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For well over a hundred years, Leicester has provided regular horseracing entertainment for the avid race-goers of the East Midlands conurbations.
With a fine blend of flat and national hunt racing, Leicester stages at least one meeting every month, and over thirty meetings in each calendar year.
Top trainers from both codes of racing use Leicester as a track to educate their up and coming novices, and potential Classic horses often race in Maiden events at Leicester during their two-year-old season.
The highlight of the season is the April running of the seven furlong Listed Leicestershire Stakes, and the winner of this race more often than not goes on to Group honours later in the season.
Leicester stages flat and national hunt racing.
The flat track is a right handed undulating oval, measuring approximately 1 mile 6 furlongs in circumference, with a finishing straight of approximately five furlongs.
A chute joins on to the home straight, and thereby produces a course which can stage straight races of up to seven furlongs in duration.
Both flat courses stress a need for stamina, particularly when the course becomes soft or heavy.
On the straight flat course, high drawn horses have a statistical advantage.
The steeplechase course is one mile six furlongs in circumference, with ten fences laid out in the following circuit pattern: an initial plain fence, an open ditch, four more plain fences, the second open ditch, and the remaining three plain fences which are situated prior to the winning post in the long finishing straight.
Apart from a descent from the end of the home straight to the middle of the back straight, the remainder of the steeplechase course is constantly on the climb. Although the fences are not stiff, with six of the obstacles coming close together in the back straight, Leicester is a fair test of jumping ability.
The course is prone to becoming soft or heavy in the winter months, so stamina is much preferred to pace.
The Hurdles course comprises seven flights, and is even steeper than the steeplechase course. Very often the race over the last four hurdles in the home straight can turn into a dour battle of stamina.
The listings below do not include the facilities available to Annual Members, Owners and Trainers, and Corporate Guests. These can be obtained by contacting the racecourse.
Viewing of the racecourse is from the glass fronted Belvoir Grandstand. There is also access to all the other public areas of the racecourse including, the parade ring, and winners enclosure.
A three course lunch and afternoon tea are available by booking a table in the grandstand restaurant.
Club ticket holders can buy drinks and snacks in the Silks bar. While Belvoir ticket holders can sample the drinks and snacks sold in the Belvoir Club, which also happens to be located next to the winning post.
Ticket holders have access to the main grandstand, parade ring, and winners enclosure.
There are several bar and hot food facilities including the Quorn Café.
There is a picnic car park at the racecourse.
Disabled parking spaces are available. Contact the racecourse for full details.
Disabled patrons have access to a ramped viewing area in the paddock. There is also lift access to viewing facilities in the grandstands.
Specialist toilet facilities are strategically located in all public areas.
Monday 16 May
Monday 23 May
Monday 30 May
Tuesday 31 May
Saturday 11 June
Thursday 16 June
The racecourse is situated two miles east of Leicester city centre, on the A6 Market Harborough road. To join the A6, leave the M1 at junction 21, or alternatively, use the M69 to join the A6.
Parking is generally free, except in the picnic area, where a charge per vehicle and occupants is levied.
Trains operate directly between Leicester and London Saint Pancras. From the North and East, catch a Leicester service at Sheffield. Race goers from Manchester, and the West, usually change for a Leicester service from Nottingham.
A direct service operates between Leicester railway station and the course on all race days.
East Midlands airport is around nineteen miles from the course.
Located in the heart of the vibrant city of Leicester, the Holiday Inn is ideally situated for race goers who want to enjoy a luxury base during their trip to Leicester races that is close to the shops and city life.
The Holiday Inn Leicester offers 188 en suite guest rooms, including standard and executive rooms, family rooms , and 4 adapted rooms for guests with accessibility requirements . Every one of our rooms incorporate the facilities you would expect in a high quality hotel, including; remote controlled television with limited cable\satellite channels, high speed internet access, and mini bar. Our executive rooms, which offer many extras, are located on two separate floors of the hotel. All of our guests have access to 24 hour room service and 24 hour porterage, and we also offer a same day dry cleaning service.
Where ever possible, the hotel’s chef uses prime local produce in his menus, and as a result, the hotel’s Vermont Restaurant is very popular, and possesses an excellent local reputation as a prime location to enjoy high quality British and continental cuisine. In addition, diners can also savour their meals while enjoying superb wines from an extensive and quality wine list. The Vermont Bar often witnesses a mix of business and leisure guests who favour the Vermont’s wide range of bar meals and beverages.
Guests who want to keep in trim during their stay can use the hotel’s Spirit Health and Fitness Centre complimentary. It offers a fully equipped gymnasium, a swimming pool, solarium, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi .
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/lctuk?_requestid=193774
Adjacent to a leafy walk that runs into Leicester city centre, The Belmont is an elegant town house hotel, which offers the perfect local accommodation for race goers attending Leicester races. The hotel is a five minute taxi journey from the race course, has 77 en-suite guest rooms, including; executive, superior, family, and high grade standard rooms. Air conditioned rooms are available on request*. All of the hotel’s bedrooms offer remote flat screen televisions, high speed wi-fi internet access, and the room amenities you would expect in a quality hotel. There is also 24 hour room service and 24 hour porterage.
The air conditioned and award winning Cherries Restaurant provides comfortable and elegant surroundings in which the hotel’s guests can sample locally sourced ingredients which have been transformed into innovative and superior English and Continental dishes. While enjoying their meal, our guests can also sample from our extensive high quality wine list. For guests who want to work off the excesses of our fine food, the Belmont has arrangements for our residents to utilise the nearby facilities of Cannons Health and Beauty Salon.
(* dependant upon availability).
http://www.belmonthotel.co.uk/