Ludlow fears losing its whole jumps season after drought damage
Ludlow Racecourse fears it could lose its entire 2026-27 jumps season after hot, dry summer weather damaged its track. Jumps racing, where horses take hurdles and fences, runs through the winter, so the threat reaches well into the coming months.
The damage is serious. Simon Sherwood, the course's managing director, told BBC Sport that about 75% of the grass came back injured in September, while about 25% had died. Ludlow's track is gravel-based and drains quickly, which is why it is a tough place to keep green. Dead grass now needs replacing, and new growth has to be encouraged.
The club has been forced to make changes to its fixture list. Its first scheduled meeting, on 15 October, was moved to Worcester, 35 miles away. Two further meetings have since been cancelled. On 5 November, Ludlow abandoned its Farmers Day card, saying the going was unsafe to race on because of an acute shortage of rain. The going means how firm or soft the ground is, and it is a key part of how a race is run.
The next decision point is close. Inspectors from the British Horseracing Authority, the sport's governing body, will visit on 12 November to decide whether racing can take place at Ludlow this season. The next meeting on the card is Monday 23 November. Sherwood said he remains hopeful the course will be ready to race.
Ludlow is an independent course. Unlike the larger racing companies, it cannot simply move its meetings to another track. Worcester is not an option from November, because its Pitchcroft track sits close to the River Severn. Ludlow's insurance comes from the media rights company RMG, and it covers only a few meetings.
Sherwood knows the course well. He rode Desert Orchid to victory in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup, one of the great days in the jumps calendar. He became Ludlow's clerk of the course, the official in charge of the track and its ground, in 2019, taking over from Bob Davies, a former Grand National winner.
For now, the Shropshire course is waiting on the inspectors and the weather. Ludlow's people will be watching the sky as closely as the grass.
