The BHA have released a list of 1,478 British horse racing fixtures for 2023 with the programme looking pretty much the same as this year apart from when some big events take place.

Fans of the sport of horse racing have a packed schedule to look forward to once again. Dates for the all the major meetings have now been confirmed. A key takeout from that is how late the British Flat turf season gets underway.

Beginning on Saturday, 1 April with the traditional Doncaster races meeting and the Lincoln card, that effects the whole campaign. The same racecourse brings the curtain down on the Flat season but not until Saturday, 11 November.

While some events retain fixed dates, such as the Epsom Derby on Saturday, 3 June, the relative lateness of many British horse racing fixtures in 2023 contrasts sharply with this year. The Northumberland Plate at Newcastle, for example, will be run on Saturday, 1 July instead of in June.

All of the Glorious Goodwood races were in July this year. Come next season, this major Qatar-backed horse racing gala takes place entirely in August. That in turn means the Ebor Festival at York is as late as it can be, concluding with the valuable Ebor Handicap card on Saturday, 26 August.

Best Horse Racing Betting Offers & Free Bets

1.	Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets T&Cs apply, 18+ T&Cs apply, 18+	Claim Offer
2.	Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets + £10 Casino Bonus T&Cs apply, 18+ T&Cs apply, 18+	Claim Offer
3.	Bet £10 Get £20 In Free Bets T&Cs apply, 18+ T&Cs apply, 18+	Claim Offer
4.	Bet £30 Get A £30 Free Bet T&Cs apply, 18+ T&Cs apply, 18+	Claim Offer
5.	Bet £10 Get £60 in Bonuses T&Cs apply, 18+ T&Cs apply, 18+	Claim Offer

If you’ve already got these betting offers, then why not join other top horse racing betting sites in the UK Sign up to these bookies and pick up great deals.

List of Key Dates & British Horse Racing Fixtures 2023

January-June

1 January – Cheltenham New Year’s Day Card 7 January – Sandown Park races featuring the Tolworth Hurdle 21 January – Ascot hosts the Clarence House Chase 28 January – Cheltenham’s Festival Trials Day 4 February – Sandown has the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase 11 February – Newbury races host the Betfair Hurdle card 18 February – Ascot has the Ascot Chase 14-18 March – it’s the Cheltenham Festival 2023 1 April – Doncaster hosts the start of the Flat turf season 7 April – Newcastle stages All-Weather Finals day 15 April – the Grand National takes place at Aintree 22 April – Ayr has the Scottish Grand National 29 April – Sandown brings the National Hunt season to a close 5-7 May – the Guineas Festival at Newmarket races featuring the first Classics 10-12 May – Chester hosts the May Festival 17-19 May – York races has the Dante Festival 20 May – Newbury stages the first Group 1 Flat races for older horses, the Lockinge Stakes 2-3 June – Epsom Downs races with The Oaks and The Derby 20-24 June – it’s Royal Ascot 2023

July-December

8 July – Sandown stages the Coral Eclipse Stakes 13-15 July – Newmarket hosts the July Festival including the July Cup 29 July – Ascot races has the King George & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes 1-5 August – it’s Glorious Goodwood 2023 23-26 August – the Ebor Festival at York takes place 9 September – Haydock Park races has its Sprint Cup day 28-30 September – Newmarket hosts the Cambridgeshire Meeting 10-11 October – Chepstow races mark the official start of the core National Hunt season 10-11 October – The Future Champions Festival at Newmarket takes place 21 October – Ascot stages QIPCO British Champions Day 2023 11 November – Doncaster brings the curtain down on the British Flat turf season 17-19 November – Cheltenham hosts its November Meeting 25 November – Haydock has the Betfair Chase card 1-2 December – Newbury stages the Winter Carnival including the Ladbrokes Trophy 2 December – Newcastle races host the Fighting Fifth Hurdle 9 December – Sandown has the Tingle Creek Chase 23 December – Ascot stages the Long Walk Hurdle just before Christmas 26 December – Boxing Day racing across the UK including the King George VI Chase 27 December – Chepstow hosts the Welsh Grand National 28 December – Newbury has its Challow Hurdle card

Analysis: No reduction in number of British horse racing fixtures, Easter delays Grand National 

SportsLens Horse Racing Editor Jamie Clark

An overstuffed set of British horse racing fixtures in 2023 totalling almost 1,500 meetings is what we have next year. There are 59 racecourses in the UK (not including Northern Ireland). That means on average these tracks hosts around 25 days each per venue in the next calendar year.

Easter falling on Sunday, 9 April is just 24 hours after the traditional slot for the Grand National. Moving the premier Aintree races back a week to its latest ever date as a result might not be such a bad thing, though. It gives horses who ran at the Cheltenham Festival a longer break between the two major meetings.

On the Flat, meanwhile, there are just two months and two days from the official start of the season to The Derby. Most of the key trials for the premier Classic take place on 10 May or later. If the Irish programme helps three-year-old thoroughbreds ready themselves better by starting earlier, don’t be surprised if Emerald Isle raiders take the Epsom spoils.

Debate rages about whether there is too much racing. While changes to the programme by the Jump Pattern Committee announced recently were cosmetic, this is further evidence than the fixture list needs drastic surgery. With so many stakeholders involved in the conversation, don’t expect agreement on change any time soon.

Something’s got to give, though. By 2024, the sport and its related industries really do need to reach some consensus about a programme of competition that is fit for purpose relating to the equine population we have in the UK. The British horse racing fixtures in 2023 don’t really do that.