Chester Racecourse, horse racing venue in England
Chester Racecourse is a horse racing venue in Chester, Cheshire, England, set along the banks of the River Dee near the old city walls. The track is oval and relatively short, with grandstands on one side that give spectators a clear view of the whole circuit from a single spot.
Racing on the Roodee is recorded as far back as 1539, which places this ground among the oldest venues in the world still used for the same purpose. Before horses ran here, the area served as a Roman harbour, and a stone pillar from that era, known as the Rood, once stood at its centre.
The racecourse sits on a stretch of land known as the Roodee, a name that comes from Old Welsh and Old English words referring to a cross and a watery island. On race days, the ground fills with people dressed up for the occasion, as attending the races here is still seen as a social event worth dressing for.
The venue is within easy walking distance of Chester city centre, so combining a visit with a look around the old town is straightforward. On race days the surrounding roads get busy early, so arriving on foot or by train tends to make the start of the day easier.
The Roodee is the shortest track on the British racing circuit, which means horses take the bends at much tighter angles than on most other courses. This makes following the races from the stands feel noticeably different from watching at a longer track, since the whole field stays in view almost the entire time.
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