Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard – three of the greatest midfielders to play in the Premier League era, three of the greatest midfielders to ever play for England, three of the greatest midfielders in the history of football.

Liverpool fans will argue for Gerrard, Chelsea supporters will back Lampard and Manchester United followers will put forward a case for Scholes – the fact of the matter is all three were superb players in their own right and it was a joy to watch them parade their brilliance over the years.

But when push comes to shove, who was the Premier League’s elite midfielder of the tremendous trio? It is a debate that has long divided biased supporters and neutrals alike and, in a manner, even out-foxed England managers, unable to combine them to maximum effect on the international stage.

All three giants of the centre-circle could alter the Premier League odds with a single pass or moment of pure magic. All won silverware and acclaim by the bucketful. Crucially, each had strengths distinctly different to the others meaning strictly-speaking, they weren’t even like-for-like. 

Separating them therefore is an immensely difficult task. To place one head and shoulders above the other two. Here at 888sport though we never shy from a challenge, so let’s at least give it a try.

Steven Gerrard – Roy of the Rovers

A passionate, charismatic leader who so often showed up in the biggest moments, Gerrard carried his side to glory time and again, most famously in the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan.

His incredible ‘cramp’ goal in the 2006 FA Cup final will live long in the memory as well. With Liverpool trailing 3-2 and only seconds remaining, Gerrard unleashed a thumping strike from 35 yards out to force a penalty shootout. The Reds went on to lift the FA Cup.

Now, critics will argue that these two moments did not come in Premier League matches – a fair assessment. However, they do show Gerrard’s knack for continually grabbing the narrative by the scruff of the neck when it mattered most.

Gerrard’s top flight statistics are impressive to say the least. The Liverpool hero scored 120 goals and recorded 92 assists in 504 Premier League games, while also winning six Player of the Month awards.

The goals started to dry up after the 2008/09 campaign though, with Gerrard hitting double figures just once in his last six seasons as he settled more into a quarterback role.

From bursting through as a teen to retiring an idol of the Kop, Gerrard’s larger-than-life heroics at times brought to mind Roy of the Rovers and unquestionably there were two areas of his game where he was superior to his peers. 

In energy and endeavour he was unsurpassed, while nobody in the modern game could inspire their team to a higher level better than the born-and-bred Scouser. 

Paul Scholes – The Maestro

Is it possible to be regarded as one of the best players in Premier League history and still be criminally underrated? At his magnificent best, Scholes would have slotted into Pep Guardiola’s dominant Barcelona side, which is testament to his extensive skillset.

Blessed with the natural ability to ping a 40-yard pass onto a team-mate’s toenail Scholes is the maestro of this trio, the conductor who set the tempo and raised the standard as Manchester United cowered English football into submission for almost the entirety of his career. 

Emerging from the club’s academy as the most gifted member of the famed Class of 92, Scholes didn’t look like a top level athlete. He was small, with a physique that looked chunky and slight at the same time. He was asthmatic for goodness sake. 

With the ball at his feet however, he was the master of control and accuracy, backed up with the capacity to find any player, often anticipating their run before they made it. 

It could be argued that tackling was his downfall, his immaculate sense of timing in possession giving way to a broken clock when committing to a trademark lunge, but isn’t every great allowed one flaw?

It would not surprise if Beethoven had terrible handwriting. 

Along with 11 Premier League titles, Scholes scored 107 goals and assisted 55 for his United teammates in 499 top flight matches. In addition, he was named Player of the Month four times throughout his career.

Statistics don’t really support the Scholes argument compared to the others – watching his performances on the pitch did that more than sufficiently.

Frank Lampard – Mr Technical

One of the finest box-to-box midfielders of all-time, Lampard was a phenomenal asset for Chelsea during his playing days. All technical finesse and darting runs, in so many ways he came to embody their sustained success across the 2000s.  

He is the only midfielder in Premier League history to score 150 or more goals, a fantastic achievement to say the least.

In addition, he notched double digits in 10 successive years before a 2013/14 campaign that was hindered by injury woes. Lampard was Chelsea’s knight in shining armour.

In terms of natural ability and talent, Lampard cedes to Scholes but matches Gerrard, while only a very select few can lay claim to having a similar level of impact on the Premier League, and by extension the football betting odds.

He changed the attacking midfielder role for future generations, with the diamond formation becoming the norm in English football after his success at the position.

Statistically, Lampard leads the way. He ranks third for all-time Premier League appearances (609), fifth for all-time goals (177) and fourth for all-time assists (102).

His numbers are superior to that of both Gerrard and Scholes. Of course, you could reason that Lampard played in a more advanced role and was always going to have more chances in the final third…

So... Who was the best?

Unfortunately, we’re going to have to sit on the fence with this one. You can make a viable argument for all three players and Premier League fans should simply enjoy watching past clips of these legends of English football.

Each player brings something different to the table, which is why it was a huge shame they never really clicked for the England national team.

