Autumn horse races at Ippodromo Capannelle, October 2 to December 31, 2026

Autumn horse races at Ippodromo Capannelle run from Friday, October 2 to Thursday, December 31, 2026, with 49 race days of flat racing and harness racing: 17 in October, 16 in November, 16 in December. The racecourse is at Via Appia Nuova 1245, 00178 Rome, and admission is free. The park opens two hours before the first race. For the October race days the official calendar gives a 14:00 start. For November and December the times are published week by week on the racecourse website, together with the runners and the results. You get there by regional train FL4 from Termini to Capannelle station, eight minutes of travel and five on foot along Via delle Capannelle, or by metro A to Cinecittà and then by bus (the racecourse website lists lines 520 and 789). By car, leave the Grande Raccordo Anulare at exit 23 Appio San Giovanni and take the Appia Nuova toward the center. There are no tickets to buy: you just show up at the gates.

The autumn races at Capannelle in brief

The autumn season at Ippodromo Capannelle is the first truly full season after the facility reopened, celebrated on September 20, 2026, 100 years after the great renovation of 1926. Races are held almost every weekday and on some Sundays, with flat racing on the grass and sand tracks and harness racing on the inner ring.

The formula is the usual one, and for those who do not follow horse racing it is worth explaining in a few lines. Each race day, called a meeting in turf language, includes several races in succession. On one day in late September, for example, there were seven races, from 15:00 to about 18:30. The public enters free, sits in the grandstand or on the lawn, watches the horses parade before the start and follows the finish on the straight in front of the stands. Those who wish can bet on the races. Those who do not bet enjoy the spectacle, which live has an intensity that television does not convey.

The operator, Zètema Progetto Cultura, has entrusted the telling of the season to a calendar published month by month, to race previews written with passion the day before and to reports the day after. It is a clear signal: the racecourse wants to bring Romans back to the grandstand, not only bettors.

The calendar of autumn races at Ippodromo Capannelle

The official calendar of Ippodromo Capannelle provides 49 race days for autumn 2026. Flat racing is held mostly on Tuesdays and Fridays, harness racing mostly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with a few extra Sundays and Mondays between November and December.

October 2026: 17 race days

Flat racing on Friday 2, Tuesday 6, Tuesday 13, Friday 16, Sunday 18, Tuesday 20, Friday 23, Tuesday 27 and Friday October 30. Harness racing on Saturday 3, Wednesday 7, Friday 9, Wednesday 14, Saturday 17, Wednesday 21, Saturday 24 and Wednesday October 28. For all the October race days the calendar gives a 14:00 start. According to the program released by the racecourse, on Sunday 18 the flat card offered many selection conditions races and the Premio Rumon, the month's main handicap. In harness racing, Friday 9 was the day of the Criterium for two-year-old horses, and on Wednesday 28 the qualifiers of the Gran Premio Anact Stakes Plus were run.

November 2026: 16 race days

Flat racing on Tuesday 3, Friday 6, Sunday 8, Tuesday 10, Friday 13, Sunday 15, Tuesday 17, Friday 20, Tuesday 24 and Friday November 27. Harness racing on Thursday 5, Wednesday 11, Monday 16, Thursday 19, Monday 23 and Thursday November 26. For the first two days of the month a 14:00 start is given. For the others the time is set later.

December 2026: 16 race days

Harness racing on Wednesday 2, Sunday 6, Saturday 12, Monday 14, Tuesday 15, Thursday 17, Monday 21, Thursday 24, Sunday 27 and Thursday December 31. Flat racing on Friday 4, Monday 7, Friday 11, Friday 18, Tuesday 22 and Tuesday December 29. For December 15 a 15:30 start is already given. Striking are the two harness racing days on Christmas Eve and on the last day of the year: the racecourse closes 2026 with horses on the track.

Times, runners and results

The time of the first race can change from one day to the next. On one flat racing day in late September, for example, the official preview announced seven races from 15:00 to about 18:30. The right way to plan is to check the night before the runners section of the official website and the day's preview, which the racecourse publishes with the program in PDF format.

