The biggest race meetings at Exeter Racecourse in 2022
Local horseracing enthusiasts are quite literally spoilt to have access to Exeter Racecourse on their doorstep. The sport has been at the heart of the city’s heritage since the mid-1600s and the Haldon Racecourse – as it’s known by many locals due to its position atop the Haldon Hills – is said to be one of the oldest in the UK. With such a unique venue and racecourse layout, it requires experienced analysts and pundits to give bettors the lowdown on the hottest prospects on an Exeter Racecourse racecard. Andy Holding, known colloquially as “The Pundit’s Pundit”, is one such tipster to watch with his daily contributions published at oddschecker for many years.
Exeter is not only one of the oldest racecourses in Britain, but it’s also the highest too – weighing in at 850 feet above sea level. A visit to the historic Exeter Racecourse is a guarantee of fun and entertainment with friends and family. Owned by The Jockey Club, there is plenty to look forward to later in the year once the National Hunt racing begins. We’ve put together a winning list of five of the best race meetings in 2022 to get a true experience of Exeter Racecourse.
Season Opener
There is always a significant amount of anticipation surrounding the Season Opener at Exeter. It’s a popular National Hunt race meeting, attracting some of the most promising steeplechasers across the UK and Ireland. It is typically scheduled for the second Thursday in October, but this year it will be the first Thursday (6th October 2022).
The Season Opener typically contains an eight-race card, ensuring plenty of opportunities to catch some up-and-coming steeplechasers before they go up in grade. The headline event of the Season Opener meeting is usually the Handicap Chase. It is a Class 3 event, carrying an £11,000 prize purse. It also acts as a qualifier race for direct entry into the Challenger Middle Distance Chase Series. The Novices’ Hurdle is the best race for spotting fledgling steeplechasing talent, as these horses are young and lightly raced without a win to their name.
Best Mate Beginners’ Chase Day
The Beginners’ Chase Day is a meeting named after the iconic racehorse named Best Mate, who sadly died after a suspected heart attack at Exeter in 2005. It is always a great opportunity to witness potential stars of the future – both jockeys and steeplechasers alike. The Best Mate Beginners’ Chase is, unsurprisingly, the feature race of this meeting. It has been a reliable yardstick for talent in recent years, with past winners such as Yanworth and Sternrubin going on to race at the Cheltenham Festival.
In 2017, the Alan King-trained Yanworth – owned by JP McManus – stormed to victory in the Best Mate Beginners’ Chase to secure his first career win over fences. Ironically, it was Sternrubin that Yanworth pipped in the finishing straight to claim the victory by two lengths with Barry Geraghty on board.
Haldon Gold Cup Day
The Haldon Gold Cup is undoubtedly the most prestigious horse race held at Exeter Racecourse during the season – even more so than the historic Devon National Handicap Chase. It is a Grade 2 National Hunt steeplechase. It is named after the Haldon Hills upon which Exeter Racecourse is situated. The Haldon Gold Cup shot to notoriety for all the wrong reasons in 2005 when the race was marred by the sudden death of legendary horse Best Mate. The three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner was pulled up midway through the race by his jockey, with the ten-year-old suffering a suspected heart attack.
It is a race in which trainer Paul Nicholls has had great success over the years, with seven of his charges winning. The most recent coming in 2020 thanks to a great run from Greaneteen. The Haldon Gold Cup Day usually consists of seven races on the card, including a “Future Stars” Silver Bowl Novices’ Chase and a Stayers’ Handicap Chase. Both of which are normally staged after the headline Haldon Gold Cup, which is being held on Friday 4th November this year.
Festive Raceday
One way to get into the spirit of the festive season is to head over to Exeter Racecourse’s Festive Raceday, which is scheduled for Friday 2nd December in 2022. By this point, the National Hunt jump season is in full flow and this race meeting regularly attracts the most in-form chasers and hurdlers from stables across the South West and beyond.
Hospitality packages are some of the most in-demand ways to enjoy the Festive Raceday at Exeter. It’s more expensive than a general admission ticket, granted, but it provides you and your group with delicious food and drink on tap and expansive views of the racecourse from your seats. The headline race of the Festive Raceday meeting is usually the Class 2 Novices’ Steeplechase.
Celebrate Christmas Raceday
The Celebrate Christmas Raceday is even closer to the ‘big day’. In 2022, this race meeting is scheduled for Thursday 15th December. Thousands of guests wrap up warm in their festive jumpers and make the climb up to Haldon Hill for a full day of first-rate National Hunt racing. All racegoers are treated to complimentary minced pies and mulled wine on arrival, which is a great way to get things started.
Given the shorter days, the festivities kick off from midday, with the final race scheduled at 3.15 pm. A quick glance at the racecard underlines that the calibre of racing at the Celebrate Christmas Raceday is not quite at the same standard as some earlier meetings listed. There’s only Class 3, 4 and 5 races on the card, with the Exeter Handicap Steeple Chase typically attracting the most attention in the betting ring.
How to get to Exeter Racecourse
Free bus services are provided to ferry racegoers to and from the racecourse via Exeter St. Davids and Exeter City bus stations during major race meetings. These services are typically offered on a first-come-first-served basis, with no opportunity to book seats in advance. Taxis are also available, with journeys from the city centre to the racecourse taking no more than 25 minutes. It’s even possible for those with rather deeper pockets to land their helicopters adjacent to the racecourse on racedays.
