York Racecourse, located in York, North Yorkshire, England, is one of the top horse racing venues in the country. It's known for being one of the biggest racecourses in Britain when it comes to prize money, second only to Ascot in terms of the amount given out at each event. Every year, about 350,000 people come to watch races there, including three of the UK's top races: the Juddmonte International Stakes, the Nunthorpe Stakes, and the Yorkshire Oaks.
Location
You'll find the racecourse in the south-west part of York, near the old Terry's of York chocolate factory, now The Chocolate Works. It's on a piece of land called the Knavesmire, which has a history stretching back before medieval times. The name 'Knavesmire' combines an old word for a man of low status, "knave," with "mire," meaning a swampy area where cattle graze. It's a place that used to be common land for the city and has a darker history too – it was where the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin was executed in 1739.
History
Racing in York is a tradition that goes way back to Roman times, with some signs that horses might have been raced on the Knavesmire even in the Stone Age. The city officially started supporting racing in 1530. By 1607, races were happening on the frozen River Ouse. There was also a famous annual race in the nearby Forest of Galtres starting in 1590, where the prize was a golden bell.
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