View source for Chester Racecourse

{{short description|Horse racing venue in England}}
{{for|the Chester, Pennsylvania race track|Harrah's Philadelphia}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox UK Racecourse
| Name         = Chester
| Image        = [[File:Chester Racecourse (2016) Landscape Logo.png|frameless]]
| Caption      = Chester Racecourse logo
| Website      = http://www.chester-races.com
| Location     = [[Chester]], Cheshire
| Owner        = Chester Race Company Ltd.
| Channel      = [[Sky Sports Racing]]
| CourseType   = [[Flat racing|Flat]]
| Prev         = [[Chepstow Racecourse|Chepstow]]
| Next         = [[Doncaster Racecourse|Doncaster]]
}}
[[Image:Chester racecourse.JPG|thumb|right|The racecourse stands, with the city walls visible in the right of the image.]]
[[Image:Curzon Park Chester4.JPG|thumb|right|View across the Roodee to [[Curzon Park]] on the South bank of the [[River Dee, Wales|River Dee]].]]

'''Chester Racecourse''', also known as '''the Roodee''', is a [[racecourse]] located in [[Chester]], [[England]]. The [[horse racing]] venue is officially recognised by [[Guinness World Records]] as the "oldest racecourse still in operation".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chester honoured with Guinness title of oldest racecourse still in operation {{!}} Horse Racing News {{!}} Racing Post |url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/chester-honoured-with-guinness-title-of-oldest-racecourse-still-in-operation/376566 |website=www.racingpost.com}}</ref><ref name="telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/2299582/Chester-racecourse-moves-with-the-times.html|title=Chester racecourse moves with the times|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|author=Marcus Armytage|date=6 May 2008|access-date=9 May 2008}}</ref> Horse racing in Chester dates back to the early sixteenth century, with 1539 cited as the year racing began, although some sources give a date of 1512 for the first races in Chester.{{sfn|Cawthorne|Herod|1902|p=3}} It is also thought to be the smallest racecourse of significance in England at 1 mile and 1 furlong (1.8&nbsp;km) long.

==History==
The {{convert|65|acre|hectare|adj=on}} racecourse lies on the banks of the [[River Dee, Wales|River Dee]]. The site was once a harbour during the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] settlement of the city during the [[Early Middle Ages]], sometimes referred to as the Dark Ages, but was closed as the river [[silt]]ed up thus making navigation impossible. Towards the centre of the in field is a raised mound which is decorated by a small cross known as a "[[rood]]". It is from this that the race course derives the name "Roodee"; Roodee is a corruption of "Rood Eye", meaning "The Island of the Cross", and is sometimes seen as "roody" in early sources.{{sfn|Cawthorne|Herod|1902|p=3}}

According to legend the cross marks the burial site of a statue of the [[Virgin Mary]] sentenced to hang after causing the death of Lady Trawst, the wife of the Governor of Hawarden. The legend states that she had gone to church to pray for rain but when her prayers were answered by a tremendous thunderstorm the statue was loosened and fell, killing her. As a holy object, hanging or burning the statue would be sacrilege so the statue was left by the banks of the river and the tide carried it down to Chester. The statue was found guilty by a jury of 12 men. If the legend is true, then this is the first recorded case of a jury being used in a court.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Feud, Glorious Feud|series=Tony Robinson's Crime and Punishment|airdate=1 June 2008|season=1}}</ref>

In an alternate version of the legend, the statue was instead carried to St John's Church. An ancient statue of the Virgin was recorded at the time of the reformation but may not be the same one. The statue was thrown down as a relic of popery, used as a whipping post for scholars and burned.

Less fanciful is a report<ref>The Roodee Chester, Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser, Friday 08 May 1840, p4 (citing an article from the Chester Gazette)</ref> from 1840 that the stone obelisk is the base of a cross that marked the boundary of the Benedictine Nunnery, the nunnery having been created in the mid 12th century, and dissolved in January 1540.<ref>A P Baggs, Ann J Kettle, S J Lander, A T Thacker and David Wardle, 'House of Benedictine nuns: The priory of Chester', in A History of the County of Chester: Volume 3, ed. C R Elrington and B E Harris (London, 1980), pp. 146-150. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/ches/vol3/pp146-150 [accessed 23 June 2020].</ref> The cross was known as the Rood Dee (the Dee cross), to distinguish it from the [[Chester Cross (junction)|cross]] at [[St Peter's Church, Chester|St. Peter's Church]].

