A Record Breaking York Racecourse Season Concludes

York Racecourse concluded its 2026 season on Saturday after setting a new record for the number of runners at the venue; an impressive 1,704 (+8%) which made an average field size of 13.6. For the third year this will be the highest average number of runners on the flat per race in Britain and is a reflection of record prize money of £12.5 million. During the year York Racecourse was proud to host the biggest charity, music and student racedays in the British calendar as well as staging some of the best racing in the world.

Racegoers were treated to the best horses and jockeys in the world, competing over eighteen racedays of world-class racing action. A star-studded Sky Bet Ebor Festival showcased horses like Item, Kalpana, Notable Speech, Maltese Cross and Sun Goddess who all have big autumn targets, at home and abroad. York welcomed Group One standard horses from Japan, America, USA, Australia and France taking on the best from Ireland and Britain. The blistering pace of Bacio in our fastest race of the year will be long remembered, as will the dash of his jockey to ride in California the next day.

A final day crowd of 23,003 (+5% on 2025) for the last raceday of the season demonstrates the appetite for the combination of top-class sport in world-class facilities, presented by a welcoming team. Saturday’s attendance included 9,000 students from universities across Yorkshire as part of the ongoing initiative to introduce the next generation of racegoers, making it the biggest student raceday yet in the UK.

Total annual attendance this season was 279,283 which remarkably was level with 2025, which in itself was 12% up on the year before. This is despite six racedays that were hampered by rain with another run as temperatures reached 33 degrees. Within that number the Standside attendance grew 3% demonstrating the understandable reaction of those wishing to picnic in Clocktower Enclosure to adverse weather.

The four fantastic days of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival included two visits by Her Majesty The Queen. As Royal Patron, she met representatives of York Racecourse’s Local Community Partners (Clifton Green Primary, Friends of Rowntree Park, Bereaved Children York) as well as some of our unsung heroes who make a raceday tick.

York has an extensive community and charitable programme headed up by Macmillan Charity Raceday held every June, which added an impressive £425,000 to take the cumulative amount raised to over £11.5m, cementing its position as the biggest charity raceday in British racing and Macmillan’s biggest single fundraising event. As the funds raised are invested in Yorkshire, the team were honoured to join the official opening by His Majesty The King of the new Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre at York Hospital.

Showing the variety of its customer offer, York again played host to the biggest racing+music concerts in the sport, with Becky Hill and Tom Grennan giving upbeat performances alongside high-quality action, both enjoyed by over 30,000 each afternoon.

Racegoer experiences included many living flower walls created by our on-site nursery for those Instagram moments – indeed social media video over the Sky Bet Ebor Festival reaching a record of over 30 million views. A packed schedule of raceday entertainment alongside the racing action included free trips to the starts, tours of the weighing room, two welcome bands each day, three parachute display jumps, a Take That tribute, a family Sunday raceday visit from the Gruffalo plus a Countryside Market.

After a back & forth tussle right up to the final day, Andrew Balding reclaimed the Blue Frog Bedding Top Trainer title with 15 wins including Royal Authority in the 125^th race of the year. William Haggas mounted a stirring defence of his 2025 crown eventually falling just three short. Given the titanic struggle the sponsors Blue Frog offered a prize for the runner-up, meaning Somerville Lodge benefits to the tune of half a lorryload of Blue Frog bedding whilst Kingsclere scoop the full articulated trailer. The victors can enjoy the £2,500 prize as well as a Christmas Party for forty in December. A wonderful perpetual Skeaping bronze will grace the mantelpiece, as well as that of jockey William Buick, after the conclusion of the season-long contest to be top rider at York saw him win the Living North-sponsored contest, with eight victories, he pipped both Oisin Murphy and PJ MacDonald who both finished one adrift.

Head Gardener, Zac Rafferty, secured both a category winner and RHS Yorkshire in Bloom Gold award for his floral displays. The new supersized Presentation Podium has welcomed syndicates, Macmillan Charity Riders and Ebor Community Sweepstake nominations. It is a finalist in the International Design and Development Awards, facing competition from stadia in Hong King and New Zealand.

William Derby, Chief Executive at York Racecourse said, “We have enjoyed another exceptional season of racing at York in 2026. With record prize money attracting a record number of runners, the biggest charity, music racedays with the biggest student raceday in Britain capping a hugely successful season on the Knavesmire.We very much hope everyone has enjoyed the season as much as we have staging it. To welcome some of the world’s finest horses from Australia, USA, Japan and France reflects both the York Race Committee’s vision in committing £12.5m to prize money and the dedication of the entire team. The Group One Sky Bet City Of York Stakes confirming its place among the very best and Bacio flying across the Knavesmire in our fastest race, provided truly memorable moments. We are enormously grateful to connections from near and far for their tremendous support in bringing such outstanding horses to race at York.”

“The visits from our Royal Patron further demonstrate the stature of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival and the important part it plays in the sporting, social and economic life of our home county.”

“The 2026 season has been defined by a wonderful sense of fun, made possible by the unwavering support of racegoers, connections and the wider team. The York Race Committee and I are deeply grateful for, and greatly appreciative of, the remarkable support shown to York by everyone.”

“A busy winter lies ahead, but we are already very much looking forward to the return of racing at York on Wednesday 12 May 2027.”