Ffos Las

 directions
Flat turf:
Jumps:


Directions to stable yard

 Stables: InPost Locker, Trimsaran, Kidwelly SA17 4DE

 Ffos Las Racecourse is a modern dual-purpose horse racing venue nestled within six hundred acres of rolling countryside in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. Located between the traditional mining villages of Carway and Trimsaran, near Llanelli, the racecourse holds a unique place in British industrial and sporting history. Its name translates from Welsh to English as blue ditch, which is a nod to the farm that originally occupied the land before it became the site of the largest open-cast coal mine in Europe. After mining operations ceased in the late 1990s, the massive five-hundred-foot-deep trench was backfilled and completely transformed into a state-of-the-art sporting facility, showcasing an exceptional example of environmental reclamation that now features lakes, conservation areas, and a tree plantation alongside the track.

When Ffos Las officially opened its doors in June 2009, it made headlines as the first new National Hunt racecourse built in the United Kingdom in eighty years. The grand opening meeting drew a sell-out crowd of ten thousand spectators, and the very first race was fittingly won by a Welsh-trained, Welsh-owned horse named Plunkett. Later that summer, legendary racing commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan conducted the official opening ceremony, cementing the venue's arrival on the British racing scene. Initially founded by businessman Dai Walters, the racecourse was acquired in 2018 by the Arena Racing Company, which continues to operate the venue today.

The track itself is highly regarded by trainers and jockeys for its fair, galloping nature, often drawing comparisons to the prestigious Newbury Racecourse. It is a wide, left-handed oval measuring approximately twelve furlongs, or one and a half miles, in circumference. The topography is remarkably flat, providing a uniform racing surface with a long half-mile home straight, and it includes an extension to accommodate straight five- and six-furlong sprints. Because the track was built over an infilled mine, the racing conditions vary dramatically with the British seasons, turning into a very fast surface during high summer but becoming an exceptionally gruelling, testing ground midwinter.

As a dual-purpose venue, Ffos Las stages flat racing fixtures throughout the summer months and shifts focus to National Hunt jump racing during the autumn and winter. The course has already played host to some legendary equine talent early in its existence, famously serving as the venue where the prolific chaser Sprinter Sacre won his first novice hurdle in 2011. The crown jewel of the Ffos Las racing calendar is the Welsh Champion Hurdle, a historic handicap race that was revived and permanently moved to the track in 2010 after previously being dropped from Chepstow's schedule.

Beyond horse racing, Ffos Las acts as a versatile event and conferencing hub for West Wales. The Jonathan Davies Grandstand, named after and opened by the local Welsh rugby legend who once worked at the open-cast mine himself, provides excellent viewing opportunities alongside hospitality boxes, bars, and restaurants like the Bridles Restaurant. The grounds feature eye-catching landmarks, including the Spirit of the Race horse sculpture positioned near the winner's enclosure. Throughout the year, the venue welcomes the public for themed fixtures like its popular Ladies Day, live music concerts, family fun days, and community events, using its expansive natural amphitheatre setting to offer panoramic views stretching down the Gwendraeth Valley toward Carmarthen Bay.