As you’d expect with a busy racecourse, we get a lot of questions. We’ve tried to collate some of our most frequently asked on this page so you can easily find information that may be relevant to you.
For 2024 fixtures, we offer an extra £3 discount on tickets midweek and £5 on weekends when 10 plus are booked online in one transaction. This discount is automatically applied at the checkout.
Do you offer an online discount?
Yes! Book your ticket within 48 hours of the fixture to get a discount.
When will I receive my tickets?
All tickets will be sent via email. This includes tickets for restaurant and hospitality bookings. You will receive your ticket(s) two weeks before the fixture you are due to attend. If you’ve booked your tickets within two weeks of the fixture, these will be sent immediately. Sometimes these can land in your junk folder so please check before getting in touch.
Do I need to print my tickets?
No, we can scan e-tickets off mobile devices (mobile phones & tablets). If you wish to print them off and bring them along in paper format this is fine.
Can I transfer / refund my tickets or packages?
Once purchased, refunds or transfers on tickets and any other online purchases will only be available in the case of fixture abandonment or event cancellations and not for any other reason. Please see our terms and conditions of entry for full details.
Can I transfer between Enclosures?
Space permitting, you can upgrade your ticket to another enclosure on the day at the upgrade points within each enclosure.
Can Children come racing?
We welcome children and families. Children 17 and under go free to the races when accompanied by an adult (some exclusions apply for Festival fixtures and Live After Racing events). You'll need to collect a child’s ticket from the ticketing office or turnstile on the day of the racing whilst accompanied by a full paying adult (max.3 children per adult).
Browse through the racecourse's fixtures and choose the date you'd like to attend.
For tickets:
Select the ticket you'd like to buy and add this to your basket.
At the checkout, enter your unique Gift Voucher code for full or part payment in the 'Add Gift Voucher Code' field.
For restaurants and hospitality packages:
Call the racecourse on 01302499730 with your gift voucher number to hand.
Your gift voucher can be used as full or part payment over the phone
Any balance left will be credited to your account to use at a future event
Your ticket(s) will be emailed to you
How do I use/sign up for Rewards for Racing?
Rewards4Racing is the sport’s award-winning rewards programme, presenting racegoers with fantastic opportunities to enjoy unforgettable racing experiences for less. With Rewards4Racing, you can collect points when shopping online with over 4,000 retail partners, and you can also collect points on all of your sports bets with four betting partners. If you don't have an account with bet365, Betfair, Betfred or Coral, you can sign up via the Rewards4Racing website and deposit today to collect an extra £20 worth of points.
What discounts and concessions do you offer?
Seniors aged 60+ can all benefit from a 50% off tickets purchased on the gate. This discount is applied against the on the day ticket price and is only available on Grandstand tickets. Tickets must be purchased on the gate where proof may be requested.
Do you offer a discount to NHS and key workers?
We are delighted that emergency services, NHS, social care sector and armed forces, can apply for a free ticket to come racing via the Bluelight website. Some exclusions apply.
Third-Party Vouchers
Customers who wish to redeem vouchers from third-parties must redeem these at least two weeks before the fixture they wish to attend.
Times
What time do gates open?
Typically, gates open two hours before the first race. For feature and festival fixtures, gates may open earlier. Check the what’s on fixture page for the date you’re attending for the most up-to-date time, as race times are subject to change.
What time is the last race and when will the racecourse close?
Races will take place at different times and can also change last minute, so please check your specific fixture.
Typically, the racecourse, along with bars and food outlets, will close shortly after the last race. For Live After Racing nights or themed racenights with music after racing, the live act will perform for an hour to 90 minutes after the last race and the racecourse will close shortly after the performance.
Check the what’s on fixture page for the date you’re attending for the most up-to-date times.
Travel & Entry
What do I need to wear?
Most racegoers choose a smart casual outfit when attending the races and we discourage sportswear and ripped jeans. There are more formal dress codes in place for some of our premier ticket options as well as hospitality and restaurant packages. Please click here to view our dress code.
How do I get to the racecourse?
You can find full details of how to get to the racecourse by car, air, train and bus on our Get Here page. Alternatively, you can find the full address on our Contact Us page.
Can I arrive by coach?
Yes, absolutely. We welcome coach groups to the racecourse. The Coach Park is located at the family entrance and is free parking for coaches.
What entrance do I use?
For County Enclosure, Premier Enclosure, and Hospitality Guests, please use the Main Reception Entrance. All Grandstand Enclosure Guests should use the Grandstand Enclosure entrance outside the racecourse on Leger Way.
Is parking available?
We do have onsite parking. On racedays, Car Park A (opposite the main stand) is reserved for Annual Members, Owners and Trainers, Jockeys, BHA, Sponsors, Hospitality Guests, Press and Blue Badge holders. Please show your permit/ticket/ID to gain entry to Car Park A. Car Park C (next to the Family Enclosure) is available to all our guests free of charge. Please follow the yellow road signage to direct you to the correct car park.
Food & Drink
What bars and food concessions will be open?
You’ll always be able to grab a drink and bite to eat when you come racing. Different bars and food outlets will be available depending on how busy the fixture is likely to be.
Can I bring a picnic?
Picnics are only permitted in the Family Enclosure at the Racecourse. Please note that no drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) may not be brought into any area of the Racecourse. The Racecourse provides free drinking water at all bars across the site.