Flat racing and harness racing: two different sports on the same track

Two different disciplines are run at Ippodromo Capannelle: flat racing, with the jockey in the saddle, and harness racing, with the driver seated on the sulky. Since 2014 they have shared the same facility, on separate tracks.

Flat racing

In flat racing the horse runs at its maximum natural pace, with the jockey in the saddle. At Capannelle the flat tracks are two, one grass and one sand. The grass one actually includes three, depending on the distance: the Big Track of about 2,600 meters, the Small Track of 2,100 meters and the Straight Track of 1,200 meters. The sand track is 2,000 meters long and is also used for training. Races are distinguished by category: conditions races, handicaps in which horses carry different weights to balance their chances, selling and claiming races, up to the grand prix.

Harness racing

In harness racing the horse must keep a precise gait, the trot, and pulls a light sulky guided by the driver. The harness track at Capannelle was built in 2013 and inaugurated on April 9, 2014. It is a 1,000-meter ring, carved out inside the flat tracks, with a curve radius of over 80 meters.

A volcanic-ash surface

The surface of the harness track consists of two layers of pozzolanic material, a 25-centimeter base and a 10-centimeter running layer, from a quarry only seven kilometers from the racecourse, finished with a thin layer of lapillus sand and washed pozzolana. It is a technical detail that says a lot: the track is made, literally, of the same volcanic earth of the Alban Hills that you can see on the horizon.

What a race day at Capannelle is like

A race day at Ippodromo Capannelle begins when the park opens, two hours before the first race, and ends with the last prize-giving. Entry is free and you can move around the grandstands, the lawn and the paddock.

The race program

The racecourse's advice to beginners is simple: on reaching the ticket offices, take the day's program from the board. It lists the races, the horses, the jockeys or drivers, the trainers and the favorites according to the specialist press. With that sheet in hand, even those who have never set foot in a racecourse quickly understand what is about to happen.

The grandstands and the paddock

There are four grandstands, located in the 400 meters before the finish line. Behind the two main ones opens the paddock, the ring where the horses are walked before going onto the track. The inner area is reserved for staff, but around it there are steps and benches from which the public watches the horses from a few meters away. It is the place where you can tell if a horse is nervous or calm, if it sweats, if it pulls the jockey.

Betting

You can bet at the Capannelle races. The official previews point out each time the races valid for Tris, Quartè and Quintè bets. Those who play do so at their own risk and within the limits they set. To enjoy the afternoon you do not need to bet a single euro.

The rebirth of Ippodromo Capannelle in 2026

Ippodromo Capannelle reopened to the public in summer 2026 after a difficult period in which it ran a real risk of closing. The restart is the result of a collaboration between Roma Capitale and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, with management entrusted to Zètema Progetto Cultura.

Capannelle restarts

The first meeting of the new phase was the flat racing evening of Friday, September 4, 2026, christened Capannelle Riparte, with the park open from 12:00 and the races from 18:00. The tracks have been regenerated and the racecourse workers are back at their posts. The race previews speak of a new sand ring, already the scene of the first wins of the season.

The September 20 celebration

On September 20, 2026 the racecourse celebrated the reopening with a free day from 12:00 to 21:30: eight races, street food, a Pony Village for children, behind-the-scenes tours of the Club House, the historic Weighing Room, the saddling paddock and the starting gates, a philatelic exhibition on the history of the facility and a DJ set at sunset. The date recalled the 100 years since the 1926 renovation.

A public heritage

The facility is owned by Roma Capitale. The operator presents it as a sporting, historical and social heritage of the city, and the autumn season is the test of this bet: filling the grandstands on weekdays, when horse racing has always been a sport for a few enthusiasts.

Ippodromo Capannelle: history and structure

Ippodromo Capannelle lies in the Agro Romano, southeast of Rome, at the foot of the Alban Hills, between the Grande Raccordo Anulare, the Appia Nuova and the Ciampino area. It covers 140 hectares and holds over 20,000 people across grandstands, parterre and green areas.

From 1881 to today

The first horse races in Rome took place under the Papal States, around 1870, outside Porta San Giovanni. Already in 1844, however, Lord George Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, had two days of races held on land near the present area, then used for fox hunting. The Jockey Club Italiano and the Società degli Steeple Chases were born, and in 1881, when racing was regularized and the Italian programs aligned with European ones, the first Ippodromo di Capannelle opened. The name comes from the typical huts of the Agro Romano that dotted the area.

The 1926 renovation

In 1926 the Società di Corse in Roma inaugurated the new racecourse, transformed by the design of the architect Paolo Vietti Violi into a modern equestrian center. The official site insists on the backdrop: the ruins of the Claudian Aqueduct and of the Villa of Lucrezia Romana, with the Alban Hills and the Abruzzo mountains behind. This is the facility whose centenary is celebrated in 2026.

Grandstands, stables, lights

The grandstands are the Main one, with 1,100 seats and a panoramic terrace. The Central or Pésage, with 600 seats, where the Club House, the jockeys' weighing room, the stewards' tower, the jockeys' room, the press room and the television control room are found. And the Finish Grandstand, with 486 seats. In front of the latter, at trackside, is the Terrazza Derby designed by Paolo Portoghesi. The stables, divided into two zones, can house more than 800 horses. Since summer 2006 25 floodlight towers between 24 and 40 meters high, with 550 floodlights of 2,000 watts, allow night racing.

A curiosity about the autumn horse races at Ippodromo Capannelle, October 2 to December 31, 2026

The nicest curiosity concerns the name. Capannelle does not recall a feat, a noble or a saint, but the straw and wood huts of the shepherds and farmers of the Agro Romano, which in the 19th century dotted the countryside around the fork between the Appia Nuova and the Appia Pignatelli. The racecourse website underlines it with a touch of pride: a very humble origin for a place that has seen Roman aristocracy and some of the greatest Italian flat racing champions parade.

The second curiosity is the first race, which precedes the racecourse by almost 40 years. In 1844 Lord George Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, had two days of racing held on nearby land, in an area where the English and Roman aristocracy practiced fox hunting. Rome, then capital of the Papal States, discovered English-style racing thanks to a British gentleman, and from that fashion the Jockey Club Italiano and the Società degli Steeple Chases were born.

The third is technical and concerns autumn. Harness racing at Capannelle is a relatively recent novelty: until 2014 the facility was reserved for flat racing, and the inner 1,000-meter track was built on purpose. Today the two disciplines alternate during the week, and whoever comes in autumn can see flat racing on grass on a Tuesday and harness racing on pozzolana on Wednesday, in the same amphitheater.

Something nobody tells you about the autumn horse races at Ippodromo Capannelle, October 2 to December 31, 2026

What nobody says is that the best days for a first afternoon at the racecourse are the weekdays, not the Sundays. The autumn calendar is built on working days: Tuesday and Friday for flat racing, Wednesday and Saturday for harness racing, with very few Sundays. Those with a free weekday afternoon find quiet grandstands, a seat wherever they like and the chance to get close to the paddock without elbowing.

The second thing concerns the light. In autumn the sun sets early, and the last races of November and December are run under the floodlights of the towers. It is a different spectacle: the lit track, the steam rising from the horses in the cold air, the grandstands in half-light. Those who have seen only the summer races cannot imagine how much the atmosphere changes.

The third is practical: the time written in the monthly calendar is not always that of the first race. The official previews of the days give the actual start, which can be 15:00 even when the calendar says 14:00, and the park opens two hours before anyway. It is best to check the night before and arrive with some margin, also to settle in calmly before the first start.

The advice I give you for visiting the autumn horse races at Ippodromo Capannelle, October 2 to December 31, 2026

My advice is to choose a day with an important race and arrive early. For November and December the days with the most significant races can be found by looking at the program the racecourse publishes week by week. They are the days when the best horses are on the track and the most expert enthusiasts in the grandstand, and the tension can be felt.

Come by train FL4 from Termini: eight minutes and then five on foot, without the parking problem. Pick up the program at the board, sit down an hour before the first race and spend the first half hour at the paddock, where the horses circle before going onto the track. Choose one horse per race by looking at it live, before even reading the odds. It is the most fun game at the racecourse and costs nothing.

For the second half of the afternoon move toward the Finish Grandstand, which looks at the finish line up close. And if you come in November or December, stay until the last race under the floodlights. In our judgment it is the most beautiful moment of the season.

How to get to Ippodromo Capannelle

Ippodromo Capannelle, at Via Appia Nuova 1245, is reached by train with the FL4 from Termini to Capannelle station, by metro A to Cinecittà and then by bus, or by car from exit 23 of the Grande Raccordo Anulare.

By train

This is the most convenient way. The FL4 regional train, the Castelli Romani line, takes eight minutes from Roma Termini to Capannelle station, next to the grounds. From there it is a five-minute walk along Via delle Capannelle, skirting the perimeter wall, to the main entrance. The station also stops right beside one of the secondary entrances.

By metro and bus

With metro A you get off at Cinecittà and continue by bus toward Via delle Capannelle. The racecourse website lists lines 520 and 789. Other sites for events hosted in the facility list different lines, so before leaving it is best to check the route on the ATAC planner.

By car and by air

The racecourse is about 30 minutes from the center. From the Grande Raccordo Anulare you leave at exit 23 Appio San Giovanni and take the Appia Nuova toward the center. Ciampino airport is three kilometers from the main entrance. From Fiumicino, 30 kilometers away, you arrive in half an hour by car between the Raccordo and the A91, or by train with the Leonardo Express to Termini and then the FL4.

Another well-known fact, yet rarely mentioned

Everyone knows that Ippodromo Capannelle is the home of Roman flat racing. Less often remembered is that until 2014 harness racing in Rome had another home, the Ippodromo di Tor di Valle, and that only after its closure did Capannelle open its doors to trotters. The inner track, built in 2013 and inaugurated on April 9, 2014, turned the facility into the most significant structure in national horse racing, because it is one of the very few in Italy where the two disciplines coexist.

The second fact concerns the lighting. On September 9, 2006 the 25 floodlight towers, up to 40 meters high, with 550 floodlights of 2,000 watts, were switched on for the first time. It was an investment designed for night racing, and today it makes autumn possible too: without those lights December race days would end at four in the afternoon.

The third is seasonal. The official website writes that during the year the race program sees only short pauses, in February and in August. Autumn, with its very dense calendar until New Year's Eve, is not the tail of the season. It is one of its most intense parts, and on December 31 harness racing is on.

The right photo to take at the autumn horse races at Ippodromo Capannelle, October 2 to December 31, 2026

The right photo is the one of the finish, taken from the parterre in front of the Finish Grandstand, a few meters before the line. It takes a bit of patience: you choose the spot, focus on the track in advance and shoot in bursts as the horses enter the straight. With a modern phone burst mode is enough, with a camera a fast shutter speed. The result, if it goes well, is a wall of horses and silk colors racing toward the lens.

The second photo is at the paddock, before the race: the horse walking in a circle held by the groom, with the number on the saddle cloth and the jockey waiting to mount. It is a calmer portrait, and lets you catch details that are lost during the race.

The third is the landscape one. The official website describes the grandstands facing the Claudian Aqueduct, with the Alban Hills and the Abruzzo mountains on the horizon. On clear autumn days, from the terrace of the Main Grandstand you can compose an image with the track in the foreground and the hills behind. In December, under the floodlights, the same frame turns nocturnal, with the track shining.

Some important events that took place here in history

In 1844 Lord George Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, organized two days of races on land near the racecourse area, used for fox hunting. Around 1870 the first Roman races were held outside Porta San Giovanni, under the Papal States. In 1881, with races regularized and programs aligned with European ones, the first Ippodromo di Capannelle opened.

Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries racing became a society appointment. Painters made it a subject, as in Pietro Sassi's painting All'Ippodromo delle Capannelle of 1900 and Giuseppe Gabani's Ritorno dalle Capannelle of 1899. In 1926 the Società di Corse in Roma inaugurated the new facility renovated by Paolo Vietti Violi.

In October 2005 a synthetic track was built, the first in Italy. On September 9, 2006 the floodlight towers were switched on. On May 9, 2009 the 126th Italian Derby was run. Since 2009 the racecourse has been the home of Rock in Roma. In 2013 the harness track was built, inaugurated on April 9, 2014. On September 4, 2026, with the evening Capannelle Riparte, a new phase opened, celebrated on September 20 with the big reopening day.

Who has passed through the autumn horse races at Ippodromo Capannelle, October 2 to December 31, 2026

The first name is that of Lord George Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, the English gentleman who in 1844 brought English-style racing to the Roman countryside. Then the architect Paolo Vietti Violi, who in 1926 gave the facility its modern face, and Paolo Portoghesi, who designed the Terrazza Derby at trackside.

Vintage photographs survive showing King Umberto I at the Capannelle races and the arrival of the king and queen at the racecourse. For decades race days were an appointment for the court and the aristocracy, and the photographer Giuseppe Primoli documented their carriages on the track. The painters Pietro Sassi and Giuseppe Gabani made the races the subject of paintings.

Among the champions, one photograph documents the 126th Italian Derby of May 9, 2009, won by Mastery ridden by the jockey Dettori. The races of late September 2026 saw Hercule Star win the Premio Conte Felice Scheibler, and Kodi Bonita and Mr Livius win the Premio Ara Pacis and the Premio Fiuggi Memorial Don Peppe. And outside race days the racecourse has welcomed the music of Rock in Roma, with artists such as Daniele Silvestri in 2010.

What is around Ippodromo Capannelle

Ippodromo Capannelle is a few kilometers from some of the most beautiful archaeological and natural areas of Rome. The Parco degli Acquedotti, the Appia Antica Park and the Villa dei Quintili are all in the southeast quadrant of the city.

The Parco degli Acquedotti

The Aqueducts Park holds the monumental remains of the Roman aqueducts, including the Claudian Aqueduct that forms the backdrop to the Capannelle grandstands. It is the ideal place for a morning walk, before moving to the racecourse for the afternoon races.

The Appia Antica and the Villa dei Quintili

The Appia Antica Park and the Villa of the Quintilii complete the picture. The regina viarum runs parallel to the Appia Nuova, a short distance from the racecourse. Those who come by bicycle can build an itinerary between ancient paving stones and racetracks.

Cinecittà and the Castelli

In the opposite direction, toward the Tuscolana, are the Cinecittà studios. And the same FL4 line that takes you to the racecourse continues toward the Castelli Romani. Frascati and the Castelli Romani Park are a few minutes by train, for those who want to extend the day.

Where to eat at the Capannelle races

On race days Ippodromo Capannelle opens refreshment points inside. The official communications mention the open hot-food bar, and the lawn is equipped with fixed tables.

Inside the racecourse

The lawn area, with its tables, is the place for a family snack between races. The hospitality areas of the Giardino and the Terrazza Derby are instead reserved for guests on grand prix days. For an ordinary afternoon, a coffee at the bar and a sandwich are enough: horse racing is a sport watched standing and on the move.

Outside, along the Appia Nuova

Along the Appia Nuova, toward Rome and toward Ciampino, you find trattorias, pizzerias and neighborhood bars. The area is not touristy, and the prices show it. Those returning by train can also eat near Termini, where the choice is vast.

