• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

HorseRacingBettingSites.co.uk

Horse Racing Betting Sites

  • Home
  • Bookmakers
  • New Sites
  • Free Bets
  • Betting Guides
  • Racing Terms
  • Racecourses
  • Meetings
  • Horses

Racecourses in Norfolk

Amazingly, East Anglia has precious few racecourses.

The ‘home of racing’, Newmarket, is situated next door to Norfolk in Suffolk but this area of the country is about quality rather than quantity.

Check out the current racecourses in the area, the biggest races on offer, how the sport has changed there and more.

How Many Courses Are There in Norfolk?

Norfolk RacecoursesAs of now, only two racecourses are situated in Norfolk, and they are at opposite ends of the county; one up to the North West in Fakenham, and the other on the county’s East cost in Yarmouth.

Just down the road however is Newmarket which is the most important place for horse racing anywhere in the UK.

There is an even split in Norfolk between jumps racing and Flat racing, meaning year-round racing in the county between its two tracks (see below).

Racecourses in East Anglia

fakenham Racecourse Crowds
Spectators at Fakenham

Across Norfolk and Suffolk, there are only three racecourses but with Newmarket included the quality of the action is top-notch.

These are the racecourses currently operating in the area:

Fakenham

Left-handed and near enough a square, the jumps track here is unique. Popular with the Royal Family, Fakenham is situated 33 miles from Norwich and just 18 from Sandringham.

Newmarket

Just 50 miles from Norwich across into Suffolk is the famed Newmarket Racecourse. Newmarket houses both the Rowley Mile and the July Course, hosting some of Britain’s top Group 1 races and handicap events. The area is also home to the National Stud.

Yarmouth

Also known as Great Yarmouth Racecourse, this track is in Norfolk but remains popular with Newmarket-based trainers. The track is only 21 miles from Norwich out on the coast and features plenty of competitive Flat racing action right through the spring, summer and autumn.

Norfolk and Suffolk’s Major Races

Fakenham Racecourse Logo

Those in Norfolk, especially close to Norwich, can choose between jumps action in the colder months and Flat racing in the summertime. The best events in the county, run yearly are:

Race Code Venue Month Details
Fakenham Silver Cup Jumps Fakenham March A 2-mile handicap hurdle.
David Keith Memorial Veterans’ Chase Jumps Fakenham March/April A three-miler, run on Easter Monday.
Norfolk National Jumps Fakenham May A 3-mile, 5-furlong handicap chase.
Handicap Flat Yarmouth August A good, Class 2 handicap over 1¼ miles.
John Musker Fillies’ Stakes Flat Yarmouth September A 1¼-mile Listed race for the fillies and mares.
Beckford Stakes Flat Yarmouth October A Listed race over 1¾ miles. Yarmouth also hosts many top-quality novice races.

It should go without saying that Newmarket hosts some of the top races anywhere in Britain.

It’s easy enough for those in Norfolk to get to Newmarket’s tracks too.

Mentioning only their Group 1 events and top handicaps, these are the biggest races at Newmarket each year:

Race Month Details
2000 Guineas May 1m Group 1 Classic for 3yo colts, the first Classic of the British season.
1000 Guineas May Equivalent of the 2000 Guineas, but for 3yo fillies.
Falmouth Stakes* July 1m Group 1 for fillies and mares.
Bunbury Cup* July Top 7f handicap.
July Cup* July Major Group 1 sprint over 6 furlongs.
Cheveley Park Stakes September 6f Group 1 for 2yo fillies, run during the Cambridgeshire meeting.
Middle Park Stakes September Equivalent of the Cheveley Park, this time for colts.
Cambridgeshire Handicap September Huge betting race, a 1m1f handicap.
Sun Chariot Stakes October 1m Group 1 race for fillies and mares.
Fillies’ Mile October 1m Group 1 race for 2yo fillies.
Dewhurst Stakes October 7f Group 1 race for 2yo’s, the race which crowns the champion juvenile.
Cesarewitch Handicap October 2m2f handicap, part of the Autumn Double with the Cambridgeshire.

*Run on the July Course. All other races run on the Rowley Mile.

How Has Racing Changed Over the Years in Norfolk?

Yarmouth Grandstand 1907
The Grandstand at Yarmouth in 1907

Racing was first known to have taken place at Great Yarmouth back in 1715. It took place in various guises, but it wasn’t until 1810 that a proper racing calendar was recorded with organised meetings using thoroughbred horses racing for good prize money.

Over at Fakenham, the West Norfolk Hunt made a committee decision to transfer races from East Winch near King’s Lynn. They had been racing since 1884 and now Fakenham had become a recognised horse racing location.

Hethersett were racing as the Norwich and Norfolk Hunt from 1875, but under the auspices of the Hussars from March 23rd, 1888. They continued right up until 1939. There is no racecourse there now.

Yarmouth’s ownership transferred to the local authority in 1904, though racing was suspended there in 1920 owing to World War I. By 1947, racing had resumed after WWII at Fakenham along with Yarmouth with the two continuing to race throughout the decades.

In 1965, Fakenham Racecourse Ltd was founded in order for the track to qualify for Levy Board funding and support. This kept closure at bay, with big supporter the Queen Mother visiting the track in 1981 and 2000. In 2012, Yarmouth’s ownership merged with Arena Racing Company which continues to run the track today.

