Sandown Park Racecourse

Portsmouth Road
Esher
Surrey
KT10 9AJ
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Phone: 01372 464348
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Race Days in March

12th March Grand Military Gold Cup Day

The Grand Military Gold Cup is a race that dates back to 1841 and has featured many of the country’s finest amateur riders. The Queen Mother was an avid supporter of the event, her horses winning on no less than five occasions, most memorably Special Cargo in 1984, 1985 and 1986. A statue in bronze of this magnifi cent horse stands overlooking the Weighing Room near our Winners Enclosure. First race 2.20pm.

13th March Paddy Power Imperial Cup Day  

Just a few days before the Cheltenham Festival, the Paddy Power Imperial Cup is an opportunity for the very best hurdlers to prove themselves in front of a big, enthusiastic crowd. In 2007, the winner went on to win at Cheltenham – and picked up a £75,000 bonus into the bargain! You can find out if any of this year’s crop of horses might be on track to repeat the ‘double’ by getting the experts’ view at our Cheltenham Preview Panel after the racing. A panel of professionals from the racing world, including Paul Nicholls, Andy Stewart, Nicky Henderson and Paddy Power, will discuss the upcoming Festival races in detail and provide some insider tips. Don’t miss the parade of retrained racehorses, showcasing some household names including Kicking King, Moscow Flyer and Brave Inca, who have gone on to new careers in other equine sports (seats on first come, first served basis). And be prepared for lunacy as Paddy Power stages some new, madcap stunt to raise money for charity prior to racing, following the huge success of the Parade Ring Spacehopper Race in 2009. First race 2.05pm.

Sandown Park Racecourse is one of UK horse racing’s most loved and revered venues. Founded in 1875, Sandown Park Racecourse has provided the backdrop to some of the greatest moments in horse. Whether you’re a seasoned racing buff, a new convert gripped by the thrilling spectacle of the chase, or simply a curious visitor in search of an exhilarating live sporting event, a day at the races at Sandown Park has it all. With spectacular race meetings throughout the year, you will have unique access to the horses before they race, an uninterrupted view of the live racing action and a huge choice of restaurants and watering holes to suit every taste and budget.

Sandown was to become the Queen Mother's favourite course and provided a suitably impressive backdrop to the feats of Arkle, Mill Reef and Desert Orchid. Yet it has always developed in sympathy with the spirit of the times and is now one of the most modern and accessible racing venues in the country. 

Never Been Racing? 

So you have never been horseracing but always wanted to give it a try. You think it seems far too complicated with rules, etiquette and that magical 'lingo'? Well at Sandown Park, none of that has really existed and they make all our visitors, whether new to horseracing or a seasoned pro, feel right at home. Click here to go to the frequently asked questions section where questions such as “What is flat and jump racing?”, “What is the dress code?”, “Can I hire binoculars?”, “Where can I see the horses?” and many more questions.  

The Enclosures 

The Grandstand Enclosure

The spacious, modern Grandstand is designed to get you as close to the action as is humanly possible. You can check out your favourite at the Parade Ring, then move quickly back to the 'steppings' - from which, famously, you can see the entire course without obstruction. The rear balcony overlooks the Parade Ring and links the bars and the seating areas. You can choose from a wide variety of restaurants and food outlets that cater for every taste and budget. Dress code: informal and casual dress. No vests or bare tops.

The Premier Enclosure

At Sandown Park, they are obsessed with accessibility - and in our Premier Enclosure, you'll enjoy a fabulous view of the racing that is probably unequalled in the UK. The covered seating is directly opposite the winning post: you couldn't hope for a better position! There are a host of excellent bars and restaurants for when you're not glued to the racecourse. Dress code: they don't insist that gentlemen wear jackets and ties, nor ladies, hats. The style is 'smart casual'. We like collared shirts on gentlemen (including polo shirts and polo-necked jumpers). Jeans are acceptable, providing they're not torn. We don't allow trainers, non-tailored shorts, vests, football or rugby shirts.  

Food & Bars

Sandown Park offers a wide variety of dining options from fish & chips, sandwiches and hot meals in the family-friendly Food Court, to fine dining in the Tingle Creek Restaurant. With a host of bars also open every race day including the Laurent Perrier Champagne Bar, deciding where to eat and drink will be your hardest decision!

Tingle Creek Restaurant

Enjoy the full à la carte menu in a fine dining atmosphere. The Tingle Creek Restaurant boasts spectacular views of the racecourse and winning post and provides the perfect base for your day at the races. Always a popular choice so it is advised you book in advance (01372 47 77 47). 

Loch Fyne Seafood Bar & Grill

This highly-rated Scottish Resturant serves fish and shellfish of a superlative quality. Loch Fyne's famous smoked salmon and oysters are the choice of many of the world's great chefs. An excellent choice of white fish is also on offer - all from sustainable resources - as is superb organic meat from the glens around Loch Fyne. Advance bookings are not taken for Loch Fyne. Please request a table on the day.

Picnics

For those wishing to bring a picnic on a race day, there is a Family Picnic Area located below the Grandstand right next to the track. Please note that alcohol can only be brought in with food as part of a picnic and there is a limit of one bottle of wine or four beers per person. Sandown Park reserves the right to limit the amount of alcohol brought into this family enclosure. Food and drink may not be brought into any other areas of the course.

Raceday Hospitality

Sandown provide a number of attractive hospitality packages for groups, corporate and social occasions.  To find out more click here.

