Ascot Meetings, Race Days & Races

Of course we all know Ascot wouldn’t be the course it is if it wasn’t for Royal Ascot, but it is only one of many race meetings held each year at the historic racecourse. While that is the pinnacle event there are a host of other meetings in the lead up to and after Royal Ascot, and we cover all of them here.

The Flat racing season at Ascot usually begins in late April or early May with Royal Ascot Trials Day, followed by the May Racing Meeting and then Royal Ascot itself in June. After that comes the Summer Mile Meeting, King George Weekend, Shergar Cup, September Meeting, Autumn Meeting and the spectacular British Champions Day, Britain’s richest raceday and the fixture that brings Ascot’s Flat season to a close.

Although Ascot is synonymous with Flat racing, there has also been jumps racing at the course since 1965. The National Hunt programme typically gets underway around the end of October or beginning of November with the Fireworks Spectacular Raceday, followed by the November Meeting, Christmas Racing Weekend, Clarence House Chase Raceday, Ascot Chase Raceday and Spring Family Raceday.

On this page you can find a list of all the meetings, race days and races that are held at Ascot through the year. If you click on any race or day you will see dedicated summaries describing everything you need to know about the events and races.

Flat Meetings At Ascot

Clarence House Chase Raceday

The Clarence House Chase is a National Hunt event that takes place over a little more than two miles. There are 13 fences that need to be negotiated by the horses if they’re hoping to get across the finish line first, with the race being one of the first major jump events of the calendar year. It has been known by numerous sponsored names over the years, but the Clarence House Chase is its registered name and therefore the one that most punters will know it by. The first running was planned for 1987 but was abandoned because of frost, with fog preventing it from taking place the following year. It was therefore first raced in 1989.

Originally a handicap, the Clarence House Chase was promoted to Grade 1 level in 2007 and became a conditions race. Un de Sceaux won it three times in succession between 2016 and 2018, whilst Ruby Walsh set the benchmark for jockeys by winning it four times during his career. The rest of the card is built around this top-class two-mile chase, which regularly attracts horses being aimed towards the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. If you want to head to Ascot at a time when it’s less about the pageantry and more about the racing then this is definitely the meeting for you.

Ascot Chase Raceday

The Ascot Chase is a Grade 1 steeplechase for horses aged five and over. Run over around two miles and five furlongs, it is arguably the most prestigious jump race that takes place at Ascot Racecourse, so there is perhaps no surprise that it has an entire meeting built around it. Both off the course and on it, everyone is getting themselves ready for the arrival of the Cheltenham Festival the following month, meaning that horses can use the meeting as an important stepping stone towards some of the biggest races of the National Hunt season.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the rest of the race card is just filler; after all, the Ascot Chase is such a prestigious event that many people will be thinking only about that. You’d be wrong to make that assumption, though, with many of the other races that are run across the course of the race card being exciting enough to grab your attention. That is certainly the case with the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase, which is a Grade 2 race that puts novice chasers through their paces. In the end, though, it is certainly true that the Ascot Chase is the event most people will be looking out for, hence the day being named after it.

Spring Family Raceday

A day that is as much about what is taking place off the course as on it, there is no feature race as such on Spring Family Raceday. Instead it is the family that takes centre stage, which is reflected in the name of the meeting. Kids can enjoy a relatively simple introduction to the world of jump racing, with any number of activities and events taking place off the course for them to get their teeth into. It means that ‘fun’ is put in the middle of the day’s events, so it is the perfect chance to introduce your own little ones to the thrills and spills of National Hunt racing. That doesn’t mean that what goes on on the course should be ignored, though.

There are still some decent races taking place on the turf, albeit without the standout race that most other meetings will boast. This is traditionally the final chance to see jump racing at Ascot before the Flat season returns, so there is a definite end-of-season feel to proceedings. The Veterans’ Handicap Chase provides some of the older horses with the chance to show that they can still compete, whilst novice and handicap races elsewhere on the card offer punters plenty to get involved with.

Royal Ascot Trials Day

There is no point in pretending that Royal Ascot isn’t the most important meeting of the year as far as Ascot Racecourse is concerned. It is the moment when the eyes of the racing world turn to the famous old course, desperate to see how the horses, jockeys and trainers are going to perform. Royal Ascot Trials Day is therefore the perfect primer for the main event, tending to take place several weeks before Royal Ascot itself gets underway with the Royal Procession.

If you want to have some sort of sense of what to look out for during the week of Royal Ascot then this is the meeting for you. There isn’t really a feature race as such, with Royal Ascot being the ‘feature’ of the entire thing, but both the Sagaro Stakes and the Pavilion Stakes could lay claim to that title if they really wanted to. They are two Group 3 races that are designed to offer some insight into the Gold Cup, in the case of the Sagaro Stakes, and the Commonwealth Cup, with the Pavilion Stakes. The Listed Paradise Stakes is another notable race on the card, meaning there are several opportunities to spot horses that might return for the Royal meeting.