The site was formerly the home of the original [[Chester Midsummer Watch Parade]], temporarily banned by [[Oliver Cromwell]] but finally abolished in 1677.

The east of the race course abuts directly onto Chester's ancient [[city walls]] which were once used to moor [[Roman Empire|Roman]] trading vessels, before the course of the river changed. Spectators can watch races for free from the walls which offer a clear view of the whole circuit. The [[Grosvenor Bridge (Chester)|Grosvenor Bridge]], at one time the longest single arch bridge in the world, passes over the south-eastern corner. The north of the course is bordered by a long railway bridge carrying the [[North Wales Coast Line]] (shared with the [[Shrewsbury–Chester line]]) over the [[River Dee, Wales|River Dee]]. The course is overlooked from the opposite bank of the river by the [[mansions]] of [[Curzon Park]], which can be seen dominating the skyline from any of the three grandstands. The [[Welsh border]] is roughly a mile west of the racecourse.

==Horse Racing==
[[File:RoodeeAerial.jpg|thumb|right|Aerial view of the Racecourse.]]
The Chester Racecourse site was home to the famous and bloody Goteddsday [[Mediæval football|football]] match. The game was very violent and, in 1533, banned by the city, to be replaced in 1539 by horse racing. The first recorded race was held on 9 February 1539 (although other sources list this as 10 January 1511{{sfn|Saunders, Otley|1863|page=108}} and some as 1512{{sfn|Cawthorne|Herod|1902|p=3}}) with the consent of the Mayor Henry Gee, whose name led to the use of the term "gee-gee" for horses.<ref name="telegraph"/> Races originally took place on Goteddsday ([[Shrove Tuesday]]) until 1609, and thereafter on [[St George's Day]], both major festivals during the [[medieval]] period. Victors were awarded the "Chester Bells", a set of three decorative [[Bell (instrument)|bells]] for decorating the horse's [[bridle]], for winning a race five times round the "roody"{{sfn|Cawthorne|Herod|1902|p=3}} and from 1744 the "[[Richard Grosvenor, 1st Earl Grosvenor|Grosvenor]] Gold Cup", a small [[Cup|tumbler]] made from solid gold (later silver). In 1745, the meeting became a four-day one, with one race on each day.{{sfn|Saunders, Otley|1863|page=110}}  In 1766 a May Festival was introduced. In 1824 the Tradesmen's Cup Race (the predecessor to the [[Chester Cup]]) was also introduced.

The racecourse was at that point still just an open field, with the first [[grandstand]] finished in 1817 and the first admittance fee not being taken until 1897. The stand was rebuilt in 1899–1900, and was replaced after being destroyed by [[arson]] in 1985.

==Today==
The racecourse's position in the city makes race meetings at Chester very popular as it is only a very short stroll to all the hotels, bars, shopping and restaurants. The racecourse itself is just over {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} long, flat and raced anti-clockwise or left-handed. The main characteristic of the course is the very short straight ({{convert|239|yards}}). As such, long-strided horses, which perform better on straights, are at a distinct disadvantage.

On 19 August 2006, Irish vocal pop band [[Westlife]] held a concert for their [[Face to Face Tour]] supporting their album ''[[Face to Face (Westlife album)|Face to Face]]''.

In 2008, a restaurant opened at the racecourse, named "1539", after the first year that horse racing took place in Chester.<ref>[http://www.restaurant1539.co.uk/ 1539 Restaurant]</ref>

In May 2012, all former [[The Tote|Tote]] betting positions were replaced by the racecourse's own in-house chesterBET betting system.

In 2013 a new pub and restaurant called The White Horse was opened in the centre of the Course.

The main race meetings at Chester were often broadcast on [[Channel 4 Racing]] until 2016 and have been broadcast on [[ITV Racing]] since 2017.

The Clerk of the Course is Andrew Morris, who is also Clerk of the Course for sister course [[Bangor-on-Dee racecourse|Bangor-on-Dee]], which is a [[National Hunt racing|National Hunt]] jumps course.

