Wetherby Races Today – See Wetherby Tips from West Yorkshire Track

Outside the market town of the same name and close to the Great North Road, you’ll find Wetherby races today. This Yorkshire racecourse features a number of notable races across a busy schedule.

In this complete guide to the track, we examine it from all angles. That includes the history of the course, track configuration, and the biggest events and races that our data-driven AI algorithms produce Wetherby tips for.

History of Wetherby Racecourse

Regular racing in the area began at Linton in 1842, which is now the site of Wetherby Golf Club. The sport then moved to Scaur Bank, officially known as King George V Playing Fields, but more commonly referred to as The Ings.

A committee of race organisers were unsuccessful in their attempts to buy this land, so they sought a new location. In 1891, the track moved to it current site off York Road. The development of the course slowed during World War I, but picked up again after the conflict ended.

A railway station at Wetherby Racecourse opened in 1924, which broadened the appeal of racing at the course. In the years that followed, crowds of over 40,000 were common. The station closed in 1959.

In the 1930s, the first terraces appeared. The first Grandstand came in 1967, followed by a two-tier stand in the 1970s. In 1999 the Millennium Stand opened, providing Wetherby with conference and banqueting facilities.

Wetherby races today remains a thriving course, helped by its location just 12 miles from Leeds city centre. It is also close to other major towns and cities in North and West Yorkshire such as York itself, Harrogate, Bradford and Huddersfield.

Is Wetherby Races Today Jumps or Flat?

Wetherby is a dual-purpose track, which features both jump racing action and Flat racing. For most of its history it only hosted jump meetings, with Flat racing fixtures added to the schedule in 2015.

The track at Wetherby is a relatively level, left-handed oval. It is slightly uphill in the home straight, which makes for a nice galloping track. This is something that we consider when giving our Wetherby racing tips today.

A complete circuit of Wetherby is about a mile-and-a-half round. That means there’s no straight sprint track, but they do have a chute for extended 5f, that joins the course proper on the easy bend out of the back stretch and into the home straight. The run-in for Flat races is about half-a-mile.

There are six flights to jump on the hurdles track over a full lap, with three down the back and as many again, after turning for home. For steeplechases, meanwhile, there are nine fences on a complete circuit.

Five of these are in the back straight. The second and last of these are open ditches. Once turning for home, horses face four plain fences in as many furlongs before the winning post.

The fences are thought to be quite stiff, which is another aspect that we consider when producing our horse racing tips for Wetherby. It is a fair track, with no real draw bias to speak of.

Key Wetherby Races Fixtures

There are 18 horse racing events on the schedule here in 2025, ensuring that you will never be far away from our next batch of Wetherby race tips from Racing Tipster. Among those fixtures are a couple of major meetings that really stand out.

The first is the Charlie Hall Chase day in November, which is on the second of a two-day meeting. Then in December there is a Christmas meeting with horse racing fans treated to action on Boxing Day and the following day.

Aside from these feature meetings, there is also a Christmas Jumper Day in December. Other themed events include a Wear A Hat charity day, Family Day and Ladies’ Evening.

There are 15 jumps meetings and three on the Flat during the warmer months. We have all of them covered with our Wetherby horse racing tips.

The Biggest Races We Provide Wetherby Tips on

While our racing coverage extends to each and every event at Wetherby races today, some jewels shine brighter than others. Let’s take a look at the biggest and most valuable races that we cover within our Wetherby racing tips.

Charlie Hall Chase

This race dates back to 1969 when it was the Wetherby Pattern Chase. It became the Charlie Hall Chase in memory of the late trainer in 1990.

A Grade 2 steeplechase over three miles that runs in early November, six horses have won it twice. The Charlie Hall is a prep race for both the Betfair Chase at Haydock later in November and the King George at Kempton races on Boxing Day.

Notable winners include Wayward Lad, Burrough Hill Lad, Forgive ‘n Forget, Barton Bank, One Man, See More Business, Ollie Magern, Silviniaco Conti, Cue Card and Bravemansgame. Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has six successes in the race and Paul Nicholls has won it five times.

First prize in 2024 was almost £57,000 with Yorkshire-trained horse The Real Whacker keeping the money local.

West Yorkshire Hurdle

This is a Grade 2 hurdle race that is run over three miles on Charlie Hall day in November. First contested in 1990, notable winners include Inglis Drever, Tidal Bay and Cole Harden.

The first prize in 2024 was £34,170, when Irish raider Beacon Edge pulled off a surprise victory.

Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase

A Premier Handicap chase over three miles on Boxing Day, this is the big race in Yorkshire over the Christmas period. Dating back to 1957, the race hit its pomp in the mid-1980s, when Forgive ‘n Forget and The Thinker won.

Named after a Clerk of the Course appointed at Wetherby after the end of the First World War, the race now struggles to attract a large field on Boxing Day, due to competition with a meeting of Aintree races on the same day and another at Doncaster also between Christmas and New Year.

Despite this, first prize in 2024 was almost £29,000. The Rowland Meyrick money went to Richard Hobson runner Some Scope.

Towton Novices’ Chase

First run in 1996, this Grade 2 novice chase was originally over the Charlie Hall course and distance of three miles. Its name comes from the nearby village of Towton and the infamous, bloody Wars of the Roses battle that took place in the area.

The Towton used to be in February, but moved to January in 2024 with a revised distance of an extended 2m 3f. Inaugural winner Mr Mulligan, Ollie Magern and Blaklion all appear on the roll of honour.

When abandoned in 2025, the race took place at Ffos Las in West Wales, where Handstands was triumphant. Therefore the last time this race went ahead at Wetherby was in 2024, when first prize was £22,780 and Colonel Harry won.

Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle

A Listed hurdle race over two miles for three-year-olds only that takes place on the first day of the Charlie Hall meeting in November. It is the first pattern race of the UK jumps season for juveniles.

First prize in 2024 was £22,780 and was taken home by Liam Swagger. This horse went to finish placed in the Fred Winter at the Cheltenham Festival.

bet365 Handicap Chase

This is a Premier Handicap chase over an extended 2m 3f, that runs on the Friday of the Charlie Hall meeting in November.

Cumbria trainer Nicky Richards notably won this race twice with Guitar Pete. Itso Fury picked up first prize of £22,780 in 2024.

Wetherby Mares’ Hurdle

A Listed hurdle race over two miles for mares only on Charlie Hall day in November. First run in 2007, Lady Buttons and Molly Ollys Wishes are the only dual winners.

The first prize in 2024 was almost £17,400 with Dan Skelton mare Take No Chances successful. She went on to Grade 2 success in the Warfield at Ascot races the following January.

Castleford Chase

This 1m 7f handicap chase runs at the Christmas Meeting the day after Boxing Day, becoming a Grade 1 race in 1990 after starting out as a limited handicap. Named after the Yorkshire town of Castleford it reverted back to a limited handicap in 1998.

It lost Grade 2 status in 2006, becoming the Class 2 handicap chase it is today. The roll of honour is illustrious and includes Tingle Creek Badsworth Boy, Waterloo Boy and Viking Flagship.

Harper’s Brook is the latest name to join that list in 2024, winning the £13,700 first prize.

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