May Racing Meeting

May Racing Friday

Victoria Cup Day

The Royal Ascot meeting is the one that takes centre stage at Ascot Racecourse, largely because it is one of the most famous horse racing meetings in the world. It sees members of the Royal Family attending, with all of the pomp and circumstance that surrounds that, but there are still several Ascot fixtures to enjoy before the Royal meeting gets underway. One of those is the May Racing Meeting, which takes place across a Friday and Saturday and offers competitive Flat racing in a considerably more relaxed environment.

The Friday sees a number of handicaps taking place, whilst there is no obvious feature race that dominates proceedings. The same cannot be said of the Saturday. The Victoria Cup is the main event of the entire weekend, being a valuable Heritage Handicap that is run over seven furlongs and regularly attracts a large and competitive field. If you’re keen to enjoy racing at Ascot without the formality and crowds associated with the Royal meeting, this is a good opportunity to do so.

Royal Ascot

Tuesday Queen Anne Stakes Day

Wednesday Prince Of Wales Stakes Day

Thursday Gold Cup Day

Friday Coronation Stakes Day

Saturday Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes Day

When it comes to Ascot Racecourse, there is no meeting that is as prestigious or important as Royal Ascot. After all, until 1939 Royal Ascot was the only meeting that was run at the course, so it is hardly surprising that it is the centre of attention for the majority of the horse racing family. From the second the Royal Procession starts on the first day through to the final horse crossing the finish line five days later, this small section of Berkshire is gripped by racing fever. Whether you’re a bookmaker or a bettor, it will be a week filled with highs and lows, thrills and spills.

The meeting is typically held in June, which is when the great and the good from the world of horse racing make their way to the course in order to challenge themselves against some of the most prestigious Flat races in the sport. Celebrities and members of the Royal Family are also known to head there, so don’t be surprised if you recognise more than a few faces during the week. The Gold Cup is one of the most prestigious events held during the meeting, but each of the five days boasts major races of its own and there are Group 1 contests spread throughout the week.

Summer Mile Meeting

Summer Mile Meeting Friday

Summer Mile Family Day

How do you follow up a horse racing meeting like Royal Ascot? That is the question that the Summer Mile Meeting tries to answer, providing the racecourse with a chance to get punters back through the doors in order to enjoy some top-class racing. The meeting is held over two days, with the Friday generally offering a more straightforward afternoon of racing before the Saturday combines the action on the course with family entertainment.

There is competitive racing on both days, but the Saturday is unquestionably the highlight. The Group 2 Summer Mile Stakes, after which the entire weekend is named, is the feature race and brings some high-class milers back to Ascot. Away from the racing there is traditionally plenty of entertainment aimed at families, although the exact attractions can change from year to year.

King George Weekend

King George Friday

King George Saturday

Ascot is a racecourse filled with thrilling and exciting events, with Royal Ascot obviously being the pinnacle of them all. Look elsewhere, though, and you can find a few other meetings that capture the imagination and offer racegoers the chance to enjoy some thrills and spills. Perhaps the best example of that is the King George Weekend, which is held over two days and culminates with the running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. That is one of the most prestigious events run during the Flat racing season, so it’s little wonder it is enjoyed by so many people.

Of course, no meeting is ever just about one race and the King George Weekend is no exception. In addition to a full day’s racing on the Friday, the Saturday card includes the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes and Group 3 Valiant Stakes alongside the King George itself. It means that punters have plenty to get their teeth into, even if there is one race that dominates proceedings. Away from the course, the weekend has traditionally had the feel of a summer garden party and is considerably more relaxed than Royal Ascot.

Shergar Cup

You would be forgiven for thinking that the Shergar Cup is a race, when in actual fact it is the name of the meeting. The moniker comes from the trophy that is awarded to the most successful team at the end of this raceday, which is designed to attract families and those that don’t normally watch racing. The jockeys are put at the centre of proceedings, being divided into four teams of three and earning points according to where they finish in each race. The exact make-up and names of the international teams can change from year to year, which helps to keep the competition fresh.

There are six handicap races run across the course of the meeting, covering everything from sprint distances to staying contests. Points are awarded according to finishing positions, with the team collecting the most over the six races being awarded the Shergar Cup. There is also the Silver Saddle for the most successful individual jockey. Plenty takes place off the course as well, with entertainment helping to make this one of the more unusual and family-friendly fixtures on Ascot’s calendar.

September Meeting

Friday

Saturday

The horses might not be aware of the fact that there isn’t long left of the Flat racing season by the time that the September Meeting gets underway, but the owners, jockeys, trainers and racegoers most certainly do. It is a two-day meeting with a noticeably more relaxed feel than some of Ascot’s major fixtures, combining competitive Flat racing with the social side of attending the course. Bettors will battle with the bookies once more, whilst those that don’t like a flutter can simply enjoy an autumn afternoon at one of the country’s most famous racecourses.

