pontefract racecourse
Course: Pontefract Racecourse - Season Opener
🎫 Ticket & value: £20 Premier Enclosure
👀 Track view: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🍔 Food: ⭐️⭐️
🍺 Guinness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭕️ Parade Ring: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🏇 Runners and riders: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎉 Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️ Overall Experience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
👍🏻 Best for: Guinness 🍺
Pontefract Racecourse offers a charming and traditional racing experience, full of character and value. We opted for the £20 premier enclosure ticket, and it was truly great value for money, offering superb facilities, excellent views, and easy access to all areas of the course. From the lively atmosphere to the fantastic Guinness and impressive parade ring, everything combined to create a thoroughly enjoyable day at one of Yorkshire’s most welcoming tracks.
The viewing experience at Pontefract is absolutely fantastic. Positioned at the top of a hill, the premier enclosure provides a commanding perspective of the beautifully undulating racecourse. Although you do briefly lose sight of the horses as they disappear behind some trees, for the vast majority of races you enjoy a clear, uninterrupted view as the field competes across the dramatic, sloping terrain. The pronounced gradient of the track really lends itself to course and distance specialists, making for exciting finishes. For 5, 6, and 7 furlong races, you can stand almost anywhere and watch the full race unfold — a real treat for racing fans.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t a decent range of food options available (unless we missed any) with the quality of the options also rather mixed. The pizzas, priced at £16.50 each, were okay — not bad tasting but not the best we’ve had at a racecourse. Individual pizza slices (Margherita £4.15, American £4.25) were a handy snack option. The hot dog and chip butty from a traditional burger van were much better — hearty, not overly greasy, and just what was needed on a busy race day. Overall, we left happier with the classic options than the pizza.
The Guinness at Pontefract was simply outstanding. At £7.20, slightly high in price, it was served using the proper two-pour method by lovely, welcoming bar staff. There was no queue at the premier enclosure bar, and the pint was allowed to settle perfectly, resulting in a crisp, cold, and incredibly smooth pint of Guinness — easily one of the best we’ve had at a racetrack. You can also enjoy the Guinness in a glass compared to the usual plastic cups at racecourses, which was a real treat as we were able to enjoy a superb pint with panoramic views of the course.
The parade ring is impressively well designed, with a decent size and a good location not too far away from the track itself. The multi-tiered standing areas give plenty of excellent vantage points to watch the horses parade. Access to the pre-parade ring and winning enclosure is also brilliant, and there’s an outstanding opportunity to see the horses and jockeys up close. The direct access to the track from the parade ring via the premier enclosure made the whole experience even more immersive.
The quality of racing on the day was very good, with a strong line-up of jockeys including Clifford Lee, Oisin Orr, David Allan, Connor Beasley, David Probert, Joanna Mason, Joe Leavy, Jason Hart, Danny Tudhope, and Richard Kingscote. Big-name trainers like Karl Burke, Richard Fahey, David O’Meara, Clive Cox, David Easterby, and Richard Hannon were all represented. The card featured a good variety of competitive handicaps, ranging from Class 6 up to Class 2, which made for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of racing.
The atmosphere at Pontefract was absolutely brilliant. It was busy but never uncomfortable, with a real buzz around the parade ring and betting areas all day. The crowd was full of genuine racegoers, creating a friendly and lively environment. There was a real sense of excitement around the horses and racing itself, which added so much to the overall experience.
All in all, we had another fantastic day at Pontefract Racecourse. From the stunning track views and vibrant, welcoming atmosphere to the crisp, delicious Guinness and excellent access to the parade ring, every part of the experience was memorable. The £20 premier ticket represented superb value for money, and it’s easy to see why Pontefract remains such a popular destination for racing enthusiasts. We can’t wait to return!