Chester Racecourse has continually evolved to meet the needs and desires of modern racing fans, blending its rich history with a forward-thinking approach. In 2023, the racecourse introduced a state-of-the-art digital betting platform, which has enhanced the overall visitor experience<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pandemictoursapp.com/post/chester-races-2023|title=Chester Racecourse: A Blend of Tradition and Innovation|date=2023-05-12|access-date=2023-05-12|website= Pandemic Tours|publisher= Joaquin Contreras}}</ref>

In 2023, Chester Racecourse continues to uphold its legacy as one of the oldest and most vibrant racecourses in the United Kingdom. This year, the venue hosts a diverse range of events, including the prestigious May Festival, the Chester Cup, and Ladies Day, offering a blend of thrilling races, fashion, and entertainment.

In addition to horse racing, the racecourse grounds serve as a venue for various other events throughout the year, including concerts, food festivals, and outdoor cinema screenings. Chester Racecourse has also broadened its culinary offerings, catering to a wide range of tastes from casual street food to fine dining experiences.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pandemictoursapp.com/post/chester-races-2023|title=A Day at the Races: The Exciting World of Chester Horse Racing Unveiled|date=2023-05-12|access-date=2023-05-12|website= Pandemic Tours|publisher= Joaquin Contreras}}</ref>

2023 also saw the introduction of a dynamic pricing system for Chester Races, designed to reward early bookings. The new system ensures the lowest ticket price at the point of checkout when tickets are added to the customer's basket, encouraging visitors to secure their spots at the events well in advance. There is no evidence to support dynamic ticketing pricing or that it provides additional early sales.

{{Expand section|date=June 2008}}

==Notable races==
{| class = "wikitable sortable"
|- 
! Month
! Meeting
! DOW
! Race Name
! Type
! Grade
! Distance
! Age/Sex
|-
| {{Sort|1|May}}
| Festival
| Wednesday
| [[Cheshire Oaks (horse race)|Cheshire Oaks]]
| Flat
| Listed
| {{Sort|2285|1m 3f 79y}}
| 3yo only f
|-
| {{Sort|2|May}}
| Festival
| Wednesday
| [[Chester Vase]]
| Flat
| Group 3
| {{Sort|2474|1m 4f 66y}}
| 3yo only
|-
| {{Sort|3|May}}
| Festival
| Thursday
| [[Ormonde Stakes]]
| Flat
| Group 3
| {{Sort|2697|1m 5f 89y}}
| 4yo +
|-
| {{Sort|4|May}}
| Festival
| Thursday
| [[Dee Stakes]]
| Flat
| Listed
| {{Sort|2080|1m 2f 75y}}
| 3yo only
|-
| {{Sort|5|May}}
| Festival
| Friday
| [[Huxley Stakes]]
| Flat
| Group 2
| {{Sort|2080|1m 2f 75y}}
| 4yo +
|-
| {{Sort|6|May}}
| Festival
| Friday
| [[Chester Cup]]
| Flat
| Handicap
| {{Sort|3755|2m 2f 147y}}
| 4yo +
|}

;Other races
* Earl Grosvenor Stakes
* [[City Plate]]
* [[Queensferry Stakes]]
* Henry Gee Stakes
* [[Stand Cup]]
* Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |title=Royal Ascot, Its History & Its Associations |last1=Cawthorne |first1=George James |last2=Herod |first2=Richard S. |publisher=A Treherne & Co |location=London |url=http://www.public-library.uk/dailyebook/Royal%20Ascot%20-%20its%20history%20and%20its%20associations%20(1902).pdf |year=1902 |access-date=31 January 2022}}
*{{cite book |title=Horse-Racing: Its History and Early Records of the Principal and other Race Meetings with Anecdotes etc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S7IUAAAAYAAJ&q=horse+racing |access-date=26 April 2013 |year=1863 |publisher=Saunders, Otley & Co. |location=London|ref={{harvid|Saunders, Otley|1863}} }}

==External links==
{{portal|Cheshire}}
*[http://www.chester-races.co.uk/ Official website]
*[http://www.attheraces.com/course-guides/chester At The Races course guide]
*[http://www.bwpics.co.uk/roodee.html History of the Roodee]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100516064325/http://chester.ls-eyeworks.com/blog/chester-races Chester Racecourse Pictures]

{{coord|53|11|11|N|2|53|59|W|type:landmark_scale:5000_region:GB|display=title}}

{{Horse racing in Great Britain}}

[[Category:Chester Racecourse| ]]
[[Category:Horse racing venues in England]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Cheshire]]
[[Category:Sport in Chester]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the United Kingdom destroyed by arson]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in the 16th century]]