Leicester Races Today – Get Leicester Tips for East Midlands Track
If you’re planning a visit to Leicester races today, then this guide to the course will reveal everything that you need to know. It includes the history of the racecourse, analysis of the track and a look at the biggest races for which we give Leicester tips.
History of Leicester Racecourse
Earlier races at Leicester date way back to 1603 at Abbey Meadow. By 1742, races were being held at St. Mary’s Field regularly, due to persistent flooding at Abbey Field.
In 1807, they ran the Leicester Gold Cup at Victoria Park Racecourse, which later became a cricket ground. The first meeting at the current Leicester Racecourse site in Oadby took place in 1883.
By the late nineteenth century Leicester was hosting some of the most valuable races in Britain, including the Prince of Wales Stakes. An event with that name now takes place at Ascot races during the Royal meeting.
Gordon Richards rode 4,870 winners during his illustrious career as a jockey and the first came at Leicester in 1921. Another huge name in racing that won their first race at Leicester was Golden Miller in 1931, with this famous racehorse going on to win five Cheltenham Gold Cups and the Grand National at Aintree races near Liverpool.
Leicester was the location of the famous Flockton Grey ringer case in 1982. The unsuccessful two-year-old Flockton Grey was entered in a race at the course, where it was priced at 10/1.
Some £20,000 was bet on the horse by its owner Ken Richardson and trainer Stephen Wiles. They then arranged for the three-year-old Good Hand to run in its place, under the guise of being Flockton Grey.
Good Hand won by 20 lengths, but the margin of victory caused suspicion and bookies refused to pay out. A police investigation followed and the scam was uncovered.
Leicester races today is one of the busier courses in the UK, with meetings taking place throughout the year.
Is Leicester Races Today Jumps or Flat?
Leicester is a dual-purpose race track that features both National Hunt horse races and action on the Flat track. Our Leicester betting tips cover both disciplines.
The track is a right-handed oval about a mile and three-quarters round with a seven-furlong straight course for sprints on the Flat. This joins the main one five furlongs from the winning post.
Leicester is undulating, especially in the home straight where it goes downhill, before an uphill finish for the last 3 furlongs. Coming out of the back straight is a sharp climb and the descent begins on the home turn.
Keen horses can struggle to hold onto their leads, which is a factor that we consider with our Leicester tips today. In hurdle races, there are six flights to cross on a complete circuit. Three are down the back and three more in the home straight.
For steeplechases, meanwhile, there are 10 fences on a full lap. The first of six down the back is a water jump, then an open ditch and a line of four plain fences. In the home straight, the second of the four is another ditch.
Some jockeys take a wide route in jumps races over the winter months when the going becomes testing.
Key Leicester Races Fixtures
There are 29 race meetings scheduled for Leicester in 2025. These are split between 11 jump meetings and 18 Flat race day events, which our Leicester horse racing tips cover.
The jumping calendar at Leicester races today begins in mid-November and runs through the winter until early March. Then the Flat action begins in April and continues until late October.
Leicester is one of the biggest jumping tracks in the Midlands, along with Warwick races, and the key National Hunt meeting comes between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Centre stage at this festive fixture is the Leicestershire Silver Fox Handicap Chase.
The highlight and feature racing fixtures on the Flat is the King Richard III Cup day in April. Outside of these events, there is plenty of competitive action to enjoy at Leicester and many dedicated punters opt for memberships which grant them regular race passes.
Like many racecourses, the organisers at Leicester like to appeal to those that may perhaps lack experience of horse racing. There are two family fun days, a ladies day and a meeting aimed at students from the city’s university.
Check in regularly at Racing Tipster throughout the year, to enjoy our Leicester race tips which will cover all of these meetings.
The Biggest Races We Give Leicester Tips for
With there being some many meetings at Leicester races today, there is plenty of action to enjoy at this East Midlands course.
Yet within our horse racing tips for Leicester, there are certain races which are more valuable and attractive to punters than others.
Here are the biggest races that we cover among our Leicester racing tips today.
King Richard III Cup
Formerly the King Richard III Stakes with Listed status and run over the straight 7f, this became a Class 2 handicap for horses rated 0-105 and switched to the round mile in 2023.
Open to four-year-olds and up in April every year, it honours King Richard III. His death during the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 near Leicester brought the Wars of the Roses between the Houses of Lancaster and York to an end.
First prize in 2024 was £25,770 with outsider Miss Cantik defying racing odds of 22/1. This result was one that few experts who produce Leicester horse tips saw coming.
King Power Handicap
This is a 0-90 Class 3 sprint handicap over 6f for three-year-olds only. The King Power Handicap takes place in May.
Half of the race is downhill, then the second half is all uphill. In 2024, first prize was £10,800 with Sergeant Wilko winning it for owners who sponsor the contest.
Leicestershire Silver Fox Handicap Chase
A 0-125 Class 3 handicap chase over 2m 4f, that acts as the feature race of the jumps meeting over the Christmas period. First prize in 2024 was £10,560 that went to the favourite Hunter Legend, well found in the market at odds of 11/8.
FAQs
Is Leicester races on today?
Take a look within our racecards section to check on the status of the races at Leicester. If there are Leicester races today results, tips, information on today’s runners, form, stats and much more will be available at Racing Tipster.
Where is Leicester Racecourse?
If you’re armed with our Leicester racing tips andready to visit this course, you have a number of options. Enter LE2 4AL into your SatNav if travelling by car. Located just two miles from the city centre, you can also get a bus or a taxi from the train station.
Why was Leicester races abandoned today?
Unfortunately, sometimes races at Leicester end up abandoned due to issues like a waterlogged track and false ground, after heavy rain. Check in at Racing Tipster to see if Leicester is on today.
Where can I get tips and Leicester races results today?
If you’re placing bets on Leicester races today tips will be available at Racing Tipster. As soon as the races finish, check in at our racing results section to see how your bets did. We pride ourselves in having one of the fastest results services out there.
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