Royal-favourite racecourse celebrates 150 years

The first purpose-built racecourse with enclosures and paid admission is coming to the end of a year of celebrations marking its 150th anniversary.

Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey, was founded in 1875 and revolutionised horseracing, setting new standards in the sport.

It is still a key fixture in the racing calendar, a favourite among fans and the Royal Family, and works closely with the surrounding community.

Sarah Drabwell, general manager of Sandown Park, said: "It has been an honour to celebrate Sandown Park's 150th year throughout 2025."

The Royals love Sandown - and in fact Queen Elizabeth II was a patron of both The Jockey Club and the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association. The patronage is now held by King Charles and Queen Camilla.

It is also popular with famous faces including Sir Alex Ferguson, Benedict Cumberbatch and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

But away from race days, the course does its fair share of community work.

In July, as part of the 150-year celebrations, some of the big names in horse racing walked 150 laps around the track to raise money for the Community Fund for Elmbridge - which provides financial help for charities and projects in the area.

The Betfair Tingle Creek Festival, a two-day event finishing on Saturday, is the final racing event of the year, also marking the end of the milestone anniversary.

Ms Drabwell said: "We kicked off with our military race days at the beginning of the year where we hosted the Princess Royal, who kindly presented the prize to our winning jockey.

"In April, our official birthday celebration took place, coinciding with the end of the jump season, which saw Willie Mullins crowned champion trainer after a close battle with Dan Skelton.

"Our final race fixture of the year will be the Betfair Tingle Creek, where we will be joined by 150 people who have had an impact on Sandown Park, from local community leaders, to trainers, jockeys and owners, along with those that have helped make this racecourse great," Ms Drabwell said.

"It has been an extremely special year, and we have loved the chance to celebrate 150 years of Sandown Park, hopefully we can look forward to celebrating many more years to come."

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