Chester Horse Racing Track in England
One of the most exciting sights in British horse racing is watching the horses thunder round to the finish at Roodee, the Chester Race Course. One can watch the whole action from the four enclosures of the race course or even from a vantage point on the walls of this historic city; the thrill is unforgettable.
This is one of the most historic sites for a race course, built on the location of a Roman fortress Deva. The 65-acre racecourse lies on the banks of the River Dee and the centre of the area is marked by a raised mound, decorated with a small cross, known as a rood. The name of this 450 year old horse racing course comes from this: "Roodee", a corruption of "Rood Eye", meaning "The Island of the Cross".
The circular racecourse itself is just over a mile long, flat and is raced anti-clockwise or left-handed. The small size is an advantage as the punter can see the entire course from the stands in one sweep.The main characteristic of the course is the very short run in of 239 yards making it a disadvantage for long-strided horses who perform better on straights. More than two hundred thousand people a year visit Chester during its twelve horse racing days between May and September.
Of the four enclosures, the County Stand is the most luxurious, with the County Stand Long Room enjoying magnificent views of the Racecourse. The County Stand is situated nearest to the Winning Post and a ticket for this allows access to the Paddock, Winners Enclosure and Parade Ring. The Tattersalls Stand also offers panoramic views of the Racecourse and is adjacent to the County Stand. It has a variety of bar and refreshment facilities over two floors and permits entry into the Paddock and Parade Ring area of the horse racing course. The Dee Stand is situated just beneath the historic city walls. The Roodee has the Open Course located on the other side of the race track. Its boundaries are the Dee River at the far end and the railway and Grosvenor bridges on either side. Race days transform this area into a fair ground.
Each of the twelve fixtures at Chester has a unique flavor and characteristic. May Festival is a three day affair whose highlights are the Chester Vase, Chester Cup and Ormonde Stakes. Ladies Evening in June combines the thrill of horse racing with the glamour of fashion. The Best Dressed Lady competition makes a heady combination with the electrifying horse racing. The July meeting is one of the most popular race meetings of the season and is held over two days. In August, Family Fun-day brings in the crowds to a carnival atmosphere with magicians, clowns, gladiators, bouncy castles and music. Thrilling horse racing makes it a fun day for all ages. The Dee Festival heralds the joint attractions of Chester and Bangor-on-Dee Racecourses with Friday horse racing at the latter and Saturday races at Chester.