Can I bring alcohol into the racecourse?
No alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks can be brought into the racecourse. There will be a range of bars open selling a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The Racecourse provides free drinking water at all bars across the site.
Are barbecues allowed?
Barbecues are not allowed to be used at the racecourse.
Accessibility
How accessible is your racecourse?
We do all we can to ensure our visitors enjoy their day. This includes making our venue an easily accessible place and adding in extra features to make guests comfortable wherever possible. Click here for more information.
What do you offer Personal Assistants?
Personal assistants will receive free admission to the racecourse when accompanying a paying guest with accessibility needs.
Personal Assistant tickets can be claimed by bringing in proof of accessible needs on the day of racing e.g. Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance (AA) or Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP). Personal Assistant Tickets will be available to collect from the entrance on arrival. Please note you must provide supporting documentation.
For more information on these terms and conditions please click here
Please email info@doncaster-racecourse.co.uk at least 24 hours in advance with your name and details of the fixture you wish to attend to arrange these tickets.
Are there baby changing facilities?
Baby changing facilities are located in the majority of disabled toilets. Baby food/milk heating facilities are located in the Food Court and Silver Patriarch bar.
Is there wheelchair viewing?
Yes there is wheelchair viewing within the main stand with designated spots and the course is accessible to wheelchairs on all levels of the main stand and Leger stand.
Betting & Payments
Where can I place a bet on course?
Betting at the horse racing is a time-honoured tradition. If you wish to join in, there are a number of places across the racecourse where you can place a bet – either with the tote, which is a pool betting option (similar to the lottery) or with the on-course bookmakers. Find out more about betting at the racecourse.
Do you have cash machines?
No – There are no cash machines on site. All catering and bars accept debit or credit card payments only. The tote, along with bookmakers do accept cash payment and some may also accept debit card payments (no credit cards).
What payment method do you accept?
All bars and food outlets are cashless and will be accepting card and contactless payments only. However bookmakers and the tote will still accept cash payments. As there are no cash machines on the racecourse, please bring cash with you if this is your preferred payment method with bookmakers.
Do Bookmakers accept cash?
Yes – bookmakers will still accept cash and some will also accept debit cards. There are no cash machines on the racecourse so if cash is your preferred method then please ensure you bring this with you.
Where can I buy a race card?
Download your free, digital racecard on the morning of racing here. Printed racecards will be available to purchase at the racecourse.
Experience
Is there seating available?
Unless you have booked a ticket with a reserved seat included, a restaurant package or hospitality option, there is only limited seating available across the racecourse and the majority will be outside.
Can I bring a chair?
Chairs will not be allowed to be brought into the racecourse during weekend fixtures, unless for medical reasons. For all other fixtures, we take a pragmatic approach and allow chairs into the racecourse when crowd size allows. This is always at the discretion of the safety officer on the day.
Can I smoke and where?
Smoking is permitted in the allocated smoking rings across the racecourse. Smoking is not permitted in the grandstands.
How do I download and use the ARC APP?
Our brand-new app is coming! More details will be available shortly.
Where can I stay?
Doncaster Racecourse boasts a contemporary and recently refurbished hotel directly on site. One of the newest hotels in Doncaster, the Hilton Garden Inn at Doncaster Racecourse is an ideal choice for those looking to stop over after the races, as well as being minutes away from Lakeside Village Shopping, Yorkshire’s Wildlife Park and many other tourist attractions. With an exceptionally convenient location that is easily accessed from the train station, airport and various motorways, it also makes an easy and comfortable stopover for commuters.
Does the weather affect the racing?
For turf tracks, the amount of rainfall will impact the ‘Going’ at the racecourse. Simply put, this is the condition of the racing surface and how ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ the ground is. Different horses enjoy different ground conditions and therefore the going reports are vital for a horse’s trainer and owner in deciding when and where a horse should run.
The health and safety of all participants and horses is our top priority. If the racing surface is deemed unraceable (this could be due to waterlogging, frozen surfaces or even too hard a surface) or extreme weather conditions are unsafe, a fixture will be abandoned. If this happens, customers will be alerted and the information will be available immediately on our website – there is no need to call. Full or partial refunds will be automatically provided according to our refund policy, available on our terms and conditions of entry.
Dogs
Can I bring a dog?
With the exception of Guide Dogs of the Blind and other Assistance Dogs, dogs are not permitted to enter the racecourse. In the interests of animal welfare, no dogs are permitted to be left in cars and we politely request that all dogs are left at home.
Photography
Can I take photographs?
At all meetings we ask you to ensure that no flash photography takes place near the horses. Otherwise, you are welcome to take photographs for personal non-commercial use only. During live music and entertainment, the artists' management retain all image rights. Any photographer that is felt to be impeding or contravening these rights without accreditation and prior written consent will be requested to leave the premises. You cannot take images for commercial purposes without prior permission from the racecourse and provision of press accreditation.
Note Professional filming and photography takes place here at the racecourse for various publications and broadcasting and race goers (including families) consent to being filmed, photographed and otherwise recorded by the Racecourse or any authorised third-party. By entering the racecourse, you accept our terms and conditions of entry, which authorised by the Racecourse the right to broadcast, publish, licence and use any photographs, film, recordings or images of you without payment or other compensation in any promotional literature produced by Arena Racing Company. Full copies of our Terms & Conditions are available here.