BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup

Exeter Racecourse hosts the BetMGM Haldon Gold Cup on Friday 6 November, the feature race of the year for the course and one of the biggest dates in Devon's sporting calendar. It's an early-season test for some of the West Country's best chasers, with leading trainers and jockeys heading to Haldon Hill. Racing has taken place on the hill for centuries, and the Gold Cup has become part of Exeter's sporting story, with a roll call of brilliant horses, trainers and jockeys behind it; Thistle Ask took the honours in 2025.

The day is presented as the 'thrill on the hill' and sits at the top of the West Country racing season, returning this year as part of Westcountry Weekend 2026. Around the racing, live music plays throughout the day, and the Shrine takes over once the racing finishes. It's a full day out rather than just a few races, with the music keeping things going from morning until the final fence is cleared.

Getting there is straightforward: dedicated Greenslades buses run from Exeter St Davids, Exeter City Centre and Newton Abbot Train Station, and there's free parking on site if you're driving. The feature race itself goes off at 14:25, and tickets start from £30. The course is at Kennford, Exeter, Devon, EX67XS.