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	Mountain Road (Good)	31 May 2026	3m 28.86s

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	24	39	£181,629	20.69%	£5.35
M Dods	189	18	56	£95,109	9.52%	-£77.03
T D Easterby	322	17	102	£91,743	5.28%	-£156.62
R A Fahey	112	13	30	£60,595	11.61%	-£53.93
K A Ryan	105	13	29	£77,013	12.38%	-£40.63
K R Burke	76	12	36	£76,880	15.79%	-£8.66
P T Midgley	95	8	25	£34,020	8.42%	-£31.00
M & D Easterby	74	8	24	£39,400	10.81%	£32.00
C Johnston	53	6	24	£42,438	11.32%	-£21.88
Mrs R Carr	88	6	21	£31,504	6.82%	-£35.00

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

Flat

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
D Tudhope	92	21	42	£134,760	22.83%	£9.64
Connor Beasley	173	15	64	£81,384	8.67%	-£89.69
P Mulrennan	104	14	30	£82,576	13.46%	-£1.03
O J Orr	100	13	28	£59,725	13%	-£45.34
Callum Rodriguez	84	12	28	£74,077	14.29%	-£28.22
D Nolan	76	12	21	£55,630	15.79%	£14.21
D Allan	170	11	66	£63,542	6.47%	-£65.75
Jason Hart	129	11	37	£58,304	8.53%	-£45.68
Joanna Mason	95	8	31	£38,470	8.42%	-£45.50
K Stott	38	8	15	£39,379	21.05%	-£1.38