Exeter Racecourse

Exeter

Horses in the paddock at Exeter Racecourse
Location	Exeter, Devon
Owned by	Jockey Club Racecourses
Screened on	Racing UK
Course type	National Hunt
Notable races	Haldon Gold Cup
Official website

Exeter Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located near the city of Exeter, Devon, England. Locally it is known as Haldon racecourse because of its location on top of the Haldon Hills. Until the early 1990s it was officially known as Devon and Exeter.

On 1 November 2005 racehorse Best Mate died at the course of a suspected heart attack whilst competing in the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup.

Horse racing has been part of Exeter's heritage since the middle of the 17th century, one of many racecourses created due to Charles II's love of the sport, and there have been claims that the racecourse is one of the oldest in the country. Horse racing rules were standardised after the Jockey Club was formed in 1750. A race was written about by Louisa Graves in 1819, and there were records of meetings at the course in 1804, probably earlier.

The course was popular during the early 19th century, attracting entries from all over the country. By 1850, the popularity of National Hunt racing had waned and William White's gazetteer claimed that it was "little used". It popularity increased again over the following years, although there was a pause in racing during World War II. The course has been known variously as Haldon racecourse by locals due to its location, Devon and Exeter until the 1990s and more recently Exeter Racecourse.

The last duel in Devon occurred at the racecourse in 1833, when Peter Hennis, a doctor, and Sir John Jeffcott, a judge, drew pistols over Hennis spreading gossip. Hennis was wounded in the exchange, and died the following week; Jeffcott fled to Sierra Leone.

In 1911, a new grandstand was built at the cost of £1,000 (equivalent to £92,000 in 2015), designed by J. Archibald Lucas, designed to be 75 feet (23 m) long and 32 feet (9.8 m) deep, holding over 600 people, the majority of which would be under cover. The new stand was made of steel but with an iron roof, and held a bar, a weigh-room and other facilities as well as storage space.