Wincanton Racecourse

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Welcome to our guide to Wincanton Racecourse.

We explore this great jump racing racecourse in detail, looking at its history, hotel picks, fixtures, travel information, and betting guides.

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

Find out more about Wincanton Racecourse:

Wincanton Racecourse

Overview of Wincanton Racecourse

A National Hunt course that many haven’t heard of, Wincanton offers a high standard of horse racing but is frequently overlooked simply because of its size.

Situated surrounded by beautiful Somerset countryside, Wincanton Racecourse is located just a kilometre north of the small town of Wincanton.

The town itself has a population of fewer than 6,000 people, so on race days, it doubles in size!

Wincanton is located on the northeast edge of the Blackmore Vale and is approximately 12 miles northwest of Yeovil and 10 miles northeast of Shaftesbury.

Wincanton is a National Hunt course and hosts 17 Jump racing fixtures across the winter from October to May annually.

The track itself is right-handed, flat and sharp. When the ground is firmer than good, it’s one of the sharpest courses in the UK. The fences are notoriously close together as well, with the final three so close together that they claim casualties. The course is two miles long but and jockeys are careful of positioning as if someone else poaches the lead, it can work in their favour.

The races held at Wincanton are dominated by trainer Paul Nicholls, whose training yard is situated nearby. Paul Nicholls’ career has been extremely successful, with 100+ wins as a National Hunt jockey and 3000+ wins as a National Hunt trainer. Many of Nicholls’ young horses run regularly at Wincanton.

Wincanton Racecourse is owned and operated by The Jockey Club, which has expanded the venue into a successful business, conferencing and hospitality venue that caters for wedding receptions, occasion parties, meetings and conferences.

Wincanton Races

Wincanton Racecourse History

For a racecourse so few people have heard of, Wincanton has an impressive history!

National Hunt racing at Wincanton dates back to 1867, when the local community hosted what is widely believed to be the first ever National Hunt steeplechase.

Not long after, the Wincanton Racing Committee was set up and rules formalised, with a fixture list developed. It ran successfully until the First World War but hit financial difficulties after having to close during this period. It didn’t re-open again until 1920 when local Lord Stalbridge invested into the venue and formed a new committee – with himself as the head.

A whole new course was constructed and opened in 1927 to encouraging crowds.

By the time the site closed for World War II, Lord Stalbridge’s health was declining quite rapidly; and local racing fans didn’t want to see the racecourse go under. As soon as the military had handed the venue back, locals pooled their money to purchase and re-open the course. Lord Stalbridge died the same year, 1945, and is still honoured annually with a race.

In the 1960s, Wincanton Racecourse was sold to The Jockey Club, who have developed and nurtured the venue to where it is today.

Wincanton Racecourse Tickets

Wincanton racecourse tickets are always very popular for all of their meetings. You’ll find great offers, deals and early birds to all of their events throughout the year and we always recommend booking in advance so you get to enjoy the day out and can plan ahead.

As racing at Wincanton is so popular the events can sell out, so it is best to book early and in advance to avoid disappointment.

If you are looking for the best deals on Wincanton Racecourse Tickets follow the official link here.

Wincanton Racecourse Map

Below is a map of Wincanton Racecourse:

Wincanton Racecourse Map
Courtesy of Attheraces

Wincanton is a sharp racecourse, with tight turns. It tends to suit handy horses.

The fences in the home straight come thick and fast.

There is a short run in, so a good jump at the last is key. Fences are quite stiff, so a good jumper is needed.

The Main Races and Events Held at Wincanton

Wincanton’s low profile – at least with those not in the know, is far from deserved – as it hosts several notable National Hunt races each year.

The main event is undoubtedly the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle race, open to horses of four years and older and run over the full two miles of the track. It has been won by many great jockey & trainer combos over the years. The event attracts many racegoers and industry ‘bods’ as an important precursor to the Champion Hurdle held the month after at Cheltenham Festival.

In November, the longer Badgers Beer Silver Trophy is run over three miles one furlong with 21 fences to jump. As expected, trainer Paul Nicholls had dominated this event over recent years.

