The Grand National is one of the best-known races in the racing world and close to every Jump fan’s heart. That being said, it is hardly the only one, and what’s more, a whole generation of racing fans are growing up on fantasy and digital racing games which could yet make the real sport obsolete. […] Read more...
If you’ve ever tried riding as short as Lester Piggott, you’ll find it very uncomfortable when your knees knock together across the horse’s withers. Piggott’s seat in the saddle, to accommodate his long legs, was just one of many attributes that have been identified in the many accolades in the week that “The Long Fellow” […] Read more...
And so to our final meeting of this season, punctuated by as dry a Spring as anyone can remember. Forty-five runners across our seven race card turned out to bid us farewell until October’s restart. The 2021-22 season has been punctuated by several themes, but one which has given much pleasure to many racing folk […] Read more...
Is it a date? Is it a meeting with high profile people? If you’re going to a race meet, you definitely need to dress the part, but what is appropriate for Ascot is not necessarily the same as for Ludlow. Here are 5 tips on how not to miss the occasion! Take the terrain into […] Read more...
Our annual ladies day produced more Best Turned Out awards than there were races, enhanced by some gorgeous Spring sunshine. Thank you to all our participants and for encouraging our accompanying menfolk to scrub up to keep up. Sartorial standards at Ludlow have never been higher! On the track meantime, the handicapper could afford to […] Read more...
The 2022 Cheltenham Festival was, as ever, packed with drama, shock winners, and agonising falls. The apple of Venetia Williams’ eye However, few sights were quite as arresting as L’Homme Presse powering up the Prestbury Park hill to victory in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, and indeed the show of strength was such that it has […] Read more...
We’re not generally a course to enthuse about Flat racing, but there are some events in the international calendar that rise above the partisan divide between the two codes. With just two fixtures of our own remaining therefore, it’s time to look further afield to the US Triple Crown, in which British-trained horses have been […] Read more...
Horses for Courses is a long established racing truism whose merit was tested successfully again at Ludlow this afternoon when Broken Quest secured a third victory at our Shropshire course in the feature Farm & Garden Machinery Handicap Chase in a 3 1/2l win over Trixter. In doing so, he gave a 16th winner of […] Read more...
Race of the day yesterday was deservedly awarded to the day’s feature, the 3m Boyne Cup, which produced a thriller of a finish in which last week’s victor, Tide Times, followed up again by a short head against Kim Bailey’s Bobhopeornohope, the two a distance ahead of the remainder. It was, however, a day punctuated […] Read more...
Online betting has become a cornerstone pastime in the UK. The British public has always enjoyed betting on the horses. So it’s not surprising that online betting on horse races has become a popular way to have fun, and maybe win a few pounds here and there too. This may not be news to you […] Read more...
The week after Cheltenham is generally not punctuated by top quality racing, given the lure of big money prizes the previous week. Forty-one runners faced the starter in the 7 races hosted in glorious Spring sunshine at Ludlow yesterday on perfect racing ground to thrill a decent midweek crowd. Ian Williams has had a quiet […] Read more...
The outstanding form of trainer-rider partnership of Venetia Williams and Charlie Deutsch continued today in what will prove a long-cherished memorable day two of the Cheltenham Festival. L’Homme Presse set the tone by standing his ground in a Brown Advisory Novices Steeplechase after the withdrawal of Bravemansgame due to the ground, and his supremacy was […] Read more...
Herefordshire trainer Venetia Williams added her name to the Grand National roll of honour in 2009 when she saddled Mon Mome to victory in the world’s most famous steeplechase. Williams became only the second female trainer in history to win the race behind Jenny Pitman. Since then, Sue Smith and Lucinda Russell have both all […] Read more...
It’s clear that Tom George is a keen fan of racing at Ludlow; he has sent more runners there than any other course in Britain, and continues to enjoy an outstanding record there. It says something about his affinity for the track that his horses have won more there than at any other British course […] Read more...
Given their recent runs of form, one might reasonably have expected Venetia Williams and Henry Daly to figure at their local fixture, but in the event, the wizard of King’s Caple was conspicuous by her absence, and the Daly horses knocked on the door without quite finding the Winner’s position. Instead, honours were largely shared among […] Read more...
The countdown to the Cheltenham Gold Cup is on, and while the main contenders for the race come from Ireland, the UK has several lively outsiders that are hoping to get involved. One of those is Royale Pagaille, trained by Venetia Williams, and a horse that managed to finish sixth in the race last season, […] Read more...
