Southwell Racecourse offers year-round racing in the Nottinghamshire countryside

A couple of miles east of the minster town of Southwell, the racecourse is one of only a handful in the UK that can race on an all-weather surface. Owned by Arena Racing Company, it stages Flat racing on its all-weather track and National Hunt racing on turf.

Southwell is one of six British racecourses with an all-weather track and one of three that use Tapeta, a mix of sand, wax and fibre. For decades the course was known for its distinctive Fibresand surface, but in April 2021 Newark and Sherwood District Council approved plans to replace it.

At the time, Mark Spincer, managing director of Arena Racing Company's racing division, said: "I believe that this is a real step forward for racing at Southwell."

The first meeting on the new surface took place on 7 December 2021, with nearly £110,000 in prize money on the card. Carausius, trained by Charlie Hills and ridden by Kieran Shoemark, became the first Tapeta winner at Southwell. Shoemark was impressed, saying: "I think it's got the potential to be one of the top all-weather tracks."

The course has shown resilience over the years. Flooding forced a temporary closure in December 2012, with meetings moved elsewhere, before racing returned on 5 February 2013 with a seven-race Flat card. In 2007 Southwell also stepped in to host the Great Yorkshire Chase while Doncaster was being redeveloped.

There is a strong local connection in the saddle too. Jockey Hayley Turner grew up in the area and had her first racing job with a trainer based next to the track.

November is a good time to visit, with two Listed Flat races for three-year-olds and upwards, the Churchill Stakes and the Golden Rose Stakes, run on a Friday that month. Racing from Southwell is broadcast on Sky Sports Racing.

The all-weather track means racing continues through the winter, making Southwell a reliable day out whatever the weather. Fixtures and tickets are listed on the Southwell Racecourse website.