In terms of the Premier League though, all three players had such a seismic impact on the top flight, their combined contribution will reverberate for years to come.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

The Welsh Grand National is a handicap chase run over three miles and six and a half furlongs at Chepstow racecourse between Christmas and New Year.

The race is one of the most important staying chases of the season and there are 23 obstacles to be jumped in all. Since 2003, two winners have won the Grand National and two have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Established in 1895, the race originally used to take place on Easter Tuesday, and was held at Ely Racecourse in Cardiff.

After the Second World War, it was run at Caerleon for one year in 1948, before moving to Chepstow in 1949 – which became its permanent home.

The race was switched from Easter Tuesday to a date in February in 1969, before being moved to late December in 1979.

The meeting has remained in that December position ever since, and is now traditionally held yearly on the day after Boxing Day, December 27th. The fixture generally fills the newspapers with plenty of Festive horse racing betting tips.

Some famous names have won the Welsh National down the years, though none are perhaps better known than the Jenny Pitman-trained Burrough Hill Lad, who won the race in 1983.

Burrough Hill Lad's Welsh National victory came during a prolific season in which he also captured the 1984 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

The top three quickest run Welsh National’s over the last 20 years have been:

• 2005 - LAventure (7:38.90)

• 2008 - Notre Pere (7:39.90)

• 2006 - Halcon Genelardais (7:40.90)

The slowest winning time was set in 2015 when Mountainous won in a time of 8:26.60 in extremely heavy conditions.

Welsh National Winners

• 2020 - (8:07.80) Secret Reprieve 7-y-o 10-1 5/2F (Adam Wedge/Evan Williams)

• 2019 - (8:21.60) Potters Corner 9-y-o 10-4 8/1 (Jack Tudor/Christian Williams)

• 2018 - (7:48.21) Elegant Escape 6-y-o 11-8 3/1F (Tom O'Brien/Colin Tizzard)

• 2017 - (8:12.10) Raz De Maree 13-y-o 10-10 16/1 (James Bowen/Gavin Cromwell)

• 2016 - (7:49.80) Native River 6-y-o 11-12 11/4F (Richard Johnson/Colin Tizzard)

• 2015 - (8:26.60) Mountainous 11-y-o 10-6 9/1 (Jamie Moore/Kerry Lee)

• 2014 - (8:07.60) Emperors Choice 7-y-o 10-8 9/1 (Aidan Coleman/Venetia Williams)

• 2013 - (7:54.90) Mountainous 8-y-o 10-0 20/1 (Paul Moloney/Richard Lee)

• 2012 - (7:55.80) Monbeg Dude 8-y-o 10-1 10/1 (Paul Carberry/Michael Scudamore) 

• 2011 - (7:54.70) Le Beau Bai 8-y-o 10-1 10/1 (Charlie Poste/Richard Lee)

Welsh National Statistics

• Age: 8 of the last 10 winners were aged between 6 and 8.

• Price: 3 of the last 10 favourites have won, 6/10 winners came from the top three in the horse racing betting.

• Last Run: 5 of the last 10 winners won on their last run before the Welsh Grand National, 10/10 winners ran within the last 49 days.

• Previous Course Form: 10/10 winners had at least one previous run at Chepstow, 8/10 winners had at least one previous win at Chepstow.

• Previous Distance Form: 8/10 winners had at least one previous runs over 3.5 miles or longer, 5/10 had at least one previous win over 3.5 miles or longer.

• Previous Chase Form: 10/10 winners had at least five previous chase runs, 10/10 winners had at least two previous chase wins.

• Rating: 9/10 winners were rated 131 or higher.

• Graded Win: 4/10 winners had at least one previous win in a Grade 1-3 race.

• Season Form: 10/10 winners had at least two runs that season, 6/10 winners had at least one win that season.

Leading Trainers

It’s a dead-heat between three trainers in the Welsh National over the last 20 renewals with Paul Nicholls, Colin Tizzard and Jonjo O'Neill all having won the race twice. Paul Nicholls’ winners were Silver Birch (2004) & LAventure (2005).

Colin Tizzard’s winners were with Native River (2016) & Elegant Escape (2018). Jonjo O'Neill’s scorers were Mini Sensation (2002) & Synchronised (2010).

To see who Nicholls may be targeting at the Welsh track over the Christmas period, be sure to check out our Paul Nicholls Stable Tour.

Two high profile trainers on the cold list over the last 20 renewals in the Welsh National are David Pipe who has sent a total of 20 runners to the race without recording any wins and Peter Bowen who has saddled 10 at the Welsh venue.

Leading Jockeys

The leading jockey in the Welsh National over the last 20 renewals is Tom O'Brien who has won the contest twice. Those two victories came aboard Dream Alliance (2009) – whom a movie was later made about, and Elegant Escape (2018).

One jockey to swerve in the Welsh National is Tom Scudamore. He has had a total of 14 rides to the race without recording any wins.

Welsh National 'Trial' Races

The route to the Welsh National is very varied. Several Welsh National contenders have first run in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury prior to arriving at Chepstow, while the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby is another stepping stone.

The top novices from the previous season regularly head to the Welsh National the following campaign, so races such as the RSA Chase can give punters some invaluable pointers.

Often horses that do well in this race run in the Aintree equivalent, so it is always worth keeping an eye out for all the latest Grand National odds.

Starting Prices

An analysis of the last 20 renewals will show that the biggest priced winner was Dream Alliance in 2009 when winning for Philip Hobbs at odds of 20/1 under jockey Tom O'Brien.

Horses at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals have held their own with there being a total of four winning favourites taking the race.

Our 888sport antepost NAP of the day for the Welsh Grand National on December 27th is Royale Pagaille @ 16/1

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*

As most people know Cheltenham Racecourse plays host to the world famous “Cheltenham Festival” every March and as an outsider you’d be forgiven for thinking that no other horse racing betting events takes place there.

However, the Gloucestershire venue also opens its gates on several other occasions with top class meetings taking place throughout the National Hunt season.

Cheltenham Racecourse History

The first organised race meeting in Cheltenham was a Flat one and it took place in 1815 on Nottingham Hill. The first races on Cleeve Hill came about in August 1818.

The racing at the venue became that popular with locals that around 30,000 spectators would regularly attend its annual two day July meeting featuring the Gold Cup - then a 3m flat race!

In 1829, Cheltenham’s Parish Priest, the Reverend Francis Close incited that much hatred towards the ills of horse racing amongst his congregation that they disrupted the 1830 meeting.

The following year they took the drastic measure of burning the grandstand to the ground.

To temper the mood the racecourse was moved to Prestbury Park, its current location, in 1831. Steeplechases were taking place in nearby Andoversford in 1834 and it was decided they would relocate to the present course in 1898.

In 1964, Racecourse Holdings Trust (now the Jockey Club) was formed to secure the future survival of Cheltenham.

The stands changed very little at Cheltenham between the 1930s and 1950s when the National Hunt course ran behind the back of the stands.

In 2015, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal opened Cheltenham Racecourse’s new grandstand. The stand was the final part of a £45million redevelopment of the course.

It comprises of five and a half stories of bars, restaurants, private boxes and viewing facilities for racegoers.

Cheltenham Racecourse Configuration

Cheltenham has not one, but two courses (three, if you include the temporary Cross-Country one) which are maintained to a very high standard.

Both are configured in a slightly different way, so here is a brief overview of each:

Old Course Cheltenham

The Old Course is used for The Showcase Meeting, The November Meeting and the first couple of days of the Cheltenham Festival - with the Supreme Novices Hurdle taking centre stage on the opening day of the meeting.

The Old Course is a slightly sharper configuration than the New Course. Prominent racers do well, especially on the chase course. Front-runners in the Arkle Chase and Queen Mother Champion Chase often do well.

New Course Cheltenham

The New Course is used for the International Meeting, New Year’s Day, Festival Trials Day, the last two days of the Cheltenham Festival, and the April and May meetings.

The New Course provides more emphasis on a horse’s stamina with hold-up horses doing particularly well in races such as the Stayers’ Hurdle, the County Hurdle and the Pertemps Final.

Cheltenham’s biggest race of all, the Gold Cup, is also run on the New Course. Run over an extended three-mile two-furlong trip, stamina is absolutely essential if the final stiff uphill finish is to be overcome and glory achieved.

Cheltenham Overview

Cheltenham is left handed undulating track with stiff fences. The fourth last comes up right after a turn at the top of the hill and has changed the complex of many a race down the years.

The last half mile is uphill and makes for fascinating climaxes to races. Horses that race prominently often fare well on the chase course, especially in races up to two and half miles.

The hurdles course has just two flights in the last six furlongs, placing an emphasis on stamina. Large-field races over two miles tend to go to hold-up horses, as they pick off those who have tried to go for home too early in the piece.

Cheltenham Biggest Meetings

Cheltenham Racecourse holds eight meetings per season which amounts to sixteen days of racing at Prestbury Park per season.

The meetings as they arrive in the calendar in 2021 are as follows: Jan 1st New Year’s Day Meeting, Jan 30th Festival Trials Day, Mar 16th-19th The Cheltenham Festival, Apr 14th-15th The April Meeting, Apr 30th Hunter Chase Evening, Oct 20-23rd The Showcase Meeting, Nov 12th-14th The November Meeting, Dec 10th-11th The International Meeting.

Here is what you can expect at each meeting:

• New Year’s Day Meeting – Featuring the Dipper Novices’ Chase and the Relkeel Hurdle. It’s the perfect way to usher in the New Year.

• Festival Trails Day – Exactly what it says on the tin. It’s the last chance for prospective Festival candidates to strut their stuff. The Cleeve Hurdle takes centre stage.

• The Cheltenham Festival – 28 top races spread across four days with the daily showpiece races being the Champion Hurdle (Tues), the Queen Mother Champion Chase (Weds), the Ryanair Chase (Thurs) and the Gold Cup (Fri).

