Royal Windsor Racecourse races on Friday 1 January 2027: gates about 10am, first race about 11.50am, adults from £20, under 18s free. Plus Ascot on 18-19 Dec.

Royal Windsor Racecourse races on New Year’s Day, Friday 1 January 2027, the second year running after the fixture came back in 2026 for the first time since 1998. Admission starts at £20, children 17 and under go free with an adult, and parking on site is free but limited (Royal Windsor Racecourse).

The quick answer

  • Date: Friday 1 January 2027, jumps racing, six to eight races.
  • Times (provisional): gates about 9.50am to 10am, first race about 11.50am, last race about 3.20pm, gates close 4.20pm.
  • Tickets: adults from £20 online; under 18s free and need no ticket in advance.
  • Parking: free on site, first come, first served.
  • For children: pony rides, pony petting and face painting, all included.
  • Before that: Ascot’s Christmas racing weekend, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 December, from £19, also free for under 18s.
New Year’s Day 2027
Date Friday 1 January 2027
Gates open 9.50am (racecourse news, 29 October); the event page says 10am, “tbc”
First race 11.50am (provisional)
Last race 3.20pm (provisional)
Gates close 4.20pm
Adult admission £20 (first release)
Under 18s Free, with an adult
Concessions None
Parking Free, limited
Venue Royal Windsor Racecourse, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, SL4 5JJ

Times

The racecourse gives two slightly different sets of times, both provisional. Its news post of 29 October says gates open at 9.50am, the first race is at 11.50am and the last at 3.20pm, with the gates closing at 4.20pm; food and drink outlets are open from 9.50am to 3.20pm (Royal Windsor Racecourse). The event page lists gates at 10am, first race 11.49am and last race 3.22pm, each marked “tbc”, and six to eight races (event page). Plan on arriving before 10am if you want a parking space and a good spot for the first race.

The card includes the New Year’s Day Hurdle, worth £100,000, a race that used to be run at Cheltenham, according to the racecourse.

Tickets and prices

From the racecourse’s own ticket list on 9 November 2026 (event page):

  • Admission, first release: £20. The grandstand, views of the finishing line, home straight, parade ring and winners’ enclosure, bars, food outlets and betting.
  • Group of eight or more, first release: £18 each.
  • Family of four “hot choc bundle”: £40. Two adult admissions and two under 18 admissions, with two hot chocolates for the children.
  • Thirsty Day at the Races: £26. Admission, two drinks and a racecard.
  • A Day at the Races: £30. Admission, a hot pie, a drink and a racecard.

“First release” means the price is likely to rise as tickets sell, and the racecourse says buying online ahead gets the best price. Booking direct on its website or by phone carries no fee; hospitality through its partner Seat Unique does.

Children 17 and under go free when with an adult. They do not need a ticket in advance and are given a free one on the day. There are no student, pensioner or other concessions on New Year’s Day.

What is on besides the racing

The racecourse lists, all included in the ticket (Royal Windsor Racecourse):

  • Pony rides and pony petting for children.
  • Face painting.
  • The Bluebird Belles, a vocal harmony group, singing through the morning.
  • The Ceremonial Light Cavalry, escorting jockeys and horses round the course during the day.
  • A children’s craft area, on the event page.

A Bank Holiday Brunch hospitality package, with a table for the whole meeting, is sold separately.

Rules worth knowing before you go

  • Card only at the bars and food outlets.
  • No food, drink or picnics may be brought in, except for allergies or dietary needs, and the racecourse asks you to ring ahead.
  • Bag search on arrival.
  • No dogs except assistance dogs, and the racecourse asks that dogs are not left in cars.
  • It is outdoors with limited indoor space, so the racecourse says to wrap up warm and bring waterproofs.

Getting there and parking

Parking is free on site but limited, on a first come, first served basis; tell the stewards if you need an accessible space. The racecourse advises car sharing, public transport or walking, and staying on after the last race while the traffic clears. Subject to availability, the French Brothers river boat runs from the town centre to the racecourse’s own landing (Royal Windsor Racecourse).

Trains are thinner than usual over New Year. South Western Railway says its services resume at 6.20am on 1 January after the overnight fireworks trains; check the Windsor & Eton Riverside times before you travel, and see our Christmas trains page. Paddington is shut to main line trains from 27 December to 3 January, and from 31 December to 2 January buses replace trains between Slough and Hayes & Harlington. GWR’s shuttle from Slough to Windsor & Eton Central keeps running; see our Paddington closure page. Town car parks and prices are on parking in Windsor, and any closures on roadworks and travel.

Before New Year: Ascot’s Christmas racing, 18 and 19 December

Ascot Racecourse’s last meeting of the year is the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 December 2026, with gates at 10.45am (Visit Windsor):

  • Friday tickets from £19. The card includes the Grade 2 Howden Noel Novices’ Chase and ends with a Listed bumper.
  • Saturday tickets from £29. The main race is the Grade 1 Howden Long Walk Hurdle, with fairground rides, carol singing and seasonal entertainment off the track. Family entertainment is on the Saturday only.
  • Under 18s go free with an adult and need no ticket; older teenagers may be asked for ID.

Ascot does not publish race times on a page we can read; the racecourse’s own site loads them in a script. The Visit Windsor listing is the Royal Borough’s tourism service.

Frequently asked questions

Is there racing at Windsor on New Year’s Day 2027?

Yes. Royal Windsor Racecourse races on Friday 1 January 2027, jumps racing with six to eight races and the New Year’s Day Hurdle.

What time does Windsor New Year’s Day racing start?

The racecourse’s provisional times are gates 9.50am, first race 11.50am and last race 3.20pm, with the gates closing at 4.20pm. Its event page gives 10am, 11.49am and 3.22pm, all marked “tbc”, so check the week before.

How much are tickets?

From £20 for adult admission in the first release. Under 18s go free with an adult, and there are no other concessions. A family bundle of two adults and two children with hot chocolates is £40.

Is parking free at Windsor Racecourse on New Year’s Day?

Yes, but limited, first come, first served. Arrive early.

Can I take a dog?

No, only assistance dogs.

Sources