Ludlow Racecourse is at risk of losing its entire 2026-27 racing season due to damage caused to its track by this summer’s extreme heat. After having to relocate the first scheduled race meeting on October 15 to Worcester, which is 35 miles away, Ludlow has now cancelled two additional race meetings.
Their next event is set for Monday, November 23, but the course faces an inspection from British Horseracing Authority officials on November 12 to decide if any racing can take place at the Shropshire venue this year. The main problem lies in attempting to replace dead grass and promote new growth on roughly 25% of the course’s gravel-based, fast-draining track.
Simon Sherwood, the managing director, remains hopeful the turf will recover, although he acknowledges that the track’s rare ability to stay in good condition through usually wet autumns and winters might now work against it. “I’m hopeful,” Sherwood told BBC Midlands Today. “I’ll keep hope alive until we have that meeting next week. When the grass started to regrow in September, it returned weakly rather than flourishing. About 75% of the grass showed signs of injury, while 25% has died. We are making progress, but the shortening days are a concern.”
As an independent venue, Ludlow cannot simply shift its races elsewhere like larger organizations can. For instance, Worcester no longer hosts racing beyond November because of its track’s proximity to the River Severn. Sherwood is preparing for the possibility of a poor outcome. “We have some insurance coverage through our media rights partner RMG, but that only protects a few meetings,” he said. “Beyond that, we have to rely on our reserves, which is financially very worrying.”
Sherwood, a former jockey best known for riding Desert Orchid to victory in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup, became Ludlow’s clerk of the course in 2019, succeeding long-serving Grand National winner Bob Davies.
Fan Take: This situation is deeply concerning for Horse Racing fans, as losing a season at Ludlow would disrupt not only local traditions but also the wider racing calendar. It highlights how climate challenges are increasingly threatening historic venues, urging the sport to find innovative ways to protect its tracks for the future.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