Accessibility and children at Ippodromo Capannelle

The official website of Ippodromo Capannelle indicates routes and grandstands without architectural barriers, and the facility has equipped spaces for children.

Accessibility

The racecourse park is flat and the routes to the grandstands are declared barrier-free. For specific needs it is best to write beforehand to the email address given in the contacts section of the official website.

With children

The racecourse is one of the best places for children that Rome offers in autumn: open spaces, lawn, horses seen up close at the paddock, and an event that lasts a few minutes and repeats every half hour, perfect for the attention span of the youngest. The website mentions equipped spaces for children. During the September 20 celebration there was also a Pony Village. For the autumn days it is best to check the website for any family activities.

Autumn in Rome and the races

Autumn is the ideal season to discover the racecourse: mild temperatures at the start of November, warm light in the afternoon, lawns still green. November brings the first cold days and races under the floodlights. December closes the season with two harness racing days just before the holidays, on the 24th and the 31st. In the same period the racecourse also hosts other events, such as the Cardio Race and the Millennium Expo swap meet, which took place in October. It is worth checking the overall calendar before choosing the date. To stay on the horse theme, in the same period Rome also hosts the Longines Global Champions Tour at Ippodromo Militare di Tor di Quinto, devoted to show jumping. And next summer the facility will once again be the home of Rock in Roma.

Frequently asked questions about the autumn races at Capannelle

When are the races at Ippodromo Capannelle in autumn 2026?

Races are held at Ippodromo Capannelle from Friday, October 2 to Thursday, December 31, 2026, with 49 race days: 17 in October, 16 in November and 16 in December. Flat racing is held mostly on Tuesdays and Fridays, harness racing mostly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The full calendar is published on the racecourse's official website.

How much does admission to Ippodromo Capannelle cost?

Admission to Ippodromo Capannelle is free on race days. The park opens two hours before the first race. No booking is needed: you enter through the gates at Via Appia Nuova 1245 and can sit freely in the grandstand or on the lawn.

What time do the races start at Capannelle?

For the October race days the calendar of Ippodromo Capannelle gives a 14:00 start. The actual time of the first race is published in the day's preview, and can be later, for example at 15:00. For November and December the times are announced on the official website week by week.

How do you get to Ippodromo Capannelle by public transport?

The quickest way to reach Ippodromo Capannelle is the FL4 train from Termini to Capannelle station: eight minutes of travel and five on foot along Via delle Capannelle. Alternatively take metro A to Cinecittà and then the bus, checking the line on the ATAC planner.

What is the difference between flat racing and harness racing at Capannelle?

In flat racing, at Ippodromo Capannelle, the horse runs ridden by the jockey on the grass and sand tracks. In harness racing it pulls a light sulky guided by the driver, on the inner 1,000-meter track inaugurated in 2014. The two disciplines alternate during the week.

What were the most important days of October at Capannelle?

In October Ippodromo Capannelle offered three standout days: Friday 9 with the harness Criterium for two-year-old horses, Sunday 18 with the Premio Rumon and several flat conditions races, Wednesday 28 with the qualifiers of the Gran Premio Anact Stakes Plus.

Is Ippodromo Capannelle suitable for children?

Ippodromo Capannelle is suitable for children: free admission, large open spaces, a lawn area with tables and equipped areas for the youngest. The races last a few minutes and repeat about every half hour, and the horses can be observed up close around the paddock before the start.

The final advice on the autumn races at Capannelle

Ippodromo Capannelle came close to closing, and today it reopens with an autumn calendar as dense as it has not been in a long time. In our judgment it is one of the most original and least expensive ways to spend an afternoon in Rome: free admission, a train from Termini in eight minutes, a green amphitheater in front of the Claudian Aqueduct. The advice is to choose one of the headline days of November or December, arrive early, watch the horses at the paddock and then come back on a December evening, under the lights, to see how much the same place changes.

Article written by the editorial team of Tour Leader Pro, contact them for Private/Corporate/V.I.P. Tours and Experiences.

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