Southwell Racecourse

Southwell Racecourse Guide

Welcome to our official guide to Southwell Racecourse.

We explore this popular, busy all-weather and turf racecourse, which hosts racing year-round. We take a look at the course’s history, provide a guide to the two tracks, recommend the best local hotels, outline how to get there, and offer betting guides.

If you are looking for the latest betting tips for Southwell, check out our complete guide to Southwell Racecourse tips.

Find out more about Southwell Racecourse today.

Southwell Overview

One of only six all-weather racecourse tracks in the UK, Southwell has its unique charm and character.

Southwell Racecourse is situated just 3km south of the market town of Southwell in Nottinghamshire and is unique in that it’s the only racecourse in the UK with a fibresand surface.

Fibresand is an all-weather track surface and is the slowest to race on, so it makes for some testing races and stamina is often required. With a slow nature and some kickback, Southwell’s fibresand track favours frontrunners stamina. The fibresand itself is deep compared to other surface compounds and is made up of sand and ‘wispy’ fabric fibres.

The track, aside from its surface, is a flat mile-and-a-quarter oval with a run from the home turn of three furlongs.

It’s considered by commentators ‘the perfect equivalent of an American track’.

There is also a turf National Hunt track at Southwell, which is tight and features portable jumps. The course is reputedly challenging, with long-distance races frequently resulting in few actual finishers, especially in heavy conditions.

Southwell’s relationship with female jockeys has blossomed out of it being the home course for the first sustained career female jockey, Hayley Turner OBE.

Turner was the first female to ride 100 UK flat race winners in a calendar year, and her success as a jockey saw the number of female apprentice jockeys increase rapidly. She has truly inspired a new generation of jockeys to take up the sport, and being local to Southwell, Turner has not only competed here but also had her first-ever job working for a trainer just across from the course.

Southwell was the first racecourse in the UK to be floodlit with LED technology.

What are the Southwell Racecourse Fixtures for 2026?

The Southwell racing fixtures for 2026 are:

DateRacecourseWeekdayCodeSurface
1/1/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
3/1/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
6/1/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
9/1/2026SouthwellFridayJumpTurf
13/1/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
17/1/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
20/1/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
22/1/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
23/1/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
30/1/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
2/2/2026SouthwellMondayJumpTurf
5/2/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
7/2/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
11/2/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
13/2/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
18/2/2026SouthwellWednesdayJumpTurf
21/2/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
24/2/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
28/2/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
2/3/2026SouthwellMondayJumpTurf
4/3/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
10/3/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
11/3/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
13/3/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
14/3/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
18/3/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
24/3/2026SouthwellTuesdayJumpTurf
26/3/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
27/3/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
1/4/2026SouthwellWednesdayJumpTurf
2/4/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
5/4/2026SouthwellSundayFlatAWT
7/4/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
9/4/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
11/4/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
15/4/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
25/4/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
28/4/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
29/4/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
11/5/2026SouthwellMondayJumpTurf
2/6/2026SouthwellTuesdayJumpTurf
9/6/2026SouthwellTuesdayJumpTurf
18/6/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
27/7/2026SouthwellMondayFlatAWT
16/8/2026SouthwellSundayFlatAWT
27/8/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
31/8/2026SouthwellMondayFlatAWT
3/9/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
22/9/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
26/9/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
1/10/2026SouthwellThursdayJumpTurf
3/10/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
6/10/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
10/10/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
13/10/2026SouthwellTuesdayJumpTurf
17/10/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
19/10/2026SouthwellMondayFlatAWT
22/10/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
24/10/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
26/10/2026SouthwellMondayFlatAWT
29/10/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
31/10/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
2/11/2026SouthwellMondayJumpTurf
5/11/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
7/11/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
13/11/2026SouthwellFridayJumpTurf
17/11/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
24/11/2026SouthwellTuesdayJumpTurf
27/11/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
28/11/2026SouthwellSaturdayFlatAWT
1/12/2026SouthwellTuesdayJumpTurf
2/12/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
3/12/2026SouthwellThursdayFlatAWT
8/12/2026SouthwellTuesdayFlatAWT
11/12/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
13/12/2026SouthwellSundayJumpTurf
16/12/2026SouthwellWednesdayFlatAWT
18/12/2026SouthwellFridayFlatAWT
28/12/2026SouthwellMondayFlatAWT

Southwell Racing Tips

MeetingTimeNameAdd To Bet Slip
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No Race Fixtures found today

Southwell Racecourse History

Racing in Southwell can be traced back to the 1840s, when pony races took place regularly in the town, as well as at nearby Newark.

Newark closed its gates in the 1880s, but Southwell Racecourse continued to flourish. As the only course in the area from the 1880s, Southwell races were moved to Kirklington Road, but the track crossed a public road in two places, with temporary turf laid over the top. Of course, this wasn’t safe, and in 1897, following the death of a jockey and several horses, the course’s license was revoked and racing stopped.

