Our team are always on hand to answer any questions or queries you have, but these frequently asked questions are usually a good start.
Tickets & Booking
When do online tickets close?
Online tickets remain open before and during each fixture and can be used to purchase tickets on the day of racing.
Group Discounts
We offer group discounts for bookings of 10 or more, select the group package at checkout. *Only valid for certain fixtures
Do you offer a student discount?
Yes, students with valid ID receive a £5 discount. This discount is applied against the on the day ticket price and is only available on Grandstand tickets purchased on the day of racing. Valid Student ID Card required.
Can I purchase extra tickets on the day?
Yes! Online tickets remain open during each fixture and can be used to purchase tickets on the day of racing. You can also buy a ticket on the gate via card payment only.
When will I receive my tickets?
All tickets will be sent via email. This includes tickets for restaurant and hospitality bookings. You will receive your ticket(s) two weeks before the fixture you are due to attend. If you’ve booked your tickets within two weeks of the fixture, these will be sent immediately. Sometimes these can land in your junk folder so please check before getting in touch.
Can I collect my tickets on the day?
Unless at the request of the racecourse (for example carers tickets), there is no longer an on the day ticket collection option. All tickets can only be sent via email.
Do I need to print my tickets?
No, we can scan e-tickets off mobile devices (mobile phones & tablets). If you wish to print them off and bring them along in paper format this is fine.
Can I transfer / refund my tickets or packages?
Once purchased, refunds or transfers on tickets and any other online purchases will only be available in the case of fixture abandonment or event cancellations and not for any other reason. Please see our terms and conditions of entry for full details.
Can I transfer between Enclosures?
Space permitting, you can upgrade your ticket to another enclosure on the day. Please visit the racecourse office.
Can Children come racing?
We welcome children and families. Children 17 and under go free to the races when accompanied by an adult (some exclusions apply for Festival fixtures and Live After Racing events).
How do I redeem a Gift Voucher?
• Simply visit https://www.arenaracingcompany.co.uk/racing/horse-racing/our-racecourses/ • Select the racecourse you'd like to visit. • Browse through the racecourse's fixtures and choose the date you'd like to attend. For tickets: Select the ticket you'd like to buy and add this to your basket. At the checkout, enter your unique Gift Voucher code for full or part payment in the 'Add Gift Voucher Code' field. For restaurants and hospitality packages: Call the racecourse on 0191 236 2020 with your gift voucher number to hand. Your gift voucher can be used as full or part payment over the phone • Any balance left will be credited to your account to use at a future event • Your ticket(s) will be emailed to you
How do I use/sign up for Rewards for Racing?
Rewards4Racing is the sport’s award-winning rewards programme, presenting racegoers with fantastic opportunities to enjoy unforgettable racing experiences for less. With Rewards4Racing, you can collect points when shopping online with over 4,000 retail partners, and you can also collect points on all of your sports bets with four betting partners. If you don't have an account with bet365, Betfair, Betfred or Coral, you can sign up via the Rewards4Racing website and deposit today to collect an extra £20 worth of points.
What discounts and concessions do you offer?
All tickets are currently only available in advance and have our advance discount applied. Concessions – A £5 discount will be available for concessions (60+ and Students) on standard admission tickets only. Concession tickets will be available online seven days before each fixture. Upon entry, valid ID may be required, so please bring with you (NUS Student Card/driver’s license). Tickets will be emailed to you and will need to be either printed out or shown on your phone.
Third-Party Vouchers
Customers who wish to redeem vouchers from third-parties must redeem these at least two weeks before the fixture they wish to attend.
Times
What time do gates open?
Typically, gates open two hours before the first race. For feature and festival fixtures, gates may open earlier. Check the what’s on fixture page for the date you’re attending for the most up-to-date time, as race times are subject to change.
What time is the last race and when will the racecourse close?
Races will take place at different times and can also change last minute, so please check your specific fixture.
Typically, the racecourse, along with bars and food outlets, will close shortly after the last race. For Live After Racing nights or themed racenights with music after racing, the live act will perform for an hour to 90 minutes after the last race and the racecourse will close shortly after the performance.
Check the what’s on fixture page for the date you’re attending for the most up-to-date times.
Travel & Entry
What do I need to wear?
Most racegoers choose a smart casual outfit when attending the races and we discourage sportswear and ripped jeans. There are more formal dress codes in place for some of our premier ticket options as well as hospitality and restaurant packages. Please click here to view our dress code.
How do I get to the racecourse?
You can find full details of how to get to the racecourse by car, air, train and bus on our Get Here page. Alternatively, you can find the full address on our Contact Us page.
Can I arrive by coach?
Yes, absolutely. We welcome coach groups to the racecourse. On arrival, coaches will be directed to our allocated coach parking.
Is parking available?
There is ample free parking available onsite for all raceday and event guests. Owners, Trainers and Jockeys have a dedicated car park, opposite the main entrance. Disabled parking is also located in close proximity to the racecourse entrance.
What entrance do I use?
Please use the East Gate for all entry.
