Ludlow Racecourse 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 course 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 managing director 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.

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 this summer and its record-breaking temperatures.

More to follow.