Wincanton Racecourse Address

The address of Wincanton Racecourse is:

Wincanton Racecourse
Wincanton
Somerset
BA9 8BJ

How To Get To Wincanton Racecourse

The ways to get to Wincanton Racecourse are below:

  • By road – the racecourse is set in a very rural area and whilst it is easily reached by road, they are country roads and do get congested on race days – so it’s always advised to arrive early to avoid delays. The main course car park is free of charge, or racegoers can choose to pay and park along the railings to get a little closer to the action. Unusually for rural England, the postcode works perfectly in sat nat systems… but there’s not much else around – the postcode for your sat nav is BA9 8BJ
  • By bus – Wincanton is not served by regular buses.
  • By rail – the nearest rail station is Templecombe, which is served by free shuttle buses on race days. Other stations in the area include Castle Cary and Bruton, but if arriving at these stations, you’ll need to take a taxi onward (and it’s worth booking one in advance to be sure!).

Hotels Near Wincanton Racecourse

As you can imagine, Wincanton isn’t surrounded by hotels, but there are accommodation options around. The Travelodge Wincanton is the most central to the town and offers budget no-frills rooms. Also in the town centre is The Dolphin Hotel and The Bear Inn.

A short drive away from the town reveals lots of country hotel options including The Hunter’s Lodge Inn at Leigh Common, The Church Lawn at Stourton and Lodbourne Farmhouse in Gillingham.

Best Wincanton Betting Sites

If you are looking to have a bet when going to Wincanton races then the below online bookies (UK) are definitely worth checking out. They have been reviewed by our teams and all made our best horse racing betting sites list, follow the links to find out more.

Many have great offers for new customers when they open an account.

Betting Shops Local to Wincanton

Tote betting kiosks are available throughout Wincanton and there’s a branch of William Hill in the Badger Grandstand.

Independent bookmakers with varying odds can be found at the side of the track, and Wincanton recommend several online betting companies – but as the mobile signal isn’t great, they offer free Wi-Fi throughout.

Wincanton town does have a betting shop: the independent Fernedge Bookmakers. However, you won’t find any mainstream betting shops brands.

Other Events Held at Wincanton

Other events at Wincanton include the Elite Hurdle and the Rising Stars Novice’s Chase, which started life at Chepstow before being extended and moved to Wincanton.

Wincanton also plays host to lots of private events in its hospitality suite, including wedding receptions and big birthday parties!

Wincanton Racecourse Guide

Wincanton Races 2024

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

DateRacecourseWeekday
6/1/2024WincantonSaturday
12/1/2024WincantonFriday
18/1/2024WincantonThursday
1/2/2024WincantonThursday
17/2/2024WincantonSaturday
28/2/2024WincantonWednesday
7/3/2024WincantonThursday
27/3/2024WincantonWednesday
8/4/2024WincantonMonday
21/4/2024WincantonSunday
17/10/2024WincantonThursday
27/10/2024WincantonSunday
9/11/2024WincantonSaturday
21/11/2024WincantonThursday
5/12/2024WincantonThursday
17/12/2024WincantonTuesday
26/12/2024WincantonThursday

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

Wincanton Racecard

The racecards for Wincanton races will be released the day before the races are set to happen. You can view full racecards in advance, check out  – tomorrow’s horse racing meetings and today’s horse racing meetings. 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 big horse racing events.

One popular event for Wincanton races is ladies day, check this out today.

Popular Questions

✅What is the address for Wincanton Races?

The address of Wincanton Racecourse is:

Wincanton Racecourse
Wincanton
Somerset
BA9 8BJ

✅How do you get to Wincanton Races?

The ways to get to Wincanton races are:

  • By road – the acecourse is set in a very rural area and whilst it is easily reached by road, they are country roads and do get congested on race days – so it’s always advised to arrive early to avoid delays. The main course car park is free of charge, or racegoers can choose to pay and park along the railings to get a little closer to the action. Unusually for rural England, the postcode works perfectly in sat nat systems… but there’s not much else around – the postcode for your sat nav is BA9 8BJ
  • By bus – Wincanton is not served by regular buses.
  • By rail – the nearest rail station is Templecombe, which is served by free shuttle buses on race days. Other stations in the area include Castle Cary and Bruton, but if arriving at these stations, you’ll need to take a taxi onward (and it’s worth booking one in advance to be sure!).

Summary of Wincanton Racecourse

It may only be a small racecourse and not one that is well known by people not in the industry (or local) but the Jockey Club owned Wincanton packs a punch.

It is a great little course that hosts top-quality races and has high-horses competing throughout the year. The home straight with its three final fences coming in quick succession always attracts an enthusatsic crowd to cheer the runners home.

It is often used as a springboard by big trainers for their young talent.

With a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, great customer service and in a stunning part of England, what is there not to love?

Definitely worth a visit.

Other Racecourses in the UK and Ireland

Our team as of March 2024 have reviewed the other following racecourses, all of them definitely worth a visit: