Exeter
High on Haldon Hill, just outside Exeter, the first races were held in the reign of Charles II, but it was not for another 100 years that races under Jockey Club rules were run at Exeter. The first prize was £50 and run over 4 miles. Since then the prize money has risen to over £50,000!
Exeter has a reputation of being a fair and testing track, with many good horses starting their racing careers here and going on to achieve great success and fame, such as Desert Orchid, who won his first steeplechase here in 1985 and went on to be one of the most famous racehorses in modern times. Also Best Mate, who won his first steeplechase here in the millennium year and has now achieved superstardom in National Hunt racing.
The track is cared for by the present Clerk of the Course, Barry Johnson, who has worked here for over 20 years, and it is a tribute to him that so many of the top trainers bring their horses here season after season, such as Jimmy Frost, Philip Hobbs, Paul Nicholls and Martin Pipe.
We race 16 times between September and May, our William Hill Gold Cup Meeting in November being the highlight, and January 1st usually attracts our biggest crowds.