• The April Meeting - The last chance for the professionals and the spring horses to race on the track before the summer break.

• Hunter Chase Evening – Cheltenham’s only evening fixture and a chance for the Amateur ranks to compete in the greatest amphitheatre of them all.

• The Showcase Meeting – This is quite often an exploratory fixture for trainers to work out whether or not they have a Festival prospect on their hands.

• The November Meeting – Another unmissable three-day fixture which includes the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the Greatwood Hurdle.

• The International Meeting – The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup and the International Hurdle, are just three of the events that make this weekend one of the most informative pointers to The Festival itself.

Cheltenham Festival Tips

One of the biggest National Hunt meetings, the Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle of jumps racing. We've got you covered with horse racing tips here at 888sport - check out our best bets for each day of March's meeting:

• Cheltenham Day 1 Tips

• Cheltenham Day 2 Tips

• Cheltenham Day 3 Tips

• Cheltenham Day 4 Tips

Cheltenham Races Tips

You can find Cheltenham tips here at 888sport, as well as via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post, Gloucestershire Live, Mull It Over Blog.

Cheltenham Results Today

Check the latest Cheltenham results via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post. Sportinglife, Racing TV, Attheraces.

Cheltenham Dress Code

Many ladies wear hats, but the track recommends you have the weather as well as fashion in mind. Gentlemen usually wears suits or similar.

Cheltenham Tickets

Official tickets will go on sale in due course, register your interest here.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

Aintree Racecourse is well known the world over for the famous Grand National Steeplechase but very few people outside of racing realise that the venue also hosts horse racing at other stages throughout the year.

In fact a total of eight racedays take place in all, so keep an eye out for horse racing betting odds throughout the season.

An Aintree Year

The Aintree season officially kicks off in October with the Merseyside track holding one Saturday meeting and one Sunday meeting one week apart, with the latter incorporating the Old Roan Chase.

Fast forward just over one month, and horse racing tips followers and competitors descend once more for Becher Chase Day at the start of December.

The day sees not one, but two races run over the Grand National fences- those being the Becher Chase and the Grand Sefton Chase.

After four long months of perpetration it’s then time for the Aintree Festival itself in April. The fixture is spread across three days – Thursday (Liverpool Day), Friday (Ladies Day) and Saturday (Grand National Day).

Come teatime on the Saturday, the heady crowd begins to ebb away and the big clean-up operation begins.

At one time that used to be it for the season, however in the last decade a couple of Friday music/race nights have been added to the Aintree roster – one in May and one in June and they have extended the Aintree year marginally into the summer.

Aintree History

• In 1829, the owner of the Waterloo Hotel in Liverpool approached Lord Sefton (William Philip Molyneux) about leasing some land at Aintree to stage flat racing events. Lord Sefton, a racing fan himself, agreed to the lease. William Lynn of the Waterloo Hotel then made plans to build a grandstand, and on February 7th 1829, Lord Sefton laid the first foundation stone of the new stand.

• The very first staged meeting at Aintree racecourse was on July 7th 1829. The first race that day was called the Croxteth Stakes, run over 1 ¼ miles and was won by a horse called Mufti. With strong support from the Jockey Club racing committee, the brand new Aintree Racecourse went from strength to strength.

• By 1839 the popularity of those early flat races, with a few hurdles races thrown in, inspired Lynn to add a Steeplechase to Aintree’s annual itinerary. After an interesting discussion with Captain Martin Becher about the spectacle that was the Great St. Albans Steeplechase, a four-mile point-to-point race, the pair of them decided they would set about bring a steeplechase event to Aintree.

• The race was called ‘The Grand Liverpool Steeplechase’ and is considered by many to be the original version of the ‘Grand National’. The inaugural race was aptly won by a horse called Lottery and so was born the Aintree Grand National.

• The National has been staged at Aintree every year since 1839, excluding periods during the First and Second World Wars, plus there was no race in 2020 due to a global health emergency.

• It’s not only horses which have raced around Aintree. The British Grand was held at Aintree five times between 1955 and 1962, with Stirling Moss becoming the first Briton to win it in 1953. Motor racing came to an end at Aintree in the early 1980’s.

Aintree Courses

There are two courses at Aintree – the Grand National course and the Mildmay course. The Mildmay Course stages all but four of Aintree’s annual races and is a flat course with two long straights.

The four races not held on the Mildmay are of the course, the Grand National Steeplechase, the Topham Chase, the Becher Chase and the Grand Sefton Chase. These are all held on the Grand National course over the National fences.

The Grand National course is triangular in shape with its apex being at the Canal Turn - the furthest point away from the grandstands.

The Grand National itself is run over two complete circuits taking in sixteen specially constructed spruce fences on the first lap and fourteen on the second, making it one of the toughest jumping tests ever devised for both horse and rider.

The run in is 494 yards long and includes an elbow (”The Elbow”) which has now become synonymous with the climax of the race.

