Chester Racecourse (sometimes called the Roodee) is acknowledged by Guinness World Records as the oldest racecourse in the world that is still under operation.
Thankfully, you can watch all Chester races on a live stream free from subscription costs with our live streaming partners. Read on to find out how to see the video stream.
1) Sign up to bet365 here if you’re not already a member
2) Follow the ‘Live Streaming’ link & open the Schedule where you will see ‘All Sports’ > ‘Horse Racing’
To watch a race streamed from this course you just need to have a funded account or have placed a bet in the last 24 hours.
EVERY race in the UK and Ireland is streamed live at bet365. They show all races shown on At The Races and Racing TV.
You can also watch replays of all UK and Irish races covered by Racing TV and At The Races for free on the Horse Racing Archive at bet365.
Only available to eligible customers. To watch other races that are not streamed by At the Races from a UK track, a £0.50 win or £0.25 each-way (or currency equivalent) on your selection/s must be placed. Terms & conditions and geographical restrictions apply. 18+ gambleaware.co.uk
Chester Upcoming Live Streamed Races
Chester Races Live Stream: Course Layout
The course at Chester is flat, left-handed, and comparatively sharp with a length of a little over one mile. The main feature of the course is its extremely short straight which is just over 1 furlong in length.
Consequently, the long-striding horses are at a severe disadvantage and the course heavily favours the horses with athletic built bodies.
Events Live Streamed from Chester
The racecourse organises 15 flat race meetings annually and has been blessed with the award of Gold Standard status by the RCA. The sporting calendar starts in May and fixtures are organised all the way up to September.
Highlights of the season include names such as the Boodles May Festival and City Plate Day in July.
Being the oldest racecourse ever and still in operation, Chester has seen a lot of flat racing action over the centuries. The first recorded horse race at Chester took place in February 1539 shortly after it was opened for racing the same year.
The racing calendar at Chester commences in May with the highly respected Boodles May Festival in the beginning. The festival is sponsored by the UK’s leading luxurious jewellery designer group Boodle and lasts for three consecutive days. It attracts thousands of horse racing enthusiasts to the region.
It is shortly followed by the City Plate Day which takes place in the mid of July. The meeting consists of seven flat horse races and attracts crowds of over 20,000 patrons from both England and Wales.
The last big event at Chester is the Corbettsports Season Finale featuring the Stand Cup in September among other stakes.
Here are some of the most important races that you can watch via live stream from Chester:
| Month | Meeting | Race |
|---|---|---|
| May | May Festival Meeting | Cheshire Oaks |
| May | May Festival Meeting | Chester Vase |
| May | May Festival Meeting | Ormonde Stakes |
| May | May Festival Meeting | Dee Stakes |
| May | May Festival Meeting | Huxley Stakes |
| May | May Festival Meeting | Chester Cup |
| July | July Meeting | City Plate |
| July/August | July Meeting | Queensferry Stakes |
| September | September | Stand Cup |
Interesting Chester Racing Facts
The racecourse gets its nickname “Roodee” from a small cross known as “rood”. This is mounted on a raised mound towards the centre of the field at Chester Racecourse.
The site of the racecourse was originally used for the infamous centuries-old Goteddsday football matches. However, due to its violent nature, the sport was abolished by the city in 1533. Fortunately, it was subsequently replaced by horse racing in 1539.
Races were initially organised on Goteddsday and St George’s Day, as they were major festivals of the medieval period. After almost 200 years in 1745, a longer annual meeting consisting of four days was added to the calendar.
The location of a racecourse determines the popularity and number of annual visitors, and consequently the probability of its success. Located right on the banks of the River Dee near the Welsh border, Chester racecourse is at walking distance to a number of restaurants, bars, hotels, and other small businesses.
Watching Races Live from Chester
Visitors at Chester after spending the afternoon watching their favourite horses, often take a stroll to the city centre. The racecourse is easily accessible from M53, M6, A483, and M56; All have uninterrupted links to the walled city of Chester in Cheshire. Numerous signposts along the path to the racecourse are placed during festivals and race days.
The first grandstand at Chester was established back in 1817 and racegoers were not charged to attend the meetings until 1897.
The stand was extensively renovated in the 1900s to accommodate more people but became a target of arson in 1985 when a group of troublemakers grazed it to the ground.
After the attacks, the entire grandstand had to be rebuilt with an improved design with better capacity and viewing points.
The Chester Racecourse is essential to the economy of nearby regions; It remains the focus of business owners, the social elite and racing enthusiasts all year round.
Vantage points
A number of enclosures are available for guests at Chester’s grandstand. The finest of all is the Winning Post Enclosure located beside the winning post, hence the name.
This enclosure is great for socialising and offers stunning views of the winning line. The Refresh Bar and Refuel bar offer premium alcoholic beverages to go with lunch. There are several food outlets to be seen.
Guests at the Winning Post are permitted to enter the Parade Ring and meet the owners and trainers.
Another premium enclosure, the County Course Stand also overlooks the winning post and the final furlong. Guests are welcome to roam around the venue, visit the Parade Ring, and dine at the infamous Dining Village.
In addition to the bars at Winning Post, guests at County Course have access to the County Champagne bar too.
There are three other enclosures at Chester, namely the Tattersalls Stand, Dee Stand, and the Open Course. All of these offer distinctive views of the course, ranging from covered two-tiered grandstands to uncovered fields at the centre of the course.
Car parking at Chester usually costs 8 Pounds per vehicle during the crowded festival days. Of course, that won’t be a concern if you are watching the Chester races live stream.
Legal Live Streams
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How it Works
We connect you with the leading sites that telecast live streams of horse racing events. They have already paid for the legal rights to broadcast them, so you might as well take advantage of it.
Further Live Stream Options
More legal live streams for horse racing can be found at the following sites. Similar conditions apply (i.e. having a deposit active or a bet in the past 24 hours):
– William Hill
– Betfred
– Coral
Last updated April, 2024
This intriguing video will give you a taste of the live streaming from Chester. It shows Making Miracles’ unbelievable win in the 2019 SportPesa Chester Cup at one of the oldest racecourses in the world:
Chester Races Live Stream FAQs
🎥 Do I need to pay a subscription for the Live Stream?
No, there is no subscription charge. You’ll need to register on the site first, which only takes a minute.
🏇 Are there other races available, too?
Yes, there are many other races that you can watch – just take a look at the schedule.
⌚ When will the race coverage start?
The race coverage begins approximately two to three minutes before the race is scheduled.