The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a seasonal highlight and it is almost upon us, with all its glamour, celebrity excitement and champagne, not to mention great horse racing between the best of the best! The season is just about to open here in Norfolk.  

Here in Norfolk we have two excellent Horse racing circuits, which cover both disciplines of hurdles and flat racing. So if you are a jump fan, there is time to catch the opening of the jump season right here in Norfolk with the excellent Fakenham Racecourse hosting racing on Easter Monday.

Families can enjoy this lovely day of thrills, spills, picnics and fun together, watching the racing from the centre of the course. Our own family has spent many a happy Easter Monday perched on the roof of the motor home munching the Easter Bunny haul of chocolate as the races literally run in a circle around us.

Even the family dog can come along as long as it is well behaved and on a lead at all times. It is a given that all waste must be bagged and binned.

Most of the fixtures at Fakenham are in the day time, which then once racing has finished, you enjoy the shopping, restaurants and pubs available in Fakenham and the lovely villages and towns such as Holt and Blakeney in North Norfolk.

The other superb venue for horse racing in Norfolk is the Great Yarmouth Racecourse which opens for business this year on the 25th April, so you have a little breathing space to recover from the jumps to switch gears to the flat!

At Great Yarmouth, which is a slightly larger course than Fakenham, the racing is thrilling with big names taking part. You would be extremely unlucky if you weren’t able to spot one of the top jockeys around including Oisin Murphy, Frankie Dettori or Silvesta De Sousa.

There is plenty of entertainment as well as the racing, so a day at the races is action packed. The course is very close to the lovely beaches at Great Yarmouth so a quick paddle with sand castle building should be added to the day!

Most of the fixtures at Great Yarmouth are in the evening, so once racing has finished, race goers can enjoy all the fun and entertainment that the nightlife in the seaside resort of Great Yarmouth offers.

Both courses put on events and one of the best are the Ladies Days (Fakenham) and Ladies Nights (Great Yarmouth) where a fancy hat is a must! Prosecco, wine and spirits flows and the live music keeps the party going.

A day out at the races can be a great day out for couples, singletons, friends or a family affair, there’s always so much excitement before the races get under way. You can buy programs on the door, flick through the paper or go on-line to see who you think will get the spoils on the day, and regardless if you win, lose or don’t bet at all, the atmosphere and the spirit of the day will ensure you have a quality day out here in Norfolk

So go one race over the finish line, win by a short head and prepare to have your heart flutter with excitement!