Biggest Aintree Meetings

The inaugural running of the Becher Handicap Chase was in 1992 when the Sue Smith-trained Kildimo beat Four Trix. For the twenty years prior to the introduction of the Becher, the Grand National meeting was Aintree’s only horse racing fixture of the year.

The 3m 2f Grade Three contest is run over the same fences as the Grand National and has become a recognised stepping stone towards the National itself. Amberleigh House and Silver Birch both went on to lift the National after taking the Becher.

On the same day as the Becher, also over the National fences, is the two miles five furlongs Grand Sefton Chase.

The Grand Sefton originally ran from 1865 to 1965 but was discontinued when the fortunes of Aintree took an unfortunate downturn. The race was thankfully revived in 2003 when the venue was well on the up again.

And lastly, run over a distance of two and a half miles, the Grade 2 Monet's Garden Old Roan Chase in October is another of Aintree’s annual crown jewel races.

Established in 2004, the race had the name Monet’s Garden added to it in honour of the Nicky Richards-trained grey who won the race on three occasions between 2007 and 2010.

Aintree Races Tips

You can find Cheltenham tips here at 888sport, as well as via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post, Liverpool Echo, Mull It Over Blog.

Aintree Results Today

Check the latest Cheltenham results via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post. Sportinglife, Racing TV, Attheraces.

Aintree Dress Code

Aintree is a spectacle of colour for all three days of the festival, especially Ladies Day on the Friday of the Grand National Meeting. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your favourite raceday outfit.

Aintree Tickets

Official tickets will go on sale in due course, register your interest here.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

There’s never a dull moment in the yearly racing cycle of Ascot Racecourse, with the Berkshire racecourse being right up there as one of the most utilised Grade One tracks in the United Kingdom.

From the pomp and ceremony of the historic Royal Ascot meeting, one of the biggest events for betting on horse racing, the enthralling Champions Day, through to all of their top class National Hunt races, you’re never that far away from a forthcoming Ascot fixture whenever you look in your diary.

Ascot Racecourse History

Legend has it that Queen Anne rode her horse from Windsor Castle to the field where Ascot racecourse now stands and uttered something along the lines of “this would be a fine place for a horse race”.

Well those initial regal thoughts didn’t take too long to come into fruition as the very first race to be run at the venue, “Her Majesty’s Plate”, was held on 11th August 1711 and seven horses competed.

In 1785 the Straight Mile part of the track was built, thus attracting quicker horses that could now race over trips that ranged from five furlongs up to a mile. It was a great opportunity for the speedier thoroughbred horses.

Parliament intervened in Ascot’s future in 1813, when they passed the Act of Enclosure. They ruled that Ascot Heath must always be maintained as a public racecourse.

This Act ensured that the land could constantly be used to entertain the British public without any fear of the venue being acquired for any other purpose.

The Royal Meeting dates back to 1825, when racing at the track during the third week of June became known as the “Royal Week” because of the Royal’s being there to enjoy the racing en masse.

Since that date members of the Royal family started attending the meeting with a horse-drawn procession taking place before racing commenced – a tradition that still takes place to this day.

The procession was an instant hit as the commoners loved to see the Royals in person, in a formal setting, enjoying themselves.

Recent Ascot Races

When the Ascot Gold Cup was added to the schedule in 1807, this more or less ushered in the Royal Ascot structure as we know and love it today.

Unbelievably Royal Ascot was the only fixture held at the track for over a century, until 1939. After this time additional events started to take place at the venue throughout the calendar year.

The track itself was developed over the years but it was in 1961 that it got its first major facelift with the new Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand being built at a cost of £1 million.

The next big overhaul was in 2004, when the track closed for two years for a £200 million redevelopment during which time the Royal Meeting was re-routed to York.

In 1965 the first National Hunt meeting took place at the venue after some strong resistance in certain quarters. The Duke of Norfolk was even quoted as saying that Jumps racing would take place at Ascot Racecourse “over my dead body”.

Ascot’s Jumps season is spearheaded by a trio of Grade 1 contests – The Long Walk Hurdle in December, the Clarence House Chase in the New Year and the Ascot Chase in February.

Other Jumping highlights include a pair of Grade 2 races in late November - The Coral Hurdle and the 1965 Chase.

In 2011 British Champions Day was born at Ascot. It has now become Flat racing’s official end-of-season championship meeting and it is an eagerly anticipated finale for many.

Champions Day features four of Flat racing’s top-flight Group 1 races, bookended by a Group 2 contest for stayers and a Class 2 handicap.

Royal Ascot Changes

Ascot Racecourse announced earlier in the year that the Queen had consented to extending the number of daily races at Royal Ascot 2021 to seven. This is a permanent move going forward so horse racing commentators must get used to a greater schedule.

The Copper Horse Stakes, The Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes, The Golden Gates Stakes and the reinstated Buckingham Palace Stakes were all added to the 2020 programme.

All of these have been retained, plus an additional new race - The Kensington Palace Stakes in order to make up the new quota of seven races per day.

