Direct to race day thrills in London & the North East

Summer is finally here, and what better way to celebrate than with a thrilling race day with your significant other, or perhaps friends you haven’t seen in forever? Discover some of the best racecourses in London and the North East, just a short journey away from major stations. 

A quick round-up of venues to enjoy horse races in London & the North East 

• Epsom Downs
• Kempton Park Racecourse
• Sunderland Greyhound Stadium
• Newcastle Racecourse

Horse races in London 

Discover some of the best London horse racing venues, along with a timeline of their featured events happening this summer. 

Epsom Downs 

Epsom Downs is home to the Betfred Derby Festival, where you can witness some of the world’s most impressive flat racing. 

It is a Grade 1 racecourse, holding a crowd of 130,000 people. The venue operates seasonally from April to September and hosts several themed events throughout the summer featuring live music:

• The Betfred Derby Festival: 5 & 6 June 2026 (Ladies Day on Friday 5 June, followed by Derby Day on Saturday 6 June)

• Summer evening racing with Melvin Odoom: Wednesday 1 July 2026

• Summer music night presenting Abba Revival: Thursday 9 July 2026 

• Summer music night presenting Fleetwood Enchanted: Thursday 16 July 2026 

• Summer music night presenting Everswift: Thursday 30 July 2026 

Extend your day in Epsom 

If you’re planning to head to the area nice and early, discover things you can do below to extend your race day in London further: 

• Visit Hobbledown Adventure Farm Park 

• Enjoy nature walks through the historical Epsom and Ashtead Commons 

• Explore the Horton Arts Centre and Country Park 

• Browse the Bourne Hall Museum and learn the history of Epsom 

• Experience a live show at the Epsom Playhouse 

• Visit the Original Cockney Museum

Kempton Park Racecourse 

Kempton Park Racecourse is situated in Sunbury-on-Thames and features flat and jump racing throughout the year. Unlike most racecourses in the UK, a lot of the races here are held in autumn and winter due to the course’s synthetic all-weather track. 

The venue does, however, host regular summer evening races, with a rare afternoon race for one day in August and a featured Wild West themed day in September:

• Afternoon Racing: Monday 10 August 2026

• Evening Racing: Held on select days from June to September 2026 

• William Hill Wild Wild West Raceday: Saturday 5 September 2026

Extend your day 

Explore things to do in the area and extend your summer race day at Kempton Park: 

• Explore the historical Hampton Court Palace and the accompanying maze 

• Enjoy nature walks at Busy Park and admire the woodland gardens, quaint ponds and free-roaming deer 

• Take a boat trip along the Thames from Walton-on-Thames or Sunbury 

• Browse the Kempton Steam Museum and Waterworks Railway (right on the edge of the racecourse) 

• Spend a few hours at the London Wetland Centre and witness wildlife thrive