Cartmel Racing Odds Today: Racecards, Results and Fixtures

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Cartmel Racing Odds Today

This page has today's Cartmel race card, live results, the full list of fixtures and our Cartmel racing tips, along with a complete guide to the Lake District's summer jumps track.

Few racecourses look like this one. The course sits in a wooded valley below Hampsfell, next to a medieval priory village, with drystone walls round the track and a fairground in the middle. It only races nine days a year, all between late May and the August Bank Holiday, but crowds regularly top 10,000 and can pass 20,000 on the biggest days.

Add the longest run-in in British jump racing and a sticky toffee pudding for every winner, and it's a track worth knowing well, whether you're betting or going along.

Cartmel Racecards for Today

On race days, the Cartmel race card today shows every runner and rider, recent form, weights, the latest odds and race times. It updates from final declarations right up to the off, so non-runners, jockey changes and going updates appear as soon as they're announced. Cartmel results are added as each race is settled, including starting prices.

Cartmel's cards are often affected by the weather or by delays on busy days, so check here for any revised off times before you place a bet.

Cartmel Races 2026 Fixtures

Cartmel raced on nine days in 2026, over four bank holiday and summer weekends. The 2026 season finished on August Bank Holiday Monday. Here are the Cartmel race dates for 2026:

Cartmel normally announces the next year's dates in August, so the Cartmel races 2027 dates should follow the same pattern of May, June, July and August Bank Holiday meetings. Check the official site before you book accommodation.

Cartmel Racing Tips

If you're looking for Cartmel racing tips for today, here are some general tips to keep in mind for the track:

• Look for horses that stay on: The chase run-in is about half a mile from the last fence, the longest in Britain. Leaders at the last are often caught, so favour horses that finish their races off strongly over front-runners that tend to idle.
• Back proven course winners: Cartmel rewards horses that handle its tight bends and odd layout, and course specialists keep coming back. Deep Mystery and Soul Magic both won seven races here, and Tonto's Spirit became the first eight-time winner in 2022.
• Favour handy, quick-travelling types: Races are run at a strong pace on this sharp, one-mile track. A horse under pressure early faces a long way round, so look for horses that travel easily and can hold a good position.
• Follow the local yards: James Moffatt has trained more Cartmel winners than anyone, and Donald McCain, Dianne Sayer and Peter Bowen's yard all have good records. Northern trainers and travelling Irish runners are worth noting on the cards.
• Note the jockeys who know the track: Brian Hughes and Charlotte Jones have both ridden 11 winners in a single Cartmel season. Sean Bowen strikes at 21% here.
• Trust favourites in non-handicaps: Favourites have won about 48% of non-handicaps at Cartmel but only around 30% of handicaps. Look for value in the bigger handicap fields, especially on summer ground.

Cartmel Race Course Guide

The Cartmel race course is a left-handed, roughly one-mile oval, and it's one of the smallest jumps tracks in Britain. It stages National Hunt racing only, over hurdles and fences, and there is no Flat racing. Unusually, the grandstand, parade ring and most of the viewing areas sit in the middle of the course, so racegoers cross the track to reach the paddock.

The Longest Run-in in Britain

The defining feature of the track is the steeplechase run-in. After the last fence, chasers turn off the circuit and race about four furlongs up the straight to the line, past the crowds.

The hurdle course run-in is just under two furlongs. This changes how races are ridden. Jockeys who kick for home too early are often caught, and leaders at the last are passed far more often than on a normal track.

Fences and Hurdles

There are six fences per circuit, so jumping isn't tested as often as on bigger tracks. The fences are fairly stiff for a small course, though, and the last few come in quick succession as the pace picks up. Most of the incidents at Cartmel happen there, and unseats are more common than falls.

Going and Position at Cartmel

Cartmel only races in summer, so the going is usually good or good to firm. The course waters to protect the ground, but a dry spell in the Lake District can still produce quick conditions.

Rain can also arrive quickly, and the softer ground suits stayers on the long run-in. Check the latest going report and the Cartmel weather forecast on the morning of racing.

Because the track is tight and fast-run, a prominent or handy position helps horses avoid losing ground on the bends. Hold-up horses need a jockey who can make up ground smoothly, rather than making a sudden move on the home turn.

Big Races at Cartmel

Cartmel's richest race is the Crystal Cup Handicap Hurdle, run on the July Saturday and worth more than £40,000. It's one of the most competitive summer handicaps in the north. In 2026, it went to Caughtinyourtrance (9/2) for trainer James Moffatt and jockey Brian Hughes.

Other highlights include a female jockeys' handicap hurdle, billed as one of the most valuable races of its kind, and the Summer Jumps Championship series races. The May meeting has traditionally featured a long-distance veterans' chase over about three miles and six furlongs.

