Cartmel Racecourse is one of the gems of British racing, a distinctive and picturesque course nestled in a woody valley in the heart of the Lake District.
Despite its remote location, and the fact it hosts only nine days of jump racing each summer, Cartmel races attracts enormous crowds. Up to 20,000 congregate in the middle of the course, which is only one mile round, with a finishing straight that bisects the circuit.
The most valuable race is the Cumbria Crystal Hurdle, held each July. The short, sharp nature of the track means it favours horses that race prominently – although it doesn’t pay to go for home too soon. The run-in of nearly half a mile from the last fence is the longest in the country.
Confirmed races in plain text. Confirmed pattern races in bold text. Unconfirmed races in grey text.
Cartmel Racecourse is right-handed and very sharp. It’s mainly flat but there are undulations on the ground so you need a balanced horse and one who likes to run forward in the field.
There’s not a lot of places to make up ground because it's so tight but you do have a long run in that swings right up the middle of the track. You come up the diagonal so you need a horse with good tunnel vision because if you are in front it’s a long way to keep kicking so a horse that can stay focused throughout is great. Also, if you win at Cartmel they even give you sticky toffee pudding as a prize!
