Worcester Racecourse, Horse racing venue in Worcester, England
Worcester Racecourse is a left-handed oval track for jump racing beside the River Severn in the city of Worcester, England. It measures about 13 furlongs and has nine fences, with the northern end of the circuit close to Worcester Bridge.
Racing on this riverside ground goes back to the early 18th century, and for a long time the track hosted flat races. By the middle of the 20th century it had switched to jump racing only, and during the 1950s and 1960s it became a regular part of the National Hunt season.
Locals still refer to the site as Pitchcroft, an old name that has stuck through generations of racegoers. On Ladies Day, the area around the grandstand fills with people dressed up, and the screens showing the Derby from Epsom draw a large crowd between the jump races.
The race season runs roughly from May to October, and the ground is flat and open, with paths beside the river. Visitors should check the fixture calendar before setting out, as weather or track conditions can occasionally cause meetings to be rearranged.
The low-lying course has sometimes disappeared under floodwater, as happened in 2007 when part of the summer programme had to be abandoned. Less visible today, the ground once hosted bare knuckle boxing and even a winning ride by a member of the royal family.
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