It might seem, in some ways, slightly odd to ask whether there would be a “best” or “worst” time to buy a ticket for horse racing. Wouldn’t it simply be best to purchase a raceday ticket as soon as you know you definitely intend to go?

To a large extent, that is the case – but there are also some other factors to bear in mind when you are interested in purchasing horse racing tickets. So, let’s take a closer look at them.

It’s generally better to buy raceday tickets early, than late

You might have noticed, if you have been browsing our list of horse racing fixtures for 2023, that we have already put on sale tickets for all our racedays taking place over the coming year – right through to Challow Hurdle Day, which is scheduled for Saturday 30^th December.

We have done that for good reason – because it’s often good to plan ahead and have everything sorted for your favoured raceday, long before the big day. We’ll delve into some of the other reasons why in a minute, but booking tickets far in advance could also save you money, if you do so sufficiently quickly to snap up our ‘early bird’ prices.

In the case of the aforementioned Challow Hurdle Day, for example, we are presently offering Early Bird Premier tickets – which grant access to the Premier Enclosure – for £33.75, compared to the usual full price of £45. An Early Bird Grandstand ticket for the Grandstand enclosure, meanwhile, will only set you back £22.50 at the time of typing, a big saving on the full price ticket’s £30.

For both enclosures, ‘early bird’ disability tickets are also available, with their own big discounts on the usual full ticket price, and a complimentary carer ticket. So, you can probably begin to see why it’s often the best idea to snap up your desired tickets quickly for peace of mind.

Booking early will also give you more time to prepare

Of course, the question of what timing is best for buying raceday tickets will have a slightly different answer from one person to the next. In the case of Newbury Racecourse, if you live close to our venue and don’t mind taking your chances with regard to ticket availability, you might feel comfortable enough buying your ticket on the gate.

However, there are other good reasons to purchase your ticket for your next Newbury Racecourse raceday early. You might be interested in taking advantage of our group discounts, for instance, which will necessitate you booking at least seven full days in advance.

Or what if you will be travelling to our racecourse from further afield, and might therefore need overnight accommodation? If so, the surrounding area of Newbury and Berkshire is thankfully blessed with good-quality hotels, and you don’t even need to use Google to search for them, as we can give you special discounted rates via HotelPlanner.com, which is our Official Hotel Bookings Partner.

Again, in theory, you could book relatively late even if you are coming from the other end of the UK or beyond, as long as your desired raceday tickets and the required travel and accommodation are able to be sorted out. But a lot of people – especially those who may be attending a raceday at Newbury Racecourse for the first time – would prefer not to have the rushing and the stress. So, we would still advise you to arrange everything, including the tickets, in advance if possible.

We’ll help provide you with a raceday experience that is memorable for all the right reasons

The aforementioned factors are not everything that you might need to account for when you are deciding on the most appropriate time to book horse racing tickets.

If, for example, you will be arriving here by car and travelling some considerable distance, have you learned the route and allowed for some extra time in case you get lost? We have provided information on our website on how to find us, so hopefully, you won’t have any major dramas trying to get here – especially as the racecourse is so easily accessible via Junctions 12 and 13 of the M4.

Finally, don’t forget to consult our other raceday information, including in relation to the dress code that will apply to your race meeting and enclosure. If you are in any doubt as to what would be acceptable, please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01635 018894, so that you can avoid any disappointment on the day.

That’s it! Hopefully, all the above details will have helped you feel more informed as to when you should book your raceday tickets, whether at Newbury Racecourse or indeed, any other racecourse. By preparing well, far in advance, for your visit to us, you can help ensure your Newbury experience will be one you remember fondly for months and years to come.