Crèche

There is a free crèche run by qualified staff that is open on all Saturday racedays for the under 5’s. This is located in the Main Foyer of the Grandstand - please ask any of our 'green jacketed' stewards for assistance.  

Open:

2010 Racedays

(Click on dates below for further information)

March

12th March Grand Military Gold Cup Day

13th March Paddy Power Imperial Cup Day

April

23rd April Bet365 Gold Cup Friday  &  24th April Bet365 Gold Cup Day

Saturday 24th April, one of the most popular race meetings in the racecourses calendar . It’s a must-see event with an after racing party on Saturday and live music from the much-loved Irish band, The Saw Doctors. Friday features the first flat racing of the year and is also the celebration of St George’s Day where racegoers receive £5 off entry if they wear an English Red Rose (on the day offer only). As well as the racing, Saturday offers a rare opportunity to witness a parade of the jumps season’s equine champions, which in 2009 included Kauto Star, Denman, Mon Mome, Big Bucks and Voy Por Usteedes. This will commence at 12.15pm. The day has become renowned for its after-party, and the Irish folk-rock band the Saw Doctors, who hold the record for Ireland’s biggest-selling single for all time, “I Useta Lover” will finish off a fantastic day with a live concert by the parade ring. The band has a huge following both in the UK and in Ireland and they will be performing for an hour straight after the last race at approx. 5.15pm.  

May

20th May Evening Racing

27th May Brigadier Gerard Evening

June

3rd June Evening Racing with live music for Spandau Ballet!

SPANDAU BALLET LIVE AT SANDOWN PARK RACECOURSE! Eighties pop group sensation SPANDAU BALLET is the first band confirmed to perform at Sandown Park Racecourse in 2010. Live on stage after the racing, the British band will be performing on Thursday 3rd June and will entertain crowds with classic songs and new tracks from their recent album “Once More”. Following a hugely successful UK tour, playing to over 120,000 fans including 3 sell out nights at London’s O2 Arena (Live at the O2 DVD released recently), Spandau Ballet have cemented themselves into the history books as one of the greatest live bands this country has ever produced. The band will start 2010 by continuing their Reformation Tour with shows all over Europe and then around the world, returning to the UK in the summer. Spandau Ballet had their first hit in November 1980 with “To Cut A Long Story Short”. They went on to release six studio albums and had 10 UK top 10 singles, topping the charts with “True” in 1983. The band lasted ten years, a career arc that spanned the eighties in perfect symmetry, from the nightclubs of Soho and Ibiza to Hollywood and the stadiums of Europe and Australia. Along with the other bastions of New Pop, Spandau Ballet defined the decade – proving, perhaps, that eyeliner, tartan capes and the variances of the Linn Drum are not necessarily mutually exclusive. They came, they saw, they partied. After 25 million record sales, six multi-platinum albums and 23 hit singles, Spandau Ballet split in 1990 only to reform early in 2009 to huge critical and fan support. David Mackinnon, Managing Director for Sandown Park Racecourse commented: “Spandau Ballet is a legendary British band and we are delighted to welcome them to Sandown Park as part of their Reformation Tour. Our Music Nights have proved hugely popular amongst our racegoers over the last few years with several sell out crowds and so to avoid disappointment, I strongly advise you to book early.” Tickets prices booked in advance are: £32 Premier £27 Grandstand £15 for children aged between 10-17 years old £5 for children aged between 0-9 years old. 

July

2nd July Property Race Day

3rd July Coral-Eclipse Day

21st July Music Night

RAZORLIGHT have today been confirmed as the third and final band to play at Sandown Park’s summer series of Music Nights on Wednesday 21st July 2010. The UK rock’n’roll band from London who exploded onto the music circuit in 2002 will be performing live after racing when crowds will be able to enjoy hits including the Number One chart topper “America”, along with “In The Morning” and the lead single from their third album, Slipway Fires, “Wire to Wire”.  Nominated in 2007 for two BRIT Awards – one for ‘Best British Band’ and the other for ‘Best Song’ for their single “America”.

22nd July Afternoon Racing

28th July Music Night

August

5th August Evening Racing with live music from West Life!

Irish pop group sensation, WESTLIFE are the second band confirmed for the Sandown Park Music Nights this summer. Performing live after racing, the crowds will be able to enjoy hits from their latest album ‘Where we are’ as well as a mix of their classic songs. Westlife, who are starting a UK summer tour this year called ‘The Where we are Tour’, is made up of Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Nicky Byrne. The group is the only act in UK history to have their first seven singles go straight to Number 1 and have since gone on to sell over 45 million records worldwide. It has also been announced that they are the "second biggest selling artist" and the "biggest selling band of the decade" in the UK. Spending much of 2009 hidden away in studios across Europe and the US, Westlife have been quietly creating their most exciting album to date. ‘Where We Are’ features work from pop’s finest craftsmen, including Grammy nominated Ryan Tedder (Leona Lewis, Beyonce) Steve Robson (James Morrison, Take That) Steve Booker (Duffy) Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters (Whitney Houston, Anastacia.) and Shaznay Lewis, who co-writes a track with band member Mark Feehily. 

11st August Comedy Night

20th August Afternoon Racing

21st August Afternoon Racing

September

10th September London Stock Exchange Day

11th September Afternoon Racing

15th September Afternoon Racing

November

7th November Gentleman's Day

December

3rd December Tingle Creek Friday

4th December Tingle Creek Day

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