Now, Yarmouth is famed for its novice races on the Flat. Owing to its proximity to Newmarket, many top trainers send good young horses to begin their careers at Yarmouth. It has become an important track because of this, with horses of the quality of multiple Group 1 winner Dubai Millennium having started racing there.

Fakenham continues to put on regular jumps meetings. They aren’t as well supported as organisers would like, but they continue to be popular with trainers, owners and jockeys, especially on Norfolk National Day.

Famous Courses in Norfolk to Have Closed Down

Horse Racing in Hethersett
“Horse Racing in Hethersett” – Painting by Edward Seago

Not a whole lot has changed in terms of the racecourses we know in Norfolk.

While various point-to-point and unofficial locations have opened and closed over time, only this known racecourse has closed:

Racecourse Closed Info
Hethersett Racecourse 1939 The inaugural meeting at Hethersett was held in March 1888, organised by the Hussars. The regiment enjoyed racing and meetings continued until the outbreak of World War I.

Primary Sidebar

Bet Types

  • Ante Post Betting
  • Back to Lay
  • Betting Without
  • Best Odds Guaranteed
  • Each Way Edge
  • Each Way Accumulators
  • Forecast & Tricast Betting
  • Full Cover Bets
  • Cash Out
  • Lay Betting
  • Lengthen the Odds
  • Totepool Betting
  • Unnamed Favourite
  • Flag or Super Flag Bets
  • Round Robin Bet
  • Alphabet Bets
  • Up and Down Bet
  • Starting Price
  • Win, Place & Each Way Betting
  • Winning Distance Betting

Racing Guides

  • Dead Heats
  • Draw Bias
  • Flat v National Hunt
  • Handicapping
  • Grades & Classes
  • Horse Racing Rules
  • Horse Ages
  • How to Bet
  • Calculate the Payout of a Bet
  • One Horse Races
  • Non Runners
  • Reading Form
  • Reserve Horses
  • The Going
  • Race Distances
  • Weights
  • Brought Down
  • Fallers
  • Pulled Up
  • Unseated Rider
  • No Horses in a Race
  • What is a Bumper Race?
  • What Is a Co-Favourite in Horse Racing?
  • What is the Non-Triers Rule?

Races & Courses

  • All Weather Racing Championships
  • All Weather Racing
  • Amateur Races
  • Harness Racing
  • Major Races
  • Racecourse Surfaces
  • Street Racing
  • Richest Races in Racing
  • Types of Race
  • Longest Races
  • Shortest Races
  • Difference Between Fences and Hurdles

General Info

  • Amateur Racing
  • What are "The Classics" in Racing?
  • Can a Jockey Remount After a Fall?
  • Can a Jockey Own the Horse?
  • Can Jockeys, Trainers & Owners Bet?
  • Contaminated Horse Feed
  • Do Horses Usually Have the Same Jockey?
  • Floodlit Racecourses
  • Headgear
  • Horse Racing Bites
  • Horse Racing Cheats
  • People in Racing
  • How Many Races Can a Horse Run in a Day?
  • How Much Do Jockeys Earn?
  • How Often Does a Horse Race?
  • How to Buy a Racehorse
  • Is Horse Racing Fixed or Fair?
  • Jockey Silks
  • Jockeys Weighing in and Out
  • Ladies Days
  • Expensive Racehorses
  • Naming a Racehorse
  • Prize Money
  • Summer Jump Racing
  • Life Stages of Race Horse
  • The Queen and Horse Racing
  • Types of Horses
  • What is a Foal, Filly and Colt?
  • What is a Gelding?
  • What is a Mare in Horse Racing?
  • What is a Ringer in Horse Racing?
  • What is Dutching?
  • What to Wear to the Races
  • Horse Breeds
  • Famous Horses

Courses By Area

  • Berkshire
  • Devon
  • England
  • Ireland
  • London
  • Norfolk
  • Northern Ireland
  • Scotland
  • Surrey
  • Sussex
  • Wales
  • Yorkshire
  • Kent
  • Racecourses

    Major Meetings

    • Guineas Meeting
    • Aintree Becher Chase Day
    • Ascot King George Diamond Weekend
    • Ayr Gold Cup Day
    • Ayr Scottish Grand National
    • British Champions Day
    • Cambridgeshire Meeting
    • Cheltenham Festival
    • Cheltenham Festival Trials Day
    • November Meeting
    • Welsh Grand National Day
    • Chester May Festival
    • Epsom Derby Festival
    • Glorious Goodwood
    • Grand National Festival
    • Kempton Christmas Festival
    • Leopardstown Dublin Racing Festival
    • Newmarket Craven Meeting
    • Newmarket Future Champions Festival
    • Newmarket July Festival
    • Royal Ascot
    • Sandown Coral-Eclipse Meeting
    • Sandown Tingle Creek Day
    • St Leger Festival
    • York Dante Festival
    • York Ebor Festival

    You must be 18 or older to bet online. Please bet responsibly. For problem gambling see Gamstop.co.uk or BeGambleAware.org. All bookmakers listed are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.

    Copyright © 2023, do not reproduce without permission.