Interesting Facts about Beverley Racecourse

• More than 330 years of racing: Beverley Racecourse first opened in 1690, making it one of the oldest racecourses in Britain and a long-standing part of Yorkshire's sporting heritage.
• A course on common land: The racecourse is located on Beverley Westwood, an area of historic common pasture where local people still enjoy public access alongside race meetings.
• An unusual uphill finish: Beverley's final climb to the winning post is one of the steepest uphill finishes on any British Flat racecourse, providing a real stamina test for horses over the closing furlong.
• The first grandstand was built in 1767: Beverley's original grandstand cost around £1,000 to build, a considerable investment at the time and a sign of the growing popularity of horse racing in Yorkshire.
• The racecourse became an airfield: During the First World War, Beverley Racecourse was transformed into an aerodrome for the Royal Flying Corps and Canadian air units, with the famous uphill finish serving as a runway.
• Home of the Beverley Bullet: The course stages the Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes, its premier Listed race, attracting some of Britain's fastest sprinters each summer.
• A launchpad for Classic winners: The Hilary Needler Trophy has produced several outstanding fillies, including Attraction, who went on to win both the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas.
• A royal visitor: Queen Elizabeth II visited Beverley Racecourse during her Golden Jubilee tour in 2002, marking one of the most memorable occasions in the course's modern history.