Haydock Park racecourse is situated in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside and is owned by Jockey Club Racecourses. It’s both a flat and national hunt course and its races are broadcast on Racing UK. The ‘Park’ in Haydock park is on account of the courses beautiful setting within parkland.
The course first opened in 1899 (racing had previously taken place in nearby Newton in the decades previous) and is a left handed course of around 1 mile 5 furlongs in distance. Racing takes place all year round, and the course is home to two group one races, the Haydock Spring Cup in September and November’s Betfair Chase, the former is a flat race, the latter a chase.
The Betfair Chase is a relatively new addition, having first taken place in 2005. Its sponsor, Betfair, initially offered a £1,000,000 prize to any horse winning this race as well as the King George VI Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Kauto Star wasted no time in picking up the prize in 2006-7, and in fact won the race four times between 2006-11. Cue Card has also impressed in the Betfair Chase over the years, winning it in 2013, 2015 and 2016.
The success of Kauto Star – and also wins by Silvianaco Conti, means that jockey Ruby Walsh and trainer Paul Nicholls currently hold the records for the most wins in the Betfair Chase.