8Oct 2026
Flat season finale
The last Flat racing of the year, when the season’s champion trainer, jockey and owner are crowned.
Tickets
Meetings and tickets for 2026/27
Ayr’s Flat season ends in early October and the jumps season starts at the end of the month. After November there’s a break until the new year; the Scottish Grand National Festival is in April.
Ayr fixturesSeason 2026/27
11Nov 2026
November jumps racing
Midweek jumps racing.
30Nov 2026
November jumps racing
The last racing before a break in December.
16–17Apr 2027
Coral Scottish Grand National Festival
Ladies Day on Friday, then the Scottish Grand National and Scottish Champion Hurdle on Saturday, Scotland’s biggest raceday.
- Fri: Ladies Day
- Sat: Scottish Grand National
From£40
Tickets
Ayr also races in late October to open the jumps season; see the racecourse fixture list. Over-60s get up to £5 off Club or Grandstand tickets, except on Scottish Grand National and Ayr Gold Cup Saturdays.
Scotland’s biggest raceday
Scottish Grand National Saturday in April.
Dressing up
Ladies Day, the Friday of the festival.
Top-class sprinting
The Ayr Gold Cup Festival in September.
A quieter visit
A midweek jumps day in November.
Which enclosure should you choose?
Most Ayr racedays are now a single enclosure: one ticket gets you into all the public areas. On the big days, such as the Scottish Grand National and the Ayr Gold Cup, the Club and Grandstand are sold separately, and National Saturday adds the Tented Village.
Premium
Club
The first floor of the Princess Royal Suite with panoramic views, and the Champagne Lawns by the Parade Ring. Smart casual.
Main enclosure
Grandstand (Premier)
The grandstand overlooking the track, the Ayrshire Suite bars and café, and the Parade Ring. On most days this is the single-enclosure ticket.
National Saturday
Grandstand Tented Village
A party area built for Scottish Grand National Saturday, with street food, cocktails and a live band, but no Parade Ring access.
Compare every enclosure side by side: prices, views, bars and food, dress codes and entrances.
What will the trip cost?
A quick estimate for your group. Where we have confirmed a ticket price it’s filled in; otherwise add the price from the racecourse’s booking page. Change any figure to match your plans.
Getting to Ayr
Ayr is on the Ayrshire coast, 37 miles south-west of Glasgow.
By train
Regular trains from Glasgow Central. On big days, trains are busy and ScotRail may queue passengers at Ayr after racing, so buy your ticket in advance. A taxi from the station takes under five minutes.
By car
Glasgow is 37 miles away and Edinburgh 83 miles. Parking is free for everyone.
Coach packages
Transport-and-entry tickets include coach travel from Glasgow, Hamilton, East Kilbride, Kilmarnock and Irvine on selected big days. Call 01292 264179.
By air
Glasgow Prestwick Airport is about ten minutes away; Glasgow Airport about 40 minutes.
Parking at Ayr Racecourse
Ayr’s official Scottish Grand National visitor information confirms free parking for guests and says ample space is available. If driving to the festival, consult the event’s current visitor page and follow the directions provided for your booking. Ask the racecourse about a reserved bay, your particular car-park allocation or overnight collection if any of those arrangements are important to your visit.
Official parking advice — checked 14 October 2026.
Coming by train?
Book advance fares to Ayr.
Hotels near Ayr Racecourse
Ayr is a seaside town with plenty of hotels, and one right in the racecourse grounds. The championship golf coast at Troon and Turnberry is close by.
Big weekends
Rooms near the course go quickly for the Scottish Grand National in April and the Ayr Gold Cup in September. Book early.
At the racecourse
As close as you can get.
- Western House Hotel, a four-star hotel with 49 rooms in the racecourse grounds, home of the Jockey Club Restaurant, with free valet parking
- The Mila, apartments about 0.2 miles from the racecourse
Ayr town and seafront
A short taxi ride to the course.
- Fairfield House Hotel, a restored Victorian mansion on the seafront, with a pool and spa
- Savoy Park Hotel, a historic boutique hotel at 16 Racecourse Road, near the beach
- Mercure Ayr Hotel, about 15 minutes’ walk from both the beach and the racecourse
- Travelodge Ayr, a budget option, a short taxi ride (or 24-minute walk) from the course
Burns country and the coast
A short drive away.
