North West

Aintree

Next raceday Thu 8 Apr 2027 Jumps Premier

• 8 racedays
• 3 Premier

🏆 Grand National Festival (April); Old Roan Chase (October); Becher Chase (December)

• ↻ Left-handed · Turf
• 🎟 Under-18s free
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family-friendly
• 🧺 Picnics in some areas

🚆 Aintree station, directly opposite

💷 From £32 (Nov/Dec 2026 fixtures)

The course and family days

The track: Flat, left-handed Grand National course with big spruce fences, plus a tighter inner Mildmay course.

Family days: Halloween Family Day (October) with pony races, creepy crafts, face painting and a tribute act

Carlisle

Next raceday Mon 22 Feb 2027 Jumps

• 22 racedays
• 11 Flat · 11 Jumps

🏆 Cumberland Plate and Carlisle Bell (June); jumps season opener (autumn)

• ↻ Right-handed · Turf
• 🎟 Under-18s free
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family-friendly
• 🧺 Picnics in some areas
• 🐕 Dogs some days

🚆 Carlisle station, roughly 3 km; free bus to city centre after racing

The course and family days

The track: Undulating, pear-shaped right-handed circuit of about 1m 5f with a stiff uphill finish.

Family days: Easter Family Raceday with bouncy castles, face painting and Easter egg hunts; summer afternoons with giant Jenga, Connect 4 and activity booklets

Cartmel

Next raceday Sat 29 May 2027 Jumps

• 9 racedays

🏆 Whitsun Bank Holiday meetings including the Cartmel Cup (late May); August Bank Holiday Season Finale

• ↻ Left-handed · Turf
• 🎟 Under-18s free
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Very family-friendly
• 🛝 Play area
• 🧺 Picnics welcome
• 🐕 Dogs welcome

🚆 Cark-in-Cartmel, about 2 miles, raceday shuttle buses

The course and family days

The track: Tight, roughly one-mile left-handed circuit with the longest run-in in Britain (about half a mile).

Family days: Family Fun Day; funfair in the Course Enclosure at every fixture (rides chargeable, discount vouchers online), plus face painting at bank holiday meetings

Chester

Next raceday Wed 5 May 2027 Flat

• 15 racedays

🏆 Boodles May Festival (Chester Cup, Chester Vase, Ormonde Stakes, Cheshire Oaks)

• ↻ Left-handed · Turf
• 🎟 Under-18s free
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family-friendly
• 🧺 Picnics in some areas

🚆 Chester station, about 1.5 km walk

💷 £10 Open Course/Dee Stand ticket (2023)

The course and family days

The track: Very tight, flat left-handed circuit of just over a mile on the Roodee, Britain's oldest racecourse still in use; low draws favoured.

Family days: Summer Family Fun Day (August) with inflatable play zones, funfair, crafts and music workshops

Haydock Park

Next raceday Sat 23 Jan 2027 Jumps

• 29 racedays
• 20 Flat · 9 Jumps
• 1 Premier

🏆 Betfair Sprint Cup (September); Temple Stakes (May); Betfair Chase (November); Grand National Trial (February)

• ↻ Left-handed · Turf
• 🎟 Under-18s free
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family-friendly

🚆 Newton-le-Willows, shuttle bus (£3 single / £5 return)

💷 From £20 (Dec 2026 fixture)

The course and family days

The track: Flat, galloping left-handed oval of about 1m 5f with a separate straight six furlongs.

Family days: Easter Family Day (Shetland pony race, tribute act); summer family fun days with games, inflatables and face painting have run in past years