For most racing fans in the UK, the spring months mean but one thing: the climax of the national hunt season with the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals. There’s plenty of action elsewhere, of course, including lots of meetings at Ludlow right up until May, but the two big festivals tend to gobble up the media […] Read more...
Venetia Williams continued her merry romp through 2022 when adding a further double to her tally at Ludlow this afternoon. Fresh from her first Grade I success since 2002 with L’Homme Presse at Sandown in the Scilly Isles Novices Chase, she was unlucky not to drive home with a treble in the bag after her […] Read more...
A bright January afternoon at Ludlow offered two perfect examples of when use of the stick can sometimes unbalance a horse this afternoon. In the two closest finishes, separating first and second by a neck and and head, the winning rider had in both instances focused on drive and balance against use of the whip. […] Read more...
Let’s face it: the start of a new year is rarely the time to make pronouncements on potential Gold Cup winners, nor were there any surprises when the entries were announced last week. It’s not that it’s impossible to predict – Minella Indo had his backers this time last year – it’s more the case […] Read more...
Venetia Williams is leading the charge among the trainers of the Welsh Marches. Quick Wave, off the course since March 2020, and the subject of wind surgery in July, showed no ring-rustiness in bolting up in the feature Plyvine Handicap Chase. Frankly the rest were running around for the minor placings once Harry Bannister released […] Read more...
Henry Daly is once again back among the winners, with a cross card double at Catterick and Cheltenham giving him the best possible start to 2022. Having Trevor Hemmings as an owner is the gift that keeps on giving, even though the great man is sadly no longer with us. His executors have not as […] Read more...
Christmas is generally a pretty bucolic affair, so perhaps it’s no surprise that Tanner’s Wines has been the lead sponsor of Ludlow’s pre-Christmas fixture for over 25 years. As most of their work for the holiday period must be done, a celebration should certainly be in order. It’s with partnerships like these that racecourses can […] Read more...
Venetia Williams created history in 2009 by training the 100/1 outsider Mon Mome to victory in the Grand National. The bay gelding became the longest-priced winner alongside Foinavon in the history of the illustrious event when he cantered to victory 12 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. It was one of the biggest […] Read more...
It’s a common refrain in racing that there’s too much of it; that if there were less fixtures, somehow the quality of the fare would be improved. Sadly this is a specious argument. Leaving aside racing’s valuable income streams from media and betting, which rely on constant racing day in day out to perpetuate a […] Read more...
Tom George enhanced his excellent record at Ludlow today with a chase double at a cumulative 24/1, as softer ground delivered better fields all round. Two from four runners is a good day at the office. In the G C Rickards Ltd Novices Handicap Chase Jobesgreen Lad was always handy, led four out and maintained […] Read more...
Name me a trainer with a 75% strike rate in the past 2 weeks? To pre-empt you, it won’t be an obvious choice. Enter stage left one Ryan Potter. Ryan trains near Ross-on-Wye, and enjoyed a rare double at Market Rasen today, proving that the small handlers can mix it with the big boys, and […] Read more...
Venetia Williams, successful at Newbury last weekend with her biggest win since Mon Mome in the 2009 Grand National, has found success at the Cheltenham Festival elusive in recent years, her last winner coming in 2013 in the Festival Plate with Carrickboy under the late lamented Liam Treadwell. In the past 20 years, she’s been […] Read more...
Over here in Shropshire, we consider Venetia Williams one of our own. I mean, she may be over the county border in Hereford, but at less than 36 miles distant, she is, by comparison with many trainers sending us runners, a local. Our local trainers support us and we get right behind them. So watching […] Read more...
Racing TV’s best ever offer! Racing TV are offering their best ever offer for Black Friday! Join Racing TV today for just £10 / €12 per month for the next 12 months – a huge saving for the year of £179 or €228. This offer is only available today and must end at midnight, so don’t miss out! […] Read more...
Hats off to groundstaff at Ludlow for producing a winter card with the highest number of runners in a chase among today’s three cards. The eight runners that started in the Marsh Commercial Novices Handicap Chase produced a scintillating finish too, not without incident either. Not that one could say the pace of the race […] Read more...
When the 2022 Cheltenham Festival kicks off next March, horse racing enthusiasts from Shropshire and the surrounding areas will be desperate to see a local winner. The level of quality in the region is high, with Venetia Williams’, Michael Scudamore’s and Henry Daly’s yards all in good form. Of course, Cheltenham pits the cream of […] Read more...
