Guide to Exeter Racecourse
Exeter is a rebranding of the old Devon & Exeter track that has been racing in differing forms for around 350 years. Perched atop Haldon Hill and overlooking (on clear days) the strange but magnificent scenery of Dartmoor, at 850 feet above sea level, it is the highest course in Britain. Some locals still refer to it as Haldon Racecourse; it’s the original name.
2019 saw the 250th anniversary of the first Jockey Club-approved meeting held on the original Haldon Hill course. Situated just outside Exeter on the A38 Plymouth to Exeter road, its status has improved enormously over the past two decades and now has obvious claims to be the premier track in the southwest of England. It only holds meetings from October to May, but racing can be of a very high standard for a course off the beaten track.
Highlights: The highlight is the Haldon Gold Cup, a class 2 chase over 2 ¼ miles run in early November. The race has not only been won by some famous horses like Best Mate, Viking Flagship and Azertyioup, but others, such as Cue Card, have also used this as an introduction to a new season.
Both Desert Orchid and Best Mate made their chasing debuts here, and it is classed as one of the fairest courses in the country, particularly for novices. Unfortunately, Best Mate also died here after suffering a heart attack during the 2005 renewal of the race.
The course also hosts its own national, which is run in February of each year; the Devon National has proved a popular prep race for the Midlands Grand National.
Type of Racing: National Hunt Only
TV Channel: Racing TV
Bookmaker Streaming Services Available from Betfair, Bet 365.
If you are off to the races at Exeter today, then why not download the OLBG app to keep up to date with all the latest Exeter tips from OLBG tipsters?
* All statistics below are based on the previous five years at Exeter
Exeter Outright Favourite Statistics
- Handicap Chases: 38-140 (27%) -29.53
- Handicap Hurdles: 49-149 (33%) -1.19
- Non-Handicap Chases: 27-42 (64%) +6.00
- Non-Handicap Hurdles: 58-122 (48%) -8.70
Exeter Racecourse Map
Right-handed course of about 2 miles with many undulations, particularly down the back straight, where there is a steep one-furlong descent followed by a compensating climb of a similar distance.
Racecourse Address: Kennford, Exeter, EX6 7XS
Racecourse Telephone Number: 01392 832599
To buy tickets for a race day at Exeter, head over to their official ticket booking webpage
How to get the best Exeter tips
It is the longest NH track in Britain and the second-longest to Pontefract overall; the going used to vary from one extreme to the other as there was no artificial watering system, but now limited watering can take place in very dry spells.
The fences are relatively easy, but the uneven spacing creates a challenge. The bends tend to be sweeping, which, despite the undulations, makes it fair for most types of horses.
However, stamina is required when the ground is very testing, and horses that can’t cope with very firm underfoot conditions may have a problem during dry spells.
West Country trainers Paul Nicholls, Philip Hobbs, and Colin Tizzard farm the bigger races at Exeter. Take notice when Evan Williams sends a horse from his Glamorgan stable.
Check above the brilliant OLBG members' tips who have researched today's races at Exeter.
Exeter Jockey & Trainer Statistics
Who are the best National Hunt jockeys and trainers to bet on at Exeter?
Following Daniel Skelton would have returned a profit here at Exeter with an LSP of +11.47, and their twenty winners have them at the head of the profitable trainers' list. P F Nicholls leads the trainers' list overall with thirty-five winners, but shows an overall loss. If you are looking for a trainer to follow in the eachway market, then it is N J Hawke who leads the way at Exeter. They have had a total of twenty-two placings, which includes eight winners for an eachway LSP of +151.10. A total of sixteen winners from one hundred seventy-five runners at Exeter has D E Pipe at the wrong end of the trainers' list with their 9% strike rate and worst LSP of -68.79.
Harry Cobden is the leading jockey here at Exeter with thirty-six winners, but you would have recorded a loss if you backed all of their rides, whilst following Harry Skelton would have returned the most winners (nineteen) from a profitable jockey. When looking at jockeys and looking for some eachway value at Exeter, then the jockey who shows the best eachway profit is J A Best, that LSP is +159.88, which has been accumulated by a total of twenty-one placings, which includes nine winners. Charlie Deutsch does not have a great record at Exeter; their LSP of -57.55 has them stone dead bottom of the jockeys' list, which has come from eight winners from eighty-seven rides, which is a 9% strike rate.
Exeter Picks & Hints
Here are some factors at Exeter for certain trainers or jockeys which have been profitable:
- 14-33 (42%) +37.18 - Backing Harry Cobden rides when over a trip of 2m1f
- 5-12 (42%) +16.60 - Backing P J / White Hobbs runners when in a Maiden Hurdle race
Exeter Top Jockey and Trainer Combinations
Here are the best trainer and jockey combinations at Exeter based on the number of winners:
- 21 Wins: P F Nicholls & Harry Cobden
- 19 Wins: Daniel Skelton & Harry Skelton
- 13 Wins: N J Henderson & Nico Boinville
- 11 Wins: Mrs Jane Williams & David G Noonan
- 10 Wins: J Scott & Lorcan Williams
Exeter Top Trainers By Most Winners and a Level Stakes Profit
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Skelton | 98-20-37 | +11.47 | -18.65 |
| Mrs Jane Williams | 76-18-31 | +53.76 | +32.24 |
| N J Hawke | 83-8-22 | +274.75 | +151.10 |
| H D Daly | 31-6-10 | +2.69 | -4.00 |
| Jamie Snowden | 28-6-10 | +5.50 | +0.16 |
| Sam Thomas | 17-6-9 | +6.81 | +3.51 |
| T Lacey | 44-5-15 | +179.16 | +112.34 |
| Jonjo and AJ O'Neill | 21-5-9 | +4.66 | -1.56 |
| T W Dennis | 17-5-8 | +13.25 | +7.20 |
| G L Moore | 15-5-6 | +19.88 | +8.96 |
Exeter Top Jockeys By Most Winners and a Level Stakes Profit
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Skelton | 80-19-34 | +14.47 | -5.09 |
| Bryan Carver | 102-17-34 | +3.12 | -6.86 |
| David G Noonan | 142-15-36 | +4.50 | -8.68 |
| Nico Boinville | 43-13-20 | +8.28 | +2.09 |
| Sean P Bowen | 67-11-22 | +3.73 | -9.22 |
| J A Best | 115-9-21 | +259.71 | +159.88 |
| Jordan Nailor | 27-9-11 | +20.55 | +9.47 |
| Tom Scudamore | 65-8-17 | +5.91 | -11.70 |
| Stan Sheppard | 41-6-22 | +176.16 | +142.26 |
| A Coleman | 16-6-10 | +6.91 | +2.12 |
With a huge combined experience of horse racing between them, this content has been created and is maintained by Darren Brett, James Banting and Andy Powell.
*All of the data for Exeter Racecourse, which includes the trainer and jockey statistics, has been created using statistics available from HorseRaceBase. The data includes all races throughout the last five years (2021 to 2025).
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
James Banting
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide