Thirsk Course Guide

Racing takes place throughout the summer at Thirsk with the highlight being the Thirsk Hunt Cup. Open to older horses and run over a mile usually at the start of May, the race usually attracts a sizable field.

The Michael Dods-trained Osteophathic Remedy has been a standing dish in the race in recent years, winning in 2010 and then finishing 6th, 2nd, 6th, 4th and 3rd in the five subsequent renewals. He was particularly unfortunate in 2012, when he finished second to the future Lockinge and Champion Stakes winner Farhh.

The North Yorkshire track also stages a useful Conditions Stakes. Run over six furlongs for older horses each April, the Michael Foster Conditions Stakes has been won by smart sprinters Markab and Heaven’s Guest in recent years. Given its close proximity to the Malton and Middleham training centres, the course is popular with many leading Northern trainers.

Flat Racing

The round course is a left-handed, oval track, just over a mile and a quarter in extent, with a run-in of half a mile. There is a straight six-furlong course, which is slightly undulating throughout. The round course itself is almost perfectly flat, but though the turns are relatively easy and the ground well levelled all round, the track is on the sharp side and by no means ideal for a horse that requires time to settle down, and time and space to get down to work in the straight.

There’s quite an advantage in being close to the stands’ side rail on the sprint track at Thirsk and it can get congested there. The top turn on the round course catches some horses out - it’s an undulating left-hander - and you see quite a few lose their race there. Balance is critical at that point, as there’s a ridge that throws you out to the right, and, if you don’t meet it well, you can struggle the rest of the way round. If you’re on one that handles it, though, you can kick and get all your rivals in trouble.

View from the saddle: Jason Weaver

Thirsk Top Times
Last 5 years

Flat

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
5f	Law Of Average (Good to Firm)	09 Aug 2024	56.73s
6f	South Parade (Good to Firm)	09 Aug 2024	1m 8.64s
7f	Irreverent (Good to Firm)	13 Sep 2021	1m 23.43s
7f 218y	Key Look (Good to Firm)	13 Sep 2021	1m 36.52s
1m 4f 8y	Ghaiyya (Good to Firm)	17 Jun 2025	2m 31.68s
1m 6f	Wor Willie (Good to Firm)	30 Apr 2022	2m 57.95s
2m 13y	Nataleena (Good)	27 Aug 2021	3m 30.96s

Thirsk Top Trainers
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Flat

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
D O'Meara	116	21	43	£133,757	18.1%	-£18.15
T D Easterby	330	19	98	£103,374	5.76%	-£155.33
R A Fahey	118	18	33	£94,046	15.25%	-£39.32
M Dods	174	15	56	£102,951	8.62%	-£77.25
K R Burke	78	15	34	£94,693	19.23%	-£0.72
K A Ryan	88	11	21	£65,465	12.5%	-£15.38
M & D Easterby	62	9	18	£43,587	14.52%	£45.00
C Johnston	55	7	22	£47,838	12.73%	-£24.68
D Carroll	63	7	16	£28,430	11.11%	-£24.13
J & S Quinn	78	6	21	£53,092	7.69%	-£31.75

Thirsk Top Jockeys
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Flat

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
D Tudhope	82	19	38	£117,829	23.17%	£2.25
O J Orr	107	17	31	£82,542	15.89%	-£38.74
D Allan	178	13	66	£66,384	7.3%	-£81.67
Connor Beasley	162	13	64	£71,307	8.02%	-£93.08
Callum Rodriguez	85	13	29	£104,333	15.29%	-£22.72
P Mulrennan	107	12	31	£59,347	11.21%	-£18.20
D Nolan	72	11	25	£50,396	15.28%	-£6.79
Jason Hart	128	10	38	£45,053	7.81%	-£70.68
Billy Garritty	48	9	13	£48,761	18.75%	£50.92
T Eaves	90	8	23	£49,673	8.89%	-£26.50