Monday 31 August 2026
3:51 'Free Bets On attheraces.com Handicap (Div I)' at Southwell
Distance: 1m
Drawn: 3
Test Run 7
3yo b g Time Test - Ronja
Owned by: Laura Mason Syndicate
Jockey: Shay Farmer (5)


grass Standard
partly_cloudy_day Sunny spells, risk of thunder. 		directions


Stables: Southwell Racecourse, Southwell NG25 0TS

 Southwell Racecourse lies a couple of miles east of the town of Southwell in Nottinghamshire and is one of Britain's busiest dual‑purpose venues. It stages both Flat and National Hunt racing, with the Flat programme running on its all‑weather track and the jumps on a separate turf circuit. The course is left‑handed in both codes and the all‑weather loop is about a mile round. Southwell was long defined by its Fibresand surface, a sand‑and‑fibre mix that produced a slower, more demanding test than other synthetic tracks and created its own specialists. It was the only British racecourse to use Fibresand until the surface was replaced in 2021 with Tapeta, a more consistent blend of sand, wax and fibre designed to mimic turf and improve drainage.

Racing at Southwell dates back to 1898, and the venue has grown into one of the most active in the country, staging more than sixty fixtures a year across both codes. The all‑weather track operates year‑round, including through winter when many turf courses close, while the jumps season follows the traditional autumn‑to‑spring pattern. The Fibresand era shaped the course's reputation: the surface gripped more than Polytrack or Tapeta, favouring strong‑galloping, front‑running horses and producing form that often differed sharply from turf performance.

The racecourse has experienced notable interruptions, including severe flooding in December 2012 that forced a temporary closure and the transfer of meetings to Wolverhampton and Lingfield until repairs were completed. It reopened in February 2013.

Southwell's modern identity combines its busy fixture list, its distinctive all‑weather racing, and its place in local sporting life. The switch to Tapeta has aligned it more closely with other British all‑weather venues while retaining the character of a track known for year‑round action and a loyal regional following.