The current racecourse venue was built the following year, with a 1,200-person capacity grandstand for spectators.

The course has continued to flourish at its current home, and aside from a suspension of horse racing during World War I and some sporadic flooding, racing has remained consistent since.

In January 2019, Southwell found itself in national headlines as drones were flown over the course during races to broadcast live footage online. This caused controversy, as the drones were able to live-stream footage up to two seconds ahead of the television cameras covering the event. This meant that those betting on the races could gain an advantage by watching the online streams, which could be viewed from expensive hospitality boxes with high-speed internet access.

The controversy continues, with the drones not technically illegal nor banned at courses across the UK.

Southwell Racecourse Map

Below are the two maps of Southwell Racecourse.

The Southwell All-Weather Track

Below is a map of Southwell’s AW track.

Southwell Flat Track
Map courtesy of At The Races.

The all-weather track is left-handed and 10 furlongs around, shaped in an oval.

The home straight is three furlongs long.

Sprint races over five furlongs take place on the straight course.

It is a fibresand surface.

Southwell’s Jump Track

Below is a map of Southwell’s jump track.

Southwell Turf Track
Map courtesy of At The Races.

A tight national hunt jumping course, when the going is quick, it favours speedy front runners; however, it can also get very heavy in winter.

The fences are of the portable variety and are stiff.

The course uses brush-type hurdles.

Main Races and Events at Southwell

The All-Weather Championships take place at Southwell every Easter, with the £ 1 million Finals Day held at Lingfield Park on Good Friday.

The Championships are a fantastic way for horse racing fans to assess the current talent moving into the finals and are well-attended year after year.

The busiest events at Southwell are undoubtedly their summer Ladies’ Day and winter Gentlemen’s Day, which are popular with locals and tourists alike.

Southwell Racecourse Address

The official address of Southwell Racecourse is:

Southwell Racecourse
Southwell
Nottinghamshire
NG25 0TS

How To Get to Southwell Racecourse

The ways to get to Southwell Racecourse are:

  • By road – Southwell is easily accessible by road, but local authority regulations often necessitate workarounds and diversions. Please pay attention to temporary signage, particularly on Sundays, Bank Holidays, and for floodlit fixtures. The postcode for your sat nav is NG25 0TS.
  • By train – the nearest train station to the course is Rolleston, which sits adjacent to the venue and is walkable. Rolleston sits on the Nottingham to Lincoln line and is served by extra services on race days. Newark is often touted as the best train station to travel from, as it’s more frequently served; however, please be aware that it’s almost nine miles away, so onward travel will be required.

Hotels Near Southwell Racecourse

Due to the rural nature of the surrounding area of Southwell, you won’t find chain hotels here, but there are plenty of lovely country independent options to choose from.

Pub hotels include The Dapper Spaniel and The Reindeer Inn, or, for something more formal, the nearby Saracen’s Head Hotel and Manor Court offer reasonable rates.

Betting Shops Local to Southwell Racecourse

Betting at Southwell includes the Tote, a traditional betting shop, and independent bookies in front of the track, as you’d expect.

The mobile signal in the area for online betting is good, and Southwell offers free WiFi to all attendees.

There are no betting shops locally to the racecourse, so if you’d prefer to have a flutter with a chain shop, you’ll need to do so in advance.

Other Events at Southwell

Southwell has conferencing and event facilities that can be hired privately for a range of meetings, occasions and parties. However, the non-racing jewel in their calendar is truly their themed Christmas parties, which take place throughout December.

They are renowned locally for their fantastic hospitality, food, and drink, so if you can get to one, do!

They host events throughout the year.

Popular Questions

✅ Does Southwell have a train station? ?

No but the nearest train station to Southwell racecourse is Rolleston, which sits adjacent to the venue and is walkable.

Newark is often touted as the best train station to travel into, as it’s more frequently served, but please be aware that it is almost nine miles away, so onward travel will be required.

✅ How do I get to Southwell races? ?

The most popular ways to get to Southwell are:

By road – it is easily accessible by road but local authority regulations mean that there’s often workarounds and diversions. Please note details for your sav nav are Southwell, Nottinghamshire, ng25 0ts.

By train – the nearest train station to the course is Rolleston, which sits adjacent to the venue and is walkable.

✅ What channel is Southwell racing on? ?

Racing at Southwell is broadcast on At The Races which is Sky channel 415, Virgin channel 534, and UPC in Ireland on channel 418.

✅ What is the address of Southwell Racecouse? ?

The official address for Southwell racecourse is:

Southwell Racecourse
Southwell
Nottinghamshire
NG25 0TS

Summary of Southwell Races

Southwell is a fantastic little racecourse hosting all-weather racing all year round, as well as jumps action over its tight inside track.

Whilst not always well-attended, the action comes thick and fast, customer service is good, and it’s surprisingly beautiful.

An excellent course and most certainly worth a visit.

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June 2026