Great Yarmouth Racecourse

Great Yarmouth racecourse is a horse racing course located a mile north of Great Yarmouth, owned by Northern Racing. The track takes the form of a narrow oblong about a mile and three quarters round, with two long straights about five furlongs in length. It is a left-handed course, used for flat racing only. An extension to the finishing straight allows races of up to a mile to be run on the straight course.

History

Racing at Great Yarmouth was first recorded in 1715, when a lease was granted by the Yarmouth Corporation to a group of innkeepers for some land where they could stage race meetings. Racing may well have been taking place there before that date. It was probably intermittent during the eighteenth century, and will often have coincided with the annual town fair. Diverse events such as donkey races and chasing a pig with a soaped tail were held. Not until 1810 did the official Racing Calendar begin to record meetings with thoroughbred races and sufficient prize money. This course, on the South Denes, then became established. A two-day meeting was held in the late summer each year. Not until 1866 did the number of fixtures start to increase.