Newton Abbott
Few experiences arouse the senses more than the sight and sound of thoroughbred racehorses in full flight. It's a spectacle that's captured the imagination for more than a hundred years at Newton Abbot, which has enjoyed a fine tradition of competitive racing ever since the recognition in 1855 of the potential of the 93 acre site close to a holiday town, when they were racing for the princely sum of twelve sovereigns.
Since then, there has been regular racing at Newton Abbot, only broken by the two World Wars. In the 1914-1918 war, the racecourse was, like so many others, occupied by troops and used as a Prisoner of War camp, and when war broke out once again on 3rd September 1939, only one days racing was held until peace was declared. The end of the war was celebrated with a huge crowd of 17,500 on August Bank Holiday in 1946.
The main grandstand was built in 1969, and opened by the Queen Mother. Newton Abbot Racecourse's corporate facilities were opened in 1990 and extended in 1995. They were designed and built to an extremely high standard and are available to be enjoyed by sponsors and non-sponsors alike.
