Kelso Racecourse

Location:
Situated in the Borders, just to the north of the town centre, Kelso Racecourse is close to the junction of the A6089 and the A699. Whichever route you take to Kelso, you are certain to pass through some of the most idyllic countryside in Britain. From the North (Edinburgh), most racegoers will come down the A68 and A697, while those coming from the South will take the A1(M) and trek across from Newcastle on the A68 or from Berwick on the A698.

Contact details and weblinks for travel providers in the Kelso area are available at the Tartan Turf Directory.

Directions Using Multimap

Brief History:
Horse racing at Kelso had taken place at several different locations, most notably at Caverton Edge in 1734 and then Blakelaw, before finally coming to rest at Berrymoss, the current racetrack, where the foundation stone of the stand was laid on the 12th of July 1822.

Flat racing was the main sport at Berrymoss until 1888, when the United Border Hunt moved to the course and, ever since, Kelso has been exclusively a National Hunt (jumps) track.

Throughout the years Kelso has become a mecca for the Border families and farmers, steeped in the traditions of hunting, who own and breed some of the best hunters in the country. The racecourse itself has large, solid steeple chase fences and a long uphill run-in. Consequently, many trainers use the January and February meetings as a trial for the National Hunt Festival and Aintree, bringing top-grade jumpers to the Border's premier racecourse.

Voted "Britain's Friendliest Racecourse" in a Sunday Times Survey, Kelso is well known for its excellent hospitality and laid-back atmosphere.

Local facilities :

Kelso Racecourse is set in the stunning countryside of the Scottish Borders. The Border itself has moved many times over the centuries, leaving a wonderful array of romantic ruins including abbeys, castles and tower houses. There are of course Golf Courses too, as well as some idyllic hotels and places to eat in the surrounding towns.

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