FLAT: Left handed, galloping oval track. The round course is about twelve furlongs long with a run-in of four furlongs. The turn approaching the straight is slightly downhill, and it's possible for those prominent to gain an advantage once in line for home. The straight course is particularly wide, allowing for sprints with a maximum field size of 25, making it rare for the runners to stay in one group in big-field events. A course whose character changes dramatically on account of the going; it's one of the most gruelling in the country on heavy ground.

NATIONAL HUNT: The Ayr course is a left-handed circuit of one and a half miles comprising nine fences, with well-graduated turns. There is a steady downhill run to the home turn and a gentle rise to the finish. There is a run-in of 210 yards. When the going is firm the course is sharp, but conditions regularly get extremely gruelling, making for a thorough test.