Cartmel Racecourse

Cartmel Racecourse is a small racecourse in the village of Cartmel, now in the Ceremonial County of Cumbria, historically in Lancashire. Seven racedays are held each year, starting on the Whit Holiday weekend at the end of May and ending on the August Bank Holiday weekend in August Bank Holidays.The three-day May racemeeting actually takes place over five days – allowing a day off for racegoers to enjoy the Lake District countryside in between each day at the races. The racegoers arrive so early in the day and leave so late that, unlike most racecourses, there isn't time to clear up and turn the racecourse around for consecutive days racing.The two-day July meeting (taking place over three days, with a day off in-between) features the most valuable race at Cartmel, the Cumbria Crystal Hurdle Race, which is worth over £25,000.The August racemeeting features the Cartmel Cup (a hurdle race) and the Cavendish Cup (a steeplechase).Although the racecourse is considered to be small, it often has the third-highest average attendance of any jumps track in Britain after Aintree and Cheltenham – the largest crowds can be just over 20,000 on one day. The visitors gather in the centre of the racecourse which is bisected by the finishing straight. On one side of the straight is a very large fairground and on the other the Parade Ring and Winners' Enclosure. There is a small grandstand, but in general most of the facilities at Cartmel are temporary. The village shops are a short walk from the track and a visit to the village is often considered to be a significant part of a day at Cartmel races.Cartmel Racecourse is noted as having a four-furlong run-in on the Steeplechase course, the longest in Britain. The run in on the Hurdle track is slightly less than 2 furlongs. All winning connections receive a Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding to take home.