Perth Racing Today: Racecards, Results and Fixtures

Today

This page has today's Perth race card, live Perth racing results, the 2026 fixtures and our Perth racing tips, along with a full guide to Britain's most northerly racecourse.

The course sits in the parkland of Scone Palace, just outside the city, where Scottish kings were once crowned on the Stone of Destiny. It's a right-handed jumps track of about a mile and a quarter, with sweeping bends, a long home straight and a summer season that runs from April to September.

Crowds come for the three-day Perth Festival in April, Ladies Day in May and the Perth Gold Cup in June, and the racing is consistently competitive, with Olly Murphy and the Bowen family winning plenty of races here.

Perth Racecards for Today

The Perth 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. Tomorrow's Perth race card is added once declarations close.

Perth racing results are added as each race is settled, including the winners and starting prices. Photo-finish results and stewards' decisions are updated as soon as they're confirmed. If a meeting is abandoned, you'll see that here too.

Perth Races 2026 Fixtures

Perth races on 13 days in 2026. The season ran from the Perth Festival in April to the Glorious Finale in September, and a bonus fixture has been added for 15 October. Here are the Perth races 2026 dates:

Perth races 2027 dates have already been announced. The Perth Festival is on 21–23 April 2027, Ladies Day on 13 May 2027 and Gold Cup Day on 6 June 2027.

Perth Racing Tips

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

• Don't kick for home too soon: The straight is long, and with the water jump left out on the final circuit, there's a long run from the last fence to the line. Jockeys who go for home too early often see their horses tire, so look for horses that finish strongly.
• Follow Olly Murphy: Olly Murphy is the leading trainer at Perth over the last three years, with 28 hurdle winners and 13 chase winners, and his runners are always worth a close look.
• Back Sean Bowen: Sean Bowen leads the jockeys, with 30 hurdle winners and 22 chase winners in the last three years. The Bowen family, including trainer Mickey Bowen and jockey James Bowen, have strong records here.
• Respect Dan Skelton's chasers: Dan Skelton has had relatively few chase runners at Perth, but around 60% of them have won. Harry Skelton rode Riskintheground to win the 2026 Perth Gold Cup.
• Look for stamina: Races often start a long way from home, and summer ground can ride on the soft side in Scotland. Horses that stay the trip well are favoured, especially in the long-distance handicap chases.
• Watch the first fence in the straight: The first fence in the home straight can catch out horses that aren't travelling well, so sound jumpers are worth favouring.

Perth Race Course Guide

The Perth race course is a right-handed, almost flat circuit of about ten furlongs, with sweeping turns. It stages National Hunt racing only.

There are eight fences per circuit on the chase course, including a water jump in front of the stands, which is left out on the final circuit. The hurdle course runs on the inside for most of the circuit and switches to the outside of the chase course in the home straight.

Because races often start some way from home, Perth can be more of a stamina test than its size suggests. Mick Fitzgerald notes that the straight is long, and jockeys who kick on too soon can find their horses tiring before the line.

Position and Going at Perth

Perth's turns are sweeping rather than tight, so hold-up horses have time to work into a race, and a strong pace is less of a problem than on a sharp track. Horses that race prominently and jump well still have an advantage, especially in small fields.

Perth only races in the summer, so the ground is usually good, but rain in Perthshire can quickly soften it. Check the going report on the morning of racing. Perth races are occasionally abandoned when the ground becomes waterlogged, so check here before you travel.

The Perth Festival and Gold Cup

The three-day Perth Festival opens the season in April. Day 1 features the Gold Castle Novices' Listed Hurdle, worth around £40,000. Day 2 is Tweed & Tartan Day, with a ceilidh after racing, and Day 3 features the Highland National, a handicap chase over almost four miles.

The Perth Gold Cup is run in early June, a Class 2 handicap chase of just under three miles worth almost £18,000 to the winner. In 2026, it went to Riskintheground (9/2) for Dan Skelton and Harry Skelton, after Mickey Bowen's Statuario won in 2025.

