Redcar Racecourse is a

thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...

venue located in

Redcar Redcar is a seaside town on the Yorkshire Coast in the Redcar and Cleveland unitary authority. It is in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England, and is located east of Middlesbrough. The Teesside built-up area's Redcar subdiv ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. The racecourse was opened in 1872.

History

Racing began at Redcar on the sands at Redcar beach in the early 18th century. The final meeting here was in 1870. In 1872, Redcar Racecourse as it stands today was opened with a Grandstand erected in 1876. Between 1913 and 1923, Redcar F.C. was based at the racecourse. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the racecourse was used as both an airfield and an army camp. In 1945 after the Second World War, Major Leslie Petch OBE managed the racecourse and revamped the neglected course. Redcar was the first racecourse in the UK to have both a timing clock and furlong posts. Under Petch's stewardship, a new grandstand was erected in 1964. This stand is still at the racecourse today. Following his retirement, the Zetland family took control of the racecourse. Lord Zetland introduced the Two-Year-Old Trophy race. Notable winners of this most lucrative race at Redcar include Pipalong, Captain Rio, Somnus and Limato. Zetland sold part of the Redcar Racecourse land to supermarket chain,

Safeway Safeway, Inc. is an American supermarket chain. The chain provides grocery items, food and general merchandise and a variety of specialty departments, such as bakery, delicatessen, floral and pharmacy, as well as Starbucks coffee shops, and veh ...

, for £3.6 million in order to finance major developments on the racecourse including new stables. On 30 July 1980, prolific owner Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum had his first winner in the UK with Mushref. In 1996, International Racecourse Management took control of the racecourse. The nephew of Major Leslie Petch, John Sanderson, became chairman in 2018.

Course

Redcar is a left-handed flat oval of just over with relatively tight banked bends. There is also a chute that joins the track where the top bend meets the straight, providing a straight course, purported to be the only 'Straight Mile' in the UK that is straight and level.

Notable races

References

{{Racecourses in Yorkshire Horse racing venues in England Horse racing venues in Yorkshire Sports venues in North Yorkshire Buildings and structures in Redcar and Cleveland