Ayr Racecourse

Location:
Situated on the west coast of Scotland, Ayr racecourse is close to the centre of the town of the same name. The nearest railway station is Ayr. Anyone travelling by road should take the A77 from Glasgow or the A75, A70 or A76 from the east. The M6 links each of these routes from the north and south.

A continuous bus service operates between the train station and the racecourse before the first race and after the last.

The nearest airports are at Prestwick and Glasgow. Go to the Racing Breaks page for more information and links to air travel companies.

The ferry, from Belfast to Stranraer, is the best way to get to Ayr from Ireland - and can make a n enjoyable day-trip.

Directions Using MultiMap

Details of local hotels, recommended restaurants and other places of interest to visit are available within the Tartan Turf Directory. Ayrshire is also a great area for golf - so if you fancy combining a short racing-break with a bit of golf mixed in too, check out the directory.

Brief History:
The home of the Coral Scottish Grand National and the totesport Ayr Gold Cup, Ayr racecourse is Scotland's only Grade one racecourse.

Although it is thought that racing has taken place at Ayr since the 16 th Century, the first official meeting recorded in the Racing Calendar took place in 1777.

The first two runnings of the Ayr Gold Cup were won by Chancellor, in 1804 and 1805. In 1907 the racecourse moved a short distance to its current location and took another significant step when introducing a jump racing course in 1950. In 1966 racegoers welcomed the first running of the Scottish National at Ayr, after the closure of the racecourse at Bogside.

Until recently, racing was organised at the course by The Western Meeting Club. In 2003, the racecourse changed hands and the new management has put together a £35 million pound redevelopment scheme which will transform Scotland's most prestigious racecourse into a venue that will truly rival the best racecourses in the world.

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