Ascot Course Configuration

The round course is a right-handed circuit with a run-in of 2½ furlongs. There is a Straight Mile course and an Old mile course which joins the round course in Swinley Bottom.

Ascot is a galloping track in character and since its redevelopment, the turn into the straight has become more sweeping, especially favouring prominent front-runners.

Currently the ground in the straight tends to drain quicker than the rest of the course, lending itself to various going descriptions.

There is no real draw bias at Ascot but punters should be alert to any changes in the going and be guided by prior results, especially if the meeting is being held over more than one day.

The National Hunt races hosted here are over a galloping and fair track but the fences are stiffer than at most N.H courses so a sound jumper is required in all of the Chase events.

Ascot Racecourse Dress Code

Well known for its sartorial elegance, Royal Ascot has some very unique style guidance for racegoers in the various enclosures at the racecourse.

Whether you’re in the Village, the Windsor, the Queen Anne or the Royal Enclose there are very specific rules in each area which you can find HERE.

Ascot Races Tips

You can find Ascot horse racing tips here at 888sport, as well as via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post, Evening Standard, Bracknell News, Mull It Over Blog.

Ascot Results Today

Check the latest Ascot results via one of the following: Jockey Club App, Racing Post, Sportinglife, Racing TV, Attheraces.

Ascot Racecourse Tickets

Official tickets will go on sale in due course, register your interest HERE.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

Following a multi-million pound redevelopment in 2006, Kempton Park was transformed into one of the Jockey Club’s premier racecourses, situated right in the heart of the capital.

Kempton Park is the only right-handed polytrack all-weather surface in the UK and hosts both flat and jumps fixtures all the year round. It is popular with horse racing betting fans across the country...

Kempton Park Racecourse Guide:

The most popular and most famous of Kempton’s race meetings is the King George VI Chase held on Boxing Day.

The Grade One National Hunt Chase attracts thousands of visitors to Surrey and is one of the most widely anticipated ante-post contests of the jumps season.

Past winners of the King George VI chase include racing legends such as Desert Orchid and Kauto Star, so you can always guarantee the best chasers from the UK, Ireland and France will be entered here.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

Haydock Park is one of the most used racecourses in the country, hosting approximately 32 racing days a year, with a mixture of Flat and Jump Racing.

Over the years, the Jockey Club-owned Haydock Park has become the home of some of the most popular races on the Northern racing circuit.

Guide To Haydock Park:

The principle races in calendar order are the Grand National Trial in February, The Temple Stakes in May, the Old Newton Cup and Lancashire Oaks in July, the Sprint Cup in September and the Betfair Chase in November.

If you enjoy looking at horse racing betting odds, these races have popular ante-post markets associated with them every single year.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

Doncaster is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown when it comes to ranking Yorkshire’s nine racecourses. It is also one of the oldest and largest tracks in the UK.

Also known as the Town Moor Course or ‘Donny’, the venue hosts two of Britain’s thirty-six annual Group 1 flat races – those being the St Leger and the Vertem Futurity Trophy (formerly the Racing Post).

Flat Racing and National Hunt racing take place making the racecourse a popular entertainment hub for all 12 months of the year.

Doncaster is unique in that it hosts the first and last turf meetings of the season, starting with the Lincoln Festival in late March/early April and closes with the November Handicap meeting.

Doncaster used to be considered the official start and end of the Flat season, but the official Flat season now starts at the Guineas Festival and finishes on British Champions Day.

Doncaster Races History

Doncaster is one of the oldest centres for horse racing in Britain, with records of race meetings going back to the 16th century.

In 1600 the local corporation tried to put an end to the races because of the number of “ruffians” they attracted, but by 1614 it acknowledged racing in Doncaster was here to stay and marked out a racecourse on the land instead.

History was made at Doncaster in 1992 when it staged the first ever Sunday meeting on a British racecourse. A hardy crowd of 23,000 turned up on the day despite there being no betting.

In 2006, Doncaster saw a £34 million redevelopment to make the racecourse a world-class venue for racegoers to experience.

At the heart of the development was an impressive five-storey grandstand. The stand now includes new private hospitality suites, a wide range of places to eat and drink, plus luxury dining.

Doncaster Racecourse is currently owned by the Arena Racing Company, the largest racecourse operator in the UK.

In 2018, Doncaster welcomed its first ever Hilton venue with the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Doncaster Racecourse.

Located on the racecourse grounds, the venue comprises 154 guestrooms equipped with state of the art ‘Digital Key’ technology – a system which allows guests to unlock their rooms using their smartphones.

The venue launched in the month of September to coincide with the start of the 2018 St Leger Festival.

Guide To Doncaster Racecourse

Doncaster racecourse is a left-handed, pear-shaped track that measures approximately 1 mile and 7 ½ furlongs round and in the main is entirely flat.

Low numbers are often favoured on the soft, especially when there is a big field on the straight course. On faster ground, the draw does not really come into play. Low numbers are best in big fields on the round course.

