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York Racecouse
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York Racecourse, Knavesmire Road, York, YO23 1EX -
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Considered one of the most prestigious flat-racing courses in Britain, race meetings in York have been held on the Knavesmire since 1731.
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About York Racecouse
Horse-racing in York can be traced as far back as the Roman period.
Until the Racecourse was opened on the current site, various open spaces throughout the city were used to host the sport. At one point, in the early 1600s, a race was even held on the frozen River Ouse.
An area known as the Knavesmire was eventually chosen as a permanent site for horse-racing. Used as common grazing land for the local population in the Middle Ages, part of the marshy site was drained and levelled, ready for the first race meeting in 1731.
By the 1750s, Yorkshire-born architect John Carr had designed and built the first grandstand, distinguishing the course as one of the sport’s leading venues throughout the 18th century.
In 1842, York Race Committee was formed to make improvements, partly because of the rise of nearby Doncaster as a racing venue. The course was converted from a horse-shoe shape into a circular track and popular racing events were introduced, like the Gimcrack Stakes and the Ebor Festival.
New stands and buildings were constructed in the Victorian period and various improvement projects carried out in the early 1900s to meet the needs of the increasing number of racegoers.
In the modern era, York Racecourse has staged many spectacular races, including Royal Ascot in 2005 and The St Leger in 2006.
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