The Cartmel Jockeys Challenge runs across the season. In 2024, Charlotte Jones became the first female and first conditional rider to win it, equalling Brian Hughes's record of 11 winners in a Cartmel season.

Racing and Music at Cartmel

Cartmel has added post-racing concerts to its June Friday fixture. Olly Murs performed after racing on 27 June 2025, and the Kaiser Chiefs headlined on 26 June 2026. One ticket covers the racing and the concert, with access to both the Paddock and Course enclosures, and tickets for these days are limited.

Under-18s need their own ticket for the Racing and Music day, unlike normal race days, when they get in free. Keep an eye on the racecourse's announcements for the 2027 act.

Cartmel Races Tickets and Prices

Tickets for Cartmel races are sold in advance through the racecourse's website. Prices vary by date, and listed prices at the time of writing include:

• Course Enclosure: From around £20. This is the most popular option, with views of the track, the fairground and the food stalls.
• Paddock Enclosure: From around £49. Admission to the paddock, parade ring, grandstand and course side.
• The Glasshouse: Around £70. Pre-booked Paddock-side space with admission, a bar and a seat for the day.
• Hospitality: Parade Ring Dining, the RF Miller & Co restaurant, party tents and Paddock Domes are all available for groups.
• Children: Under-18s get in free on normal race days but must be booked with an adult ticket.

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, so check the date before you buy.

History of Cartmel Racecourse

Racing at Cartmel is said to date back to monks from Cartmel Priory racing mules in the Middle Ages, although the first written record is from 1856. The meeting came under National Hunt rules in 1875.

For much of its history it was a small Whitsun fixture for amateur riders, before it expanded to the current nine days. The course belongs to the Holker Estate, home of the Cavendish family.

Cartmel is famous for the Gay Future affair of August 1974. Irish-based connections tried to land a betting coup by switching horses and using the course's single telephone line to stop bookmakers from cutting the odds.

The horse won easily, but bookmakers refused to pay and the ringleaders were prosecuted. The story inspired the 1980 film Murphy's Stroke, Pierce Brosnan's screen debut, with the race scenes filmed at Cartmel.

Top Trainers and Jockeys at Cartmel

The local yard of James Moffatt dominates the trainers' table at Cartmel:

• James Moffatt: 84 winners from 638 runners (13%).
• Donald McCain: 70 winners from 367 runners, at a strong 19%.
• Dianne Sayer: 44 winners at 15%.
• Peter Bowen's yard: 36 winners at 19%.
• Ben Haslam: 33 winners at 20%, the best strike rate of the top five.

Brian Hughes leads the jockeys with 82 winners. He's followed by Charlotte Jones (38), Henry Brooke (37), Sean Bowen (36, 21%) and Richie McLernon (32).

Watch Cartmel Racing Live

All Cartmel meetings are shown live on Racing TV. Most UK bookmakers also offer free live streaming of Cartmel racing to customers who have a funded account or have placed a bet on the race. If racing is delayed, live updates and revised off times appear on the racecards above.

Best Bookmakers for Cartmel Racing

Cartmel's competitive summer handicaps and big fields make it a good track to look for bookmaker concessions. Best Odds Guaranteed means you get the starting price if it's bigger than the price you took.

Extra places are also common on Cartmel handicaps, especially the Crystal Cup and the bank holiday cards. Compare the latest offers from UK bookmakers before you bet.

Cartmel Races FAQs

When are the Cartmel races in 2026?

Cartmel raced on 23, 25 and 27 May, 26 and 28 June, 18 and 20 July, and 29 and 31 August 2026. The season is now over, and the 2027 dates are expected to follow the same May to August pattern.

How much are tickets for Cartmel races?

Course Enclosure tickets start from around £20 and Paddock tickets from around £49. Under-18s are free on normal race days but must be booked alongside an adult.

Where is Cartmel Racecourse?

The course is next to Cartmel village, near Grange-over-Sands in the south of the Lake District, Cumbria. It's reached from junction 36 of the M6.

Is there a dress code at Cartmel races?

No. There's no formal dress code, but smart casual is asked for in the restaurants, and flat, comfortable footwear is best on the grass.

Can you camp at Cartmel races?

Yes. There are four camping areas at the southern end of the racecourse on race weekends. Camping tickets are priced by group size and length of stay.

What happened at Cartmel races in 2025?

At the August Bank Holiday meeting in 2025, the horse Wbee suffered a sudden heart-related condition near the second-last hurdle and veered into spectators. Two people were taken to hospital, and sadly the horse died. Racing was delayed while emergency teams responded.

Who played at Cartmel Racecourse?

Olly Murs played after racing in June 2025, and the Kaiser Chiefs headlined the Racing and Music day on 26 June 2026.

Why do Cartmel winners get a sticky toffee pudding?

Every winning connection at Cartmel receives a Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding, made in the village, which has become a much-loved tradition.