- Brig O’ Doon House Hotel, in Alloway, a short walk from the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
- Marine Troon, a seaside hotel with a pool, overlooking the golf links at Troon
Scottish Grand National hotels: where to stay and travel
Find a hotel
Compare hotels in Ayr and along the Ayrshire coast.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Evenings in Ayr
The big days carry on after racing at the course; otherwise Ayr’s town centre and seafront are a short taxi ride away.
- After racing
Live music
On Scottish Grand National Saturday the party carries on after the last race, with live music in the Club, Grandstand Premier and Tented Village.
- Dinner
The Jockey Club Restaurant
The restaurant at the Western House Hotel, in the racecourse grounds.
- Dinner
Brig O’ Doon House, Alloway
A hotel restaurant in Burns country, beside the old bridge over the River Doon.
- Evening
Ayr town centre
Pubs and restaurants around Wellington Square, the seafront and the town centre.
Things to do while you are here
Ayr is the gateway to Burns country and the Ayrshire coast.
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
In Alloway, with the cottage where Scotland’s national poet was born, Alloway Auld Kirk and the Brig o’ Doon.
Culzean Castle
A clifftop castle and country park on the Ayrshire coast, with beautiful gardens. It’s run by the National Trust for Scotland, so members get in free.
Ayr Beach and the Auld Brig
A long sandy beach and the town’s medieval bridge.
Dumfries House
An 18th-century country house with gardens, a short drive inland.
Championship golf
Royal Troon, Prestwick and Turnberry are all close by.
On the day
Gates normally open two hours before the first race; check your raceday page for the times.
2 hours beforeGates normally open two hours before the first race.
On the dayTickets are also sold at the gate when it opens, subject to availability.
Under 18Free with a full-paying adult (exclusions apply on some fixtures).
Source: Ayr Racecourse: Plan your day FAQs, checked 4 October 2026.
Dress code
Club and hospitality: smart casual, with no ripped or torn denim and no trainers. Grandstand: no formal dress code. No football colours anywhere on the course.
Children
Under-18s aren’t allowed in the Cree Lodge Bar, Be-friendly Bar, Champagne Bar or Champagne Lawns, and under-12s can’t go into the Parade Ring or Winners’ Enclosure.
Food and drink
The Grandstand has the Cree Lodge Bar, the Courtyard Bar and the Eglinton Food Court; the Club side has a carvery, a burger bar and the Ayrshire Suite Bar, and mobile food stalls are dotted around the course.
After racing
On Scottish Grand National Saturday the party carries on after the last race, with live music in the Club, Grandstand Premier and Tented Village.
Getting home by train
Leave extra time after the big days: trains are busy and there may be queues at Ayr station.
Betting is optional
You don’t need to bet to enjoy the day. If you do, you must be 18 or over; set a limit before you arrive.
Families and groups
Ayr is good value for families: under-18s go free with a full-paying adult.
Under-18s free
Children under 18 get in free with a full-paying adult, though some fixtures have exclusions. They must be with an adult, and proof of age may be asked for.
Where children can go
Under-18s can’t use the Cree Lodge Bar, Be-friendly Bar, Champagne Bar or Champagne Lawns, and under-12s can’t enter the Parade Ring or Winners’ Enclosure.
A seaside weekend
Ayr Beach and Culzean Castle make it easy to turn racing into a family weekend.
Help on the day and afterwards
In an emergency
Call 999 and give the address, Ayr Racecourse, Whitletts Road, Ayr, KA8 0JE. Then tell a member of staff.
Racecourse office
Call 01292 264179 or email info@ayr-racecourse.co.uk.
After your visit
Official results are on the BHA results page.
A little history
- 1576The first recorded racing at Ayr, one of the oldest racing towns in Scotland.
- 1907The present racecourse opens. The Western House, now the hotel in the racecourse grounds, was once the meeting place of the Western Meeting Club.
- 1966The Scottish Grand National moves to Ayr after Bogside racecourse closes.
More Ayr guides
Scottish Grand National guideEvery day, every price, hospitality and Festival travelCompare the enclosuresPrices, views, dress codes and entrances side by sideAccessibilityParking, viewing areas, toilets and personal assistant ticketsYour first racedayHow a day at the races works
Prices, dates and travel details were checked on 4 October 2026. The racecourse can change prices, times and arrangements, so check your booking page before you pay. This is an independent guide, not connected to Ayr Racecourse. Some links may earn us a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you; this never decides what we recommend.