Hertfordshire-based trainer Venetia Williams will be hoping Royal Pagaille steps up on the form he showed last season, which would put him in the Cheltenham Gold Cup picture once again. Williams, who regularly has runners at Ludlow, has done an excellent job with her French recruit. The horse arrived in her yard in January 2020. […] Read more...
We’re fond of saying in this country that our racing is the best in the world, whether this is the Derby or the delights of Aintree or the earthy authenticity of Hexham and Ludlow. The rich heritage of Jump racing in this country provides us a solid platform to contest our market-leading credentials over lesser […] Read more...
Reading the papers this week, one could be forgiven for thinking the world is going to hell in a handcart. Budget worries and fisticuffs with the French over fish in the UK, pushing for measures against global warming from reluctant world leaders in Glasgow, and dramas in cricket after Yorkshire’s demonstration of how not to […] Read more...
The last couple of seasons have not been kind to Ludlow’s resident trainer Henry Daly, who trains at Downton Hall, just 4 miles north east of the racecourse. Between December 2020 and the following March, his horses finished in front just twice, fittingly, the second victory in our own Forbra Gold Cup. As Henry told […] Read more...
There was plenty of interest in Irish Finance Minister’s Paschal Donohoe’s latest budget announcement, and although Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) has disappointingly seen its funding cut by over €5 million for 2022, the HRI hierarchy remains extremely positive about the future of the sport. Twelve months ago, HRI received an additional near €10 million, an […] Read more...
Herefordshire – based horse trainer Michael Scudamore could have a successful 2021/22 season on his hands if one of his leading charges can take the next step forward in his development. Do Your Job enjoyed a solid season over hurdles in the 2020/21 season, putting forward two excellent performances towards the end of the campaign. […] Read more...
Spectators at Ludlow had to wait until the last race of the day for the closest finish on a day when runners remained thin on the ground despite last night’s rain. But the finish of the Butcher Woods Ltd Novices Handicap Hurdle was well worth the wait as Jamie Moore conjured a final extra effort […] Read more...
Legendary racecourses host the biggest events in the sport. They attract the top names from racing, whether they are horses, trainers, owners, or sponsors. These courses spring to mind as soon as you imagine a horse galloping to the finish line while tens of thousands of spectators cheer it home. Ludlow may not be the […] Read more...
When Rachael Blackmore won the coveted top jockey trophy at this year’s Festival, and topped it 3 weeks later by winning the Grand National, there was talk of laying the ghost of spurned lady riders once and for all. Despite being considered as a male-dominated industry, representation in horse training is actually quite impressive, especially […] Read more...
Marlborough trainers dominated the two steeplechases on Ludlow’s season – opening card today as Alan King and Emma Lavelle both bagged a winner. King, still chuckling from the Group I success of Trueshaan at Longchamp on Saturday, took the Margaret Roberts Remembrance Handicap Chase under Alexander Thorne, making good use of his 5lb claim on […] Read more...
Between March and the end of June 2020, British racing endured its longest shutdown in living memory as the Covid crisis kept everyone confined to their homes. It was a bizarre time looking back, and knowing more now than we did then. But the authorities in the British Horseracing Authority and Racecourse Association took a […] Read more...
Johnny Bullock, who rode the 1951 Grand National winner Nickel Coin, lived in my village, writes Tony Vincent. In 1947 Caughoo won the National by 20 lengths at 100/1. Johnny had told my family to back it, and my grandmother did. Until that time the only horses that interested me were the farm’s shires, but […] Read more...
Running from 12th – 19th September, National Racehorse Week will be bookended by the existing ARC Malton Open Day and the Henry Cecil Open Weekend in Newmarket, as well as the Epsom and Middleham Open Days, with trainers across the country and outside of the main training centres encouraged and supported to open their doors […] Read more...
We have a number of job opportunities here at Ludlow Racecourse for the upcoming season and we would love to welcome you to our open day, on Wednesday 25th August, where you can find out all about the racecourse and what the staff positions entail. The open day will be an informal event where you […] Read more...
Racings-Return-Key-Messages-and-Q-and-A-300420-2-2Racing’s Return – Key Messages and Q and A 300420 (2) Read more...
We need to start issuing press passes to every journalist and photographer who comes to the racecourse in future. Please could you all contact the office on 01584 856221 to register before you visit and then come to the office on the day to collect your pass which will be date stamped each time. Many […] Read more...
Reminder of our Macmillan Coffee Morning in the Plymouth Stand – Friday 27 September 10am – 12 noon. Raffle prizes include £150 vouchers from Kerry Foods, badges for racing, champagne, and other goodies. Read more...
