Goodwood named one of the most ‘Instagrammable’ racecourses in the UK

The study from betting tips, predictions and news site, The Winners Enclosure, aims to find the most Instagrammable racecourse. To do so, they analysed the number of Instagram hashtags that each of the 85 active racecourses across the UK and Ireland receive. Then by comparing this figure to each venues’ capacity, they were able to reveal the Instagram post-per-spectator ratio of each racecourse.

Across the UK and Ireland, 6,066 million people attended a racecourse in 2023, but it’s fans who went to Goodwood who were among the most likely to share their experience on social media.

Staged at the height of summer, ‘Glorious’ Goodwood has for many racegoers been the highlight of the British racing calendar. The racecourse is located on the Goodwood Estate in the heart of West Sussex’s countryside and is perhaps one of Britain’s most picturesque racecourses.

The study revealed that Goodwood is the sixth most Instagrammable racecourse in the UK and Ireland, as it received a post-per-spectator ratio of 0.88. The racecourse has a modest capacity of 20,000 people and has amassed a hefty 17,545 Instagram hashtags from racegoers posting pictures online.

The UK and Ireland’s most Instragrammable racecourses

Chester was found to be the most Instagrammable racecourse in the UK and Ireland, with an impressive post-per-spectator ratio of 2.83. Established in 1539, the 25,000-capacity racecourse is the oldest in operation around the world today, and has received a staggering 70,700 posts using the hashtag #ChesterRaces on Instagram.

Cheltenham receives the most hashtags of any UK and Ireland racecourse, with a whopping 98,900 fans posting pictures on Instagram using the #CheltenhamRaces. The racecourse at Prestbury Park has a capacity of 68,500 people, which often sells out every March for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and means the famous racecourse ranks in second place, with a 1.44 posts-per-spectator ratio.

Ranking in third place overall and first place for the most Instagrammable racecourse in Ireland is Galway, as it receives 62,000 hashtags from fans. With a capacity of 45,000, this gives the Ballybrit Racecourse a posts-per-spectator ratio of 1.38.

York ranks fourth, thanks to its post-per-spectator ratio of 1.24. Up to 56,000 fans descend on the flat course during the summer, and this has led to 69,200 hashtags on Instagram.

Scotland’s highest-ranking racecourse is Perth, which takes fifth overall. Located around 38 miles north of Edinburgh, it has a capacity of 10,000. Almost 9,000 spectators have posted pictures at the racecourse on Instagram which gives it 0.9 posts-per-spectator ratio.

Ascot ranks just behind Goodwood in seventh place, as although it receives 55,900 hashtags on Instagram, its high capacity of 70,000 means it has a post-per-spectator ratio of 0.8. Ascot is followed by Newmarket in eighth (0.76), then Newbury (0.71), and Musselburgh (0.63) in tenth place.