Doncaster Races Biggest Meetings

St Leger

Doncaster holds its feature event, the four-day St Leger Festival, every September. The highlight is the St Leger itself which is officially recognised as the oldest Classic race in the world and was first staged in 1776.

Held over a distance of one mile, six and a half furlongs, it is the concluding race of the season’s five Classic races in Britain and the final leg of the British Triple Crown, with the first two legs comprising of the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby.

The last horse to win all three races was Nijinsky in 1970.

Lincoln Handicap

The Lincoln Handicap is the feature event on the first Saturday of Britain’s Flat racing season on turf.

It usually takes place a couple of weeks before the Grand National giving punters a chance to look at our 888sport horse racing betting and to pick out their ‘spring double’ on these two famous horse racing events.

Doncaster Cup

Established in 1766, The Doncaster Cup is Doncaster’s oldest surviving race, even pre-dating the St Leger by 10 years.

Alongside the Gold Cup at Ascot and the Goodwood Cup, the trio of races make up the Stayers’ Triple Crown.

Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes

The Futurity Trophy Stakes is a Group 1 race open to two-year-old colts and fillies. Five winners from this contest have subsequently won the Derby the following year, the most recent being Camelot in 2011-12.

The training legend that was Sir Henry Cecil won this race an unprecedented ten times in total.

Jumps Racing At Doncaster

The two most significant races during the jumps season at Doncaster are the Great Yorkshire Chase and the Grimthorpe Chase (formerly sponsored by 888sport), which has been used as a prep run for Grand National contenders in the past.

Doncaster Races Tips

You can find Doncaster tips here at 888sport, as well as via one of the following: Sportinglife, Racing Post, Yorkshire Post, Doncaster Free Press, Mull It Over Blog.

Doncaster Races Results Today

Check the latest Doncaster results via one of the following: Racing Post, Sportinglife, Racing TV, Attheraces.

Doncaster Races Dress Code

Doncaster Racecourse has differing dress codes depending on the enclosure and fixture you attend.

Premier: The dress code for the premier enclosure and the Mallard/Lincoln restaurant is Jacket and tie for gentlemen and smart attire for ladies Strictly no jeans, sportswear or trainers. This dress code also applies to children.

County, Hospitality, Owners and Trainers & Press: The dress code for these areas is a collared shirt for gentlemen and smart attire for ladies. Strictly no jeans, sportswear or trainers. This dress code also applies to children.

Grandstand: No dress code applies for this enclosure.

Doncaster Tickets

All tickets must be purchased in advance. A full programme of what is coming up at Doncaster Racecourse can be found on the official Doncaster races website. 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

Steeped as it may be in history, York Racecourse is a racing venue that never stands still.

Voted as the best racecourse in the country by The Racegoers Club, following their 2016 annual survey of members, York is no stranger to winning top awards having won that particular title four times now.

Participants were asked for their scores on five categories: viewing experience, betting on horse racing facilities, food and beverages, atmosphere and value for money with the Yorkshire venue coming out a clear winner.

York Racecourse History

Historians have managed to pinpoint equine sport at York as far back as A.D. 208, to the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, who had come from Rome to quell disorder in this far flung corner of the empire.

For the entertainment of his troops at the local garrison of Eboracum, Severus brought over several Arabian horses and staged races on the stretch of land outside the city walls, now famously called the Knavesmire.

The first race on the current site of York racecourse was a King’s Plate of 100 guineas on Aug16th 1731, the first day of a six-day meeting.

On the morning of that first day, three convicted robbers had been executed on the public gallows situated near the current Ebor start and nicknamed the “Three-Legged Mare”.

The most famous criminal hanged on the Knavesmire was the highwayman Dick Turpin, who was hanged on April 7, 1739. A witness described how Turpin “went off this stage with as much intrepidity and unconcern as if he had been taking horse to go on a journey.”

It is documented that after the execution of Dick Turpin, the rabble crossed the Knavesmire and enjoyed a day’s racing, just going to show that even in those days York racecourse could provide ancillary entertainments to the local population.

Now it’s folks like Olly Murs that provide the entertainment rather than Dick Turpin.

York Course Configuration

York is a left-handed flat track and very fair. It is ideal for the long-striding galloper.

In recent seasons, the field tends to come more down the centre of the course than has historically been the case, particularly if conditions are testing.

The track was made into a full circuit in 2005, and offers a straight 5f/6f track, while 7f races start down a chute.

Biggest Meetings At York Racecourse

The Ebor Meeting (August)

This fixture is always extremely popular with our online betting customers due to its competitive nature.

Juddmonte International

York’s Ebor meeting is staged over four days in August, with the venue’s most valuable race, the Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes taking place on the opening day.

It is one of the most prestigious events of the season and its alumni include greats such as Frankel and Sea The Stars. Legendary jockeys Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori have won the race five times apiece.

Nunthorpe Stakes

This famous sprint is now a Group 1 worth £350,000. It is a really prestigious race with the winner earning an automatic invitation to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in the same season.