Perth Races Ladies Day

Ladies Day at Perth races, sponsored by Edinburgh Gin, is held in May and often sells out. It's one of the busiest days of the Scottish racing calendar, with a full card of jumps racing, fashion and entertainment.

The Picnic Enclosure in the middle of the course opens on Ladies Day, although picnic alcohol isn't allowed that day. Book early, since there are usually no tickets on the gate. Perth Ladies Day 2026 was held on Thursday 14 May, and the 2027 date is Thursday 13 May.

The 2026 Photo-Finish Error at Perth

On 24 April 2026, the last day of the Perth Festival, the judge called the wrong winner in the closing bumper. After a close photo finish between two Mickey Bowen-trained horses, Ksar D'Oudairies was announced as the winner.

Nearly an hour later, the result was reversed, and Fiskardo was declared the winner by a nose. The stewards held an inquiry, and the BHA apologised for the confusion and reviewed the incident.

History of Perth Racecourse

Racing in Perth dates back to 1613, when meetings were held on the North Inch park in the city. Racing later moved to Scone Palace, and the current course opened in 1908 on land offered by Lord Mansfield.

It's Britain's most northerly racecourse, and it attracts runners from leading yards across Britain and Ireland during its summer season.

Top Trainers and Jockeys at Perth

Here are the leading trainers at Perth over the last three years:

• Olly Murphy: 28 hurdle winners from 85 runners, plus 13 chase winners from 27.
• Mickey Bowen: 8 chase winners, including the 2025 Perth Gold Cup.
• Pauline Neville: 12 hurdle winners from 54 runners, with a big level-stakes profit.
• Dan Skelton: 6 chase winners at around 60%.

Sean Bowen leads the jockeys with 22 chase winners and 30 hurdle winners. Brian Hughes (23 winners across both codes) and James Bowen also ride plenty of winners here.

Visiting Perth Racecourse

Perth Racecourse is at Scone Palace Park, Perth PH2 6BB, about three miles north of the city. By car, leave the M90 at junction 11 and follow the brown signs for Scone Palace. Parking is free. On race days, a shuttle bus runs from Perth Concert Hall, and you can book shuttle bus tickets online with your entry tickets. Perth station has direct trains from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness, and it's a 10–12 minute taxi ride to the course.

Tickets should be booked online in advance, since popular fixtures often sell out. Under-18s go free. The dress code in the Grandstand is smart-casual, with no ripped jeans or football shirts, while the Picnic Enclosure has no dress code, so just dress for the weather. Dogs on leads are welcome in the outdoor enclosures.

Watch Perth Racing Live

Perth racing is shown live on Racing TV. Most UK bookmakers also offer free live streaming of Perth races to customers who have a funded account or have placed a bet on the race. Results and replays are available after each race.

Best Bookmakers for Perth Racing

Perth's Festival handicaps, the Highland National and the Gold Cup all attract big fields and competitive betting. Best Odds Guaranteed means you get the starting price if it's bigger than the price you took. Extra place offers are also common on the feature handicaps. Compare the latest offers from UK bookmakers before you bet.

Perth Races FAQs

When are the next Perth races?

The next fixture is the Racing TV Raceday on Thursday 15 October 2026. The 2027 season starts with the Perth Festival on 21–23 April 2027.

When is Perth races Ladies Day 2026?

Perth Ladies Day 2026 was held on Thursday 14 May. The 2027 Ladies Day is on Thursday 13 May 2027.

Is there a dress code at Perth races?

Smart-casual is asked for in the Grandstand, with no ripped jeans or football shirts. The Picnic Enclosure has no dress code.

Is parking free at Perth races?

Yes. Parking is free, and there's also a raceday shuttle bus from Perth Concert Hall.

Is this page about horse racing in Perth, Australia?

No. This page covers Perth Racecourse in Scotland, at Scone Palace. Horse racing in Perth, Western Australia, takes place at Ascot and Belmont Park.

What happened with the Perth photo finish?

On 24 April 2026, the judge called the wrong winner of the last race at the Perth Festival. The result was reversed nearly an hour later, and Fiskardo was declared the winner.