Drought-hit Ludlow forced to cancel 2026-27 season

Ludlow has been forced to cancel the entire 2026-27 season following a visit from British Horseracing Authority inspectors to examine the damage done to the grass at the Shropshire racecourse by the summer drought.

After having to move the first scheduled meeting of the season on 15 October to Worcester, 35 miles away, it was hoped that the right weather conditions would encourage re-sown grass to grow.

But they then had to cancel two further meetings - and Thursday's visit from the BHA has now confirmed chief executive Simon Sherwood's worst fears.

Including the first two meetings already lost and next week's originally scheduled meeting on Monday, 23 November, which had already been called off, it means a total of 14 race meetings will have been cancelled.

Other courses will now fulfil the cancelled meetings, the BHA have announced.

"We have worked with the racecourse to facilitate the transfer of 12 fixtures ahead of racing resuming next autumn," said Tom Byrne, BHA head of racing and betting.

"We recognise that this will be a disappointing development for everyone connected with Ludlow, as well as all participants and fans of jump racing who will have been planning to run at and visit the racecourse this season."

They will not race there again until October 2027, as the course is given time to recover properly - in the hope that next summer does not prove as severe as 2026 and its record-breaking temperatures.

The issue has been trying to replace dead grass and encourage new growth on approximately 25% of the quick-draining, gravel-based track.

But, although the rain did return in September, there has not been enough to help stimulate sufficient grass growth as the days have shortened.

The course's almost unique capacity to drain well enough to stay in raceworthy condition throughout many a wet autumn and winter has proved on this occasion to be its undoing.

Sherwood added: "This has been a tremendously difficult decision. We have explored every available option, but the prolonged dry conditions have left us unable to provide a racing surface of the standard required.

"We appreciate just how disappointing this will be for our annual members, racegoers, participants and everyone connected with Ludlow. We are extremely grateful for their patience, loyalty and understanding.

"We will use this period to restore the track, invest in our facilities and improve the racecourse's resilience to prolonged dry weather.

"Our focus is firmly on the future, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to Ludlow in 2027."

"Ludlow has an important place within British jump racing," added Byrne. "We will continue to support Ludlow wherever possible through this period to ensure that they can successfully return to the programme next year."