Yorkshire Oaks

The Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks takes place on the Thursday of the Ebor meeting and often contains a pan full of horses who ran previously in the Oaks at Epsom. Enable completed the historic double in 2017.

Great Voltigeur Stakes

The Great Voltigeur Stakes gives the three-year-old colts and geldings an opportunity to strut their stuff down the Knavesmire.

The Ebor

The feature race of the meeting on the concluding Saturday afternoon is the Ebor Handicap.

The race has been hosted on the Knavesmire since 1843 and is the most valuable handicap race in Europe for Flat runners, coming in with a cool £1 million prize-money pot. Lester Piggott won this race no less than five times.

The Dante Meeting (May)

The showpiece race at York’s Dante meeting is the Dante Stakes, a key trial for the Derby at Epsom.

It is also a great chance to pick up some potential Royal Ascot tips. The event is named after Dante, the Yorkshire-trained winner of the Derby in 1945. Golden Horn was the last horse to win the Dante and the Derby in 2015.

The track also hosts the Betfred Yorkshire Cup, which is part of the recently introduced Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million. Other notable races include the John Smith’s Cup and the Sky Bet York Stakes.

Other Big York Betting Fixtures

York stages two major Saturday handicaps over the summer months in the shape of the Macmillan Charity Sprint in mid-June and the John Smith’s Cup in July.

York’s Saturday fixtures are always well attended and invariably contain several big field handicaps. ITV usually feature this racecourse heavily and you can regularly find ITV Racing tips on our 888sport blog.

York Betting Tips

You can find York tips here at 888sport, as well as via one of the following: Racing TV App, Racing Post, Yorkshire Post, The York Press, Mull It Over Blog.

York Races Results Today

Check the latest York results via one of the following: Racing TV App, Racing Post. Sportinglife, Attheraces, 888sport live betting website.

York Racecourse Dress Code

The County Stand has a formal dress code of collared shirt, jacket and tie for men. Short sleeved shirts, bow ties, cravats and dress shorts are all also accepted within the code.

There is no formal dress code for ladies, however many choose to dress up for a day at the races.

The Grandstand and Paddock has no formal dress code, Feel free to dress as you wish and be comfortable.

The Clock Tower Enclosure is a relaxed area in which to enjoy picnics with family and friends whilst watching the racing. Patrons are encouraged to dress appropriately to the weather conditions for their own levels of comfort.

York Races Tickets

York Races are exceptional at providing entertainment - whether that's a normal race day or one of their exciting summer music nights.

Click HERE to explore what’s on at York Racecourse for the remainder of this season.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*

We hear their dulcet tones virtually every single day of the year but who exactly are the people behind those horse racing commentary microphones?

Here are just five of the best horseracing commentators around who bring the sport to life with their broadcasting skills.

DARREN OWEN

Welshman Darren Owen is a familiar voice on British racetracks and has been an established commentator now since 1998.

Darren’s first race calling “job” as a young chap was when he was asked to step into the breach at his local harness racing track to cover some holidays.

After years of involvement in the sport he was made chairman of the British Harness Racing Club and is a popular commentator when it comes to horse racing odds and selections.

Darren also works for William Hill Radio, plus provides English commentary on races shown by the French horseracing channel Equidia. 

MARK JOHNSON

Mark is a horse racing announcer/commentator in both the United States and United Kingdom and he certainly knows how to whip up a racecourse crowd.

His Twitter biography states that he is the “only person to call both the Kentucky Derby & the Epsom Derby”, which is a truly remarkable commentary milestone.

Mark is also a race commentator at Jersey Race Club, having done so on the island for 30 plus years.

DAVID FITZGERALD

Regularly heard referring to “The Priory, the wood side and sticky toffee puddings”, David Fitzgerald certainly enjoys being on the roster for Cartmel Races each summer.

David was originally awarded a spot on the list in 2010. He called his first live meeting at Kempton Park in January 2011 and his biggest accomplishment was calling the races at Royal Ascot in 2014.

As recently as 2024, David was on the team covering the Aintree Grand National and his impact on horse racing tips is clear for all to see.

JOHN HUNT

Many moons ago John gave up the life of a policeman after seeing an advertisement for a trainee racecourse commentator.

Years later, John is a regular studio presenter for Sky Sports Racing and also a BBC Radio 5Live commentator.

Having turned down an approach from ITV when they first took over the terrestrial coverage of horse racing, John remained loyal to the BBC and has been rewarded since with Match of the Day commentaries, plus a whole range of other sports.

ALEX FUSSEY

Alex fulfilled a lifelong ambition of becoming a horseracing commentator, after beating dozens of applicants during a rigorous selection process in 2022.

He was hired alongside another candidate, Steven Powell, after being given an extensive interview and trial run by RaceTech Media.

Alex’s first solo outing was at Newton Abbot on June 1, 2022, and since then he has worked at more than 30 racecourses across the length and breadth of the country.

It will only be a matter of time before he is covering some of the most prestigious fixtures.

 *Credit for the main photo belongs to Alamy*