Goodwood Racecourse: Glorious Goodwood, Facts and Betting Guide
High on the South Downs above Chichester, Goodwood is home to the Qatar Goodwood Festival, better known as Glorious Goodwood. Here are the big races, the history, how to get there and how betting works on course.
Biggest races at Goodwood
Goodwood races from spring to autumn, with the festival at the turn of July and August.
Qatar Goodwood Festival
- Five days, Tuesday to Saturday
- Goodwood Cup (Group 1, 2m), Tuesday
- Sussex Stakes (Group 1, 1m), Wednesday: Europe’s richest mile at £1.2m
- Nassau Stakes (Group 1, 1m 2f), Thursday
- Stewards’ Cup (6f handicap), Saturday
Three Friday Nights
- Evening racing on summer Fridays
- Free Stagecoach buses run from local towns
This year’s big winners
- Sussex Stakes: Bow Echo, Billy Loughnane, George Boughey
- Goodwood Cup: Scandinavia, Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien
- Nassau: Diamond Necklace, Ryan Moore, Aidan O’Brien
Goodwood facts and history
A garden party with racing tacked on.
The track
Goodwood is a right-handed and essentially sharp track with steep downhill sections. The straight 6f, the Stewards’ Cup course, has a tight right-handed loop at the far end.
Horses held up on the rail often meet trouble in running. On the sprint course, jockeys say the middle of the track is usually a good place to be.
Enclosures are the Richmond, Gordon and Lennox. The March Stand opened in 1980 and the Sussex Stand in 1990.
Getting to Goodwood
By train
Chichester station has trains from London Victoria, Brighton and Portsmouth. Free shuttle buses run from the station’s North Car Park at quarter past and quarter to the hour, from 10:15am to 1:15pm. A small charge applies during the festival.
The last bus back leaves 60 minutes after the final race.
By road
Goodwood is about five miles north of Chichester. There are free and paid car parks on site.
Betting at Goodwood
Goodwood has every kind of on-course betting: the Tote, the bookmakers and a betting shop, plus your phone.
On your phone
Your usual app works on course just as it does at home. On big days, set your account up, verify it and add funds before you travel, so you can bet straight away.
Compare the odds in the app with the boards in the ring before you bet. The best price is not always in the same place.
On course
There are Tote positions around the course and a tableside Tote service in hospitality. Traditional bookmakers stand at their pitches, and the Goodwood betting shop offers fixed odds.
Read our guide to betting at the racecourse for how the Tote and the ring work.
Betting on your phone at the track?
Compare UK racing apps by their real App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot ratings.
Goodwood FAQs
Where is Goodwood Racecourse?
Goodwood Racecourse is on Selhurstpark Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0PS, about five miles north of Chichester.
When is Glorious Goodwood?
The Qatar Goodwood Festival runs for five days, Tuesday to Saturday, in late July and early August. In 2026 it ran from 28 July to 1 August.
Who won the 2026 Sussex Stakes?
Bow Echo won the 2026 Sussex Stakes, ridden by Billy Loughnane and trained by George Boughey.
Is there a shuttle bus to Goodwood?
Yes. Free shuttle buses run from Chichester station’s North Car Park on racedays. A small charge applies during the festival.
Which horse has won the most Goodwood Cups?
Stradivarius, with four wins in a row from 2017 to 2020.
What betting is there at Goodwood?
You can bet with the Tote, the on-course bookmakers at their pitches and the Goodwood betting shop, which offers fixed odds.
Sources: Goodwood: getting here · Goodwood: picking a winner · Wikipedia: Goodwood Racecourse · Goodwood media: Sussex Stakes. Facts checked October 2026; fixtures and travel details can change, so check with the course before you go.
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