Ayr Racecourse: Scottish Grand National, Facts and Betting Guide
Ayr is Scotland’s premier racecourse, home of the Scottish Grand National in April and the Ayr Gold Cup in September. Here are the big races, the history, how to get there and how betting works on course.
Biggest races at Ayr
Ayr’s two biggest meetings are the Scottish National in spring and the Western Meeting in autumn.
Scottish Grand National Festival
- Scottish Grand National (about 4m, 27 fences), Saturday
- Scottish Champion Hurdle on the same day
- Ladies Day on the Friday
- 2027: Scottish Grand National on Saturday 17 April
The Western Meeting
- Three days of Flat racing
- Ayr Gold Cup (6f handicap), one of the biggest sprint handicaps of the year
Scottish National winner
- Kap Vert (20/1), ridden by Sean Houlihan
- Trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White
- Worth £200,000 in total
Ayr facts and history
Racing in Ayr goes back almost 450 years.
The track
The Flat course is a left-handed oval of 12 furlongs with a half-mile run-in. The turn into the straight runs slightly downhill. The straight 6f course is wide enough for 28 runners. Being wide on the home turn is costly.
The jumps course is a left-handed 1½-mile circuit with nine fences. It runs downhill to the home turn, then rises gently over a 210-yard run-in, and it is very demanding on heavy ground.
Getting to Ayr
By train
Ayr station is the nearest. ScotRail puts it at about a 12-minute walk, while the racecourse says around 21 minutes. It is under 5 minutes by taxi.
By road
Take the M77 from Glasgow, about 37 miles away.
Betting at Ayr
You can bet at Ayr on the Tote, with the bookmakers, in the course betting shops, or on 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
The Tote operates on course with a £2 minimum stake. There are on-course bookmakers and bookmaker shops too.
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.
Ayr FAQs
Where is Ayr Racecourse?
Ayr Racecourse is at 2–6 Whitletts Road, Ayr KA8 0JE, about 37 miles from Glasgow.
When is the 2027 Scottish Grand National?
The 2027 Scottish Grand National is on Saturday 17 April 2027, with Ladies Day on the Friday before.
Who won the 2026 Scottish Grand National?
Kap Vert won the 2026 Scottish Grand National at 20/1, ridden by Sean Houlihan and trained by Philip Hobbs and Johnson White.
Has any horse won both Grand Nationals in the same year?
Yes. Red Rum won the Aintree and Scottish Grand Nationals in 1974, the only horse to do it in the same year.
When is the Ayr Gold Cup?
The Ayr Gold Cup is run at the Western Meeting in September.
What is the minimum Tote bet at Ayr?
The minimum Tote stake at Ayr is £2.
Sources: Ayr Racecourse: betting guide · Ayr: 2027 Scottish Grand National · Wikipedia: Ayr Racecourse · Wikipedia: Scottish Grand National. Facts checked October 2026; fixtures and travel details can change, so check with the course before you go.
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