Food & Drink
What bars and food concessions will be open?
You’ll always be able to grab a drink and bite to eat when you come racing. Different bars and food outlets will be available depending on how busy the fixture is likely to be.
Can I bring a picnic?
Picnics can be eaten in the designated picnic area, with the exception of alcohol and soft drinks. There are plenty of outlets available where can purchase a variety of food and drink.
Can I bring alcohol into the racecourse?
No alcohol can be brought into the racecourse. There will be a range of bars open selling a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Are barbecues allowed?
Barbecues are not allowed to be used at the racecourse.
Accessibility
How accessible is your racecourse?
We do all we can to ensure our visitors enjoy their day. This includes making our venue an easily accessible place and adding in extra features to make guests comfortable wherever possible. Click here for more information.
What do you offer personal assistants?
Personal assistants will receive free admission to the racecourse when accompanying a paying guest with accessibility needs.
Personal Assistant tickets can be claimed by bringing in proof of accessible needs on the day of racing e.g. Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance (AA) or Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP). Personal Assistant Tickets will be available to collect from the entrance on arrival. Please note you must provide supporting documentation.
For more information on these terms and conditions please click here.
Please email info@newcastle-racecourse.co.uk at least 24 hours in advance with your name and details of the fixture you wish to attend to arrange these tickets. Subject to availability.
Do you offer wheelchair viewing?
All Wheelchair users have access to a viewing platform to watch the racing, which is situated by the Parade Ring.
Betting & Payments
Where can I place a bet on course?
Betting at the horse racing is a time-honoured tradition. If you wish to join in, there are a number of places across the racecourse where you can place a bet – either with the tote, which is a pool betting option (similar to the lottery) or with the on-course bookmakers. Find out more about betting at the racecourse.
Will bookmakers still accept cash?
Yes – bookmakers will still accept cash and some will also accept debit cards. There are no cash machines on the racecourse so if cash is your preferred method then please ensure you bring this with you.
Do you have cash machines?
No – There are no cash machines on site. All catering and bars accept debit or credit card payments only. The tote, along with bookmakers do accept cash payment and some may also accept debit card payments (no credit cards).
What payment method do you accept?
All bars and food outlets are cashless and will be accepting card and contactless payments only. However bookmakers and the tote will still accept cash payments. As there are no cash machines on the racecourse, please bring cash with you if this is your preferred payment method with bookmakers.
Experience
Is there seating available?
Unless you have booked a ticket with a reserved seat included, a restaurant package or hospitality option, there is only limited seating available across the racecourse and the majority will be outside.
Can I bring a chair?
Chairs will not be allowed to be brought into the racecourse during weekend fixtures, unless for medical reasons. For all other fixtures, we take a pragmatic approach and allow chairs into the racecourse when crowd size allows. This is always at the discretion of the safety officer on the day.
Can I smoke and where?
Smoking is permitted in the allocated smoking rings across the racecourse. Smoking is not permitted in the grandstands.
How do I download and use the ARC APP?
Our brand-new app is coming! More details will be available shortly.
Where is best to stay overnight?
There are numerous places nearby that we’d recommend. Visit our ‘Where To Stay’ page or visit the local tourism website for options and availability.
Does the weather affect the racing?
For turf tracks, the amount of rainfall will impact the ‘Going’ at the racecourse. Simply put, this is the condition of the racing surface and how ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ the ground is. Different horses enjoy different ground conditions and therefore the going reports are vital for a horse’s trainer and owner in deciding when and where a horse should run.
The health and safety of all participants and horses is our top priority. If the racing surface is deemed unraceable (this could be due to waterlogging, frozen surfaces or even too hard a surface) or extreme weather conditions are unsafe, a fixture will be abandoned. If this happens, customers will be alerted and the information will be available immediately on our website – there is no need to call. Full or partial refunds will be automatically provided according to our refund policy, available on our terms and conditions of entry.
Dogs
Can I bring a dog?
With the exception of Guide Dogs of the Blind and other Assistance Dogs, dogs are not permitted to enter the racecourse. In the interests of animal welfare, no dogs are permitted to be left in cars and we politely request that all dogs are left at home.
Photography
Can I take photographs?
At all meetings we ask you to ensure that no flash photography takes place near the horses. Otherwise, you are welcome to take photographs for personal non-commercial use only. During live music and entertainment, the artists' management retain all image rights. Any photographer that is felt to be impeding or contravening these rights without accreditation and prior written consent will be requested to leave the premises. You cannot take images for commercial purposes without prior permission from the racecourse and provision of press accreditation.
Note Professional filming and photography takes place here at the racecourse for various publications and broadcasting and race goers (including families) consent to being filmed, photographed and otherwise recorded by the Racecourse or any authorised third-party. By entering the racecourse, you accept our terms and conditions of entry, which authorised by the Racecourse the right to broadcast, publish, licence and use any photographs, film, recordings or images of you without payment or other compensation in any promotional literature produced by Arena Racing Company. Full copies of our Terms & Conditions are available here.