The first race-day of the year gets under starter's orders at Newbury Racecourse a week today with a six-race card over the fences.

Gates open on Wednesday, 16 January, at 11am, with the first race off at 1.10pm.

An exciting card features the Betfred Mobile Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase won last year by subsequent Grade 2-winner Saint Calvados; while other notable winners on this day have included 2015 World Hurdle-winner Cole Harden and Champion Chase-hero Finian’s Rainbow.

Then in February, one of the highlights of the Jumps season, the Betfair Super Saturday will showcase some of racing’s biggest names alongside the stars of the future.

The £155,000 Betfair Hurdle, now the richest race of its type in the UK, boasts a prestigious roll of honour dating back to 1963 with recent winners including 2019 Arkle favourite Kalashnikov and three-time Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent or Yours.

The day also features two Grade 2 races: the Betfair Denman Chase, a notable trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup; and the Betfair Exchange, last year used as a stepping stone by Altior, who went on to win the 2018 Champion Chase.

With 70 per cent of last year's Cheltenham Festival winners involved in the day, Betfair Super Saturday is a great chance to see the stars in action before they head to the big March meeting.

March heralds the Mencap Charity Raceday on Friday, 1 March, followed by the Greatwood Charity Raceday on the Saturday.

The two-day Be Wiser Jump Season Finale from 22-23 March brings the National Hunt season to a close with a series of competitive races that provide a chance to see some promising young horses getting a run out before the focus turns to the Flat season with the Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials & Beer Festival in April.

Two days of exciting Flat racing from 12-13 April kick off what promises to be a momentous season at Newbury, winners on the card in recent years have included subsequent Group 1-winner Seville Star and Lah Ti Dar, who went on to two Listed successes and multiple Group 1 placings.

Real ale enthusiasts will also have cause for excitement too, with the racecourse's annual beer festival taking place over both days of the meeting.

And there's a lot more excitement in the offing on 17 August when ska legends Madness bring the curtain down on the day's live racing, which will feature a seven-race card.

Offering top quality entertainment over 29 race-days in 2019, Newbury is one of the UK's leading horseracing venues with a range of great facilities that also make it a fantastic venue for other events such as weddings and conferences.

For more information visit the Newbury Racecourse website.

RACING AT NEWBURY IN 2019
JANUARY
16 Wednesday, Afternoon Racing JUMPS
FEBRUARY
9 Saturday, Betfair Super Saturday JUMPS
MARCH
1 Friday, Mencap Charity Raceday JUMPS
2 Saturday,Greatwood Charity Raceday JUMPS
22 Friday, Be Wiser Jumps Season Finale Friday JUMPS
23 Saturday, Be Wiser Jumps Season Finale Saturday JUMPS
APRIL
12 Friday, Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials FLAT
13 Saturday, Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials FLAT
19 Friday, The Peter O'Sullevan Lambourn Open Day FLAT
MAY
17 Friday, Starlight Charity Raceday FLAT
18 Saturday, Al Shaqab Lockinge Day with Ladies Day FLAT
JUNE
13 Thursday, June Afternoon Racing FLAT
25 Tuesday, June Evening Racing FLAT
JULY
4 Thursday, July Evening Racing 1 FLAT
11 Thursday, July Evening Racing 2 FLAT
19 Friday, July Afternoon Racing FLAT
25 Thursday, July Evening Racing 3 FLAT
AUGUST
6 Tuesday, August Afternoon Racing FLAT
16 Friday, August Afternoon Racing FLAT
17 Saturday, Madness Live After Racing
SEPTEMBER
20 Friday, Dubai Duty Free Int'l Friday FLAT
21 Saturday, Dubai Duty Free Int'l Saturday FLAT
OCTOBER
25 Friday, October Afternoon Racing FLAT
26 Saturday, Worthington's Armed Forces Raceday FLAT
NOVEMBER
7 Thursday, November Afternoon Racing JUMPS
29 Friday, Ladbrokes Winter Carnival Friday JUMPS
30 Saturday, Ladbrokes Trophy Day JUMPS
DECEMBER
18 Wednesday, December Afternoon Racing JUMPS
28 Saturday, Challow Hurdle Day JUMPS