The relaxed atmosphere is in stark contrast to how things are when the Royal Ascot meeting is taking place at the racecourse, with far less formality involved. You can expect plenty of handicaps and competitive racing across the Friday and Saturday without one race completely dominating the weekend. It makes the September Meeting one of those Ascot fixtures at which enjoying the day itself is often every bit as important as identifying the winner of the next race.

Autumn Meeting

Friday

Saturday

It is fair to say that there aren’t many horse racing meetings that take place that are quite like Ascot Racecourse’s Autumn Meeting. There is some excellent late-season Flat racing on offer, but it is the fact that it takes place alongside Ascot’s Beer Festival, held in association with CAMRA, that helps it to stand out from the crowd. More than 160 beers, ciders and perries are typically available over the course of the weekend, meaning that people who enjoy a tipple turn up alongside those that take their horse racing very seriously, making for a mixed crowd.

There is plenty for those interested primarily in the racing, too. Friday features the Listed Noel Murless Stakes, whilst Saturday boasts the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes and Bengough Stakes as well as the Listed October Stakes and Rous Stakes. The Challenge Cup is also one of the most valuable seven-furlong handicaps in the country. Combine all of that with the Beer Festival and it isn’t difficult to understand why the Autumn Meeting has developed such a distinctive atmosphere.

British Champions Day

There is no question that Royal Ascot is the most influential meeting at Ascot Racecourse, but it isn’t the only one worth mentioning at the famous venue. In its own way, British Champions Day is just as important to the Flat racing calendar, providing a major end-of-season target for some of the best horses in training. It is Britain’s richest raceday, with £4.35 million in prize money spread across seven races, making it one of the most valuable and prestigious afternoons of racing staged in the country.

British Champions Day boasts five Group 1 events covering the major staying, sprinting, mile, middle-distance and fillies and mares divisions. They are joined by a valuable conditions race for two-year-olds and the Balmoral Handicap. The old 35-race British Champions Series that originally led into the meeting was discontinued from 2025, but the raceday itself remains very much the climax of Ascot’s Flat season. Horses such as Frankel have helped to make its relatively short history particularly memorable.

Fireworks Spectacular Family Raceday

Fireworks and animals obviously aren’t the most natural combination, which is why the huge pyromusical display that gives the Fireworks Spectacular Family Raceday its name takes place after the day’s racing has finished. It is part of the manner in which Ascot looks to appeal to families as its jump racing season gets underway, allowing visitors to enjoy National Hunt action during the afternoon before the entertainment switches away from the racecourse itself later on.

As the title of the meeting suggests, this is a day of racing that is aimed very much at families, with numerous activities taking place away from the track. That is only if what is happening on the course can’t capture their imagination, of course, with a card containing hurdles and steeplechases. The Gold Cup Handicap Chase is one of the main attractions and carries Premier Handicap status, ensuring that there is plenty for serious National Hunt fans to enjoy as well.

November Meeting

Friday

Saturday

Are you the sort of horse racing fan that likes to get a sense of the horses that are coming through the ranks and are worthwhile following throughout their careers? If so, the November Meeting at Ascot Racecourse might just be ideal for you. Over the course of the meeting you will see novice hurdlers and chasers take on the challenge of some jumps on the famous old turf, which is best-known to most as being a Flat racing venue. It gives horses, jockeys and trainers a chance to build towards some of the bigger National Hunt meetings that arrive later in the season.

It isn’t just about horses of the future, however. The Saturday sees two different Grade 2 races taking place in the 1965 Chase and the Ascot Hurdle, both of which have attracted some of the sport’s biggest names over the years. No one who was present in 2019, for example, will forget the battle that ensued between Altior and Cyrname in the 1965 Chase. The fact that the meeting is held in November means that the weather is likely to be rather different from Royal Ascot, so wrap up warm and enjoy the racing.

Christmas Racing Weekend

Friday

Saturday

If you are a fan of Christmas as a general concept and also like horse racing, you’re going to struggle to find a better place to be than at Ascot Racecourse on Christmas Racing Weekend. Based over two days and with plenty of excellent races thrown in, the meeting sees the venue take on a distinctly festive feel. In fact, the racing is so good that you’ll enjoy yourself even if you don’t like Christmas, whilst the Christmas activities are fun enough to mean that you’ll be pleased even if you’re not really a fan of racing. There is something for everyone over the course of the two days, not the least of which are the feature races.

On the Friday, the Noel Novices’ Chase sees inexperienced steeplechasers put through their paces in a Grade 2 event that is the main race of the day. On the Saturday, meanwhile, the Long Walk Hurdle is a Grade 1 offering that is considered to be amongst the most prestigious races for staying hurdlers in the calendar. Off the course, the family entertainment and festive atmosphere are a major part of proceedings, with Father Christmas traditionally amongst those making an appearance. It provides Ascot with a suitably entertaining way to bring its racing year to a close.