Horse racing fans are well-catered for around London, with numerous courses within easy reach of the city.
The likes of Kempton Park, Sandown Park and Epsom are all within the M25 boundary, but there are a plenty of other venues worth visiting in the area.
Read on for our top five recommendations of racecourses near London.
Kempton Park
Situated 16 miles south-west of Charing Cross station, Kempton hosts both flat and jumps racing. The King George VI Chase takes place here on Boxing Day and is the undoubted highlight of the Christmas racing calendar.
The course’s future is unclear, with the Jockey Club planning to bulldoze the site and start building houses there in 2022. The news was greeted with widespread dismay in racing circles and former jockey AP McCoy is amongst the leading names who have backed the fight to save Kempton.
Epsom
Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse located in Surrey that is best known for hosting the Derby. The race is widely recognised as the supreme test for three-year-old thoroughbred horses over a mile-and-a-half.
The course’s unique undulations can make finding winners difficult, but using this casino online bonus before visiting Epsom will help you boost your bankroll to take on the bookmakers.
Sandown Park
Based in Esher, Surrey, Sandown hosts five Grade One races over jumps and one Group 1 flat race – the Eclipse Stakes. Sandown was the Queen Mother’s favourite course and it provided an impressive backdrop to the feats of legendary horses like Arkle, Mill Reef and Desert Orchid.
The course has been tipped to host the King George VI Chase if Kempton closes, although the two venues provide very different tests to horses and questions have already been raised about Sandown’s suitability to stage the race.
Ascot
Ascot is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 13 of the country’s 36 annual Group 1 horse races. The course enjoys close associations with the Royal Family, being located approximately six miles from Windsor Castle.
The Royal Meeting held each June is a major attraction, with the highlight being the Gold Cup. The most prestigious race is the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes held during July. It also stages important jump racing throughout the winter months.
Windsor
Windsor Racecourse is located on the banks of the River Thames and occupies a large island between the river and the Clewer Mill Stream backwater. It is one of only two figure-of-eight courses in the UK, the other being at Fontwell Park.
Its Monday evening meetings are hugely popular, with huge crowds travelling to attend the Berkshire venue from spring until the end of the summer.
