about a mile and three quarters around.

It has a home-straight run-in of four and a half furlongs.

The straight course (on which all races from 5-7 furlongs are run), is downhill to halfway, then a steep uphill finish over the final two furlongs. Although the track is galloping and a stamina test, prominent racers also do well.

Leicester Jumps Track
Courtesy of Racing TV

Like the flat track, the jumps course is a right-handed round course with an uphill finish of around three furlongs.

The hurdle races are actually run on the flat course.

There tends to be an advantage in taking wide routes over hurdles when the going is testing, possibly as that course is used all year round.

Main Races and Events at Leicester Racecourse

Leicester Racecourse is home to the listed race The King Richard III Stakes, run every April over seven furlongs by horses aged four or over. The race has been known as The King Richard III Stakes since 2013 when the body of the ex-monarch was uncovered and identified in a Leicester car park.

Prior to that, it held several different names, including the Leicestershire Stakes, but sponsorships have come and gone over the years.

The most successful horse at The King Richard III Stakes thus far is Warningford, who won in 1999, 2001 and 2002.

Leicester Races 2024

Here is the horse racing calendar for Leicester Races in 2024:

DateRacecourseWeekday
10/1/2024LeicesterWednesday
23/1/2024LeicesterTuesday
31/1/2024LeicesterWednesday
15/2/2024LeicesterThursday
27/2/2024LeicesterTuesday
8/3/2024LeicesterFriday
12/4/2024LeicesterFriday
27/4/2024LeicesterSaturday
11/5/2024LeicesterSaturday
27/5/2024LeicesterMonday
28/5/2024LeicesterTuesday
4/6/2024LeicesterTuesday
15/6/2024LeicesterSaturday
27/6/2024LeicesterThursday
6/7/2024LeicesterSaturday
18/7/2024LeicesterThursday
24/7/2024LeicesterWednesday
31/7/2024LeicesterWednesday
11/8/2024LeicesterSunday
10/9/2024LeicesterTuesday
23/9/2024LeicesterMonday
8/10/2024LeicesterTuesday
15/10/2024LeicesterTuesday
28/10/2024LeicesterMonday
18/11/2024LeicesterMonday
1/12/2024LeicesterSunday
5/12/2024LeicesterThursday
11/12/2024LeicesterWednesday
28/12/2024LeicesterSaturday

Check out our guide for the full list of UK horse racing calendar fixtures for 2024.

Leicester Racecourse Address

The official address of Leicester Racecourse is:

Leicester Racecourse
Leicester Road
Oadby
Leicester
LE2 4AL

How To Get To Leicester Racecourse

The ways to get to Leicester Racecourse are:

  • By road – the course is easily accessible from the Midlands motorway network and is well sign-posted. Parking is free every day of the year bar Ladies Day. The info for your sat nav is Leicester LE2 4AL.
  • Buses – buses run from Leicester to Oadby and stop just across the road from the racecourse entrance.
  • By Train – the nearest train station, Leicester, is two miles away and is easily walkable, but there is a taxi rank outside that’s frequently patronised.

Hotels Near Leicester Racecourse

Leicester itself is no tourist destination, but as a well-situated city, there are plenty of accommodation options for those visiting.

You’ll find most brand-name chains in the centre: Ramada Jarvis, Travelodge, Ibis, Marriott, Novotel, Holiday Inn, Mercure: and the course itself recommends the Hilton.

There aren’t many independent hotels in Leicester, but those hoping for something different can look at the Aparthotel Adagio – a quirky and arthouse style indie option.

Betting Shops Local to Leicester Racecourse

Leicester Racecourse has all the betting facilities you’d expect, but there are not many local independent bookmakers about, so the choice available may be less than you’re used to.

Mobile signal is fine for online betting, and in the nearby city centre are branches of Ladbrokes Leicester, Betfred, Paddpower Leicester, Megabet and Coral, as well as Mark Jarvis Bookmakers in Oadby itself (just a few minutes walk from the course!).

Best Leicester Online Betting Sites

At British Racecourses we often recommend betting online and via apps. This is because with the best betting sites you can often get the best odds, great offers when signing up and you can place bets quickly and safely without having to queue.

If you are looking to bet online we recommend the great deals shown on this page with leading betting companies.

Leicester Betting Odds

The current Leicester betting odds are:

These odds have not yet been released.

Other Events Held At The Racecourse

‘The Kube’ venue onsite at Leicester has been exceedingly popular since its inception and now hosts lots of events year-round.

The biggest public events held The Kube are their Christmas themed evenings and parties, which are well-known in the local area for being a great night out full of fantastic food and drink.

Perhaps the best-attended non-racing events are the weddings held there – including many beautifully ornate and celebratory Asian civil ceremonies!

Leicester Racecard

The racecards for Leicester races will be released the day before the races are set to happen. You can view full racecards in advance, check out  – horse racing tomorrow and horse racing 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 UK horse races.

Leicester Racecourse Guide

Popular Questions

✅When is ladies day at leicester race course?

The Leicester race course ladies’ day takes place on Saturday 2nd July 2024.

If you enjoy attending horse racing venues for the ladies’ meeting check out our list of all ladies’ day meetings in the UK.

✅What is the address of Leicester Racecourse?

The address of Leicester Racecourse is:

Leicester Racecourse
Leicester Road
Oadby
Leicester
LE2 4AL

✅What is the best way to get to Leicester Racecourse?

The way to get to Leicester Racecourse are:

  • By road – easily accessible from the Midlands motorway network and is well sign-posted. Parking is free every day of the year bar Ladies Day. The info for your sat nav is Leicester LE2 4AL.
  • Buses – buses run from Leicester to Oadby and stop just across the road from the racecourse entrance.
  • By Train – the nearest train station, Leicester, is two miles away and is easily walkable, but there is a taxi rank outside that’s frequently patronised.

Summary of Leicester Racecourse

Leicester is a lively and buzzy track.

Busy throughout the year, hosting flat and national hunt racing, the racing is of good quality and the track is known for its steep uphill finish.

It’s definitely worth a visit if you are looking for an enjoyable afternoon or evening at any time of year!

Other UK & Irish Racecourses

Our team as of March 2024 have reviewed these British racecourses and Irish racecourses that you may like to visit: