Ffos Las Races

Offering both Flat and National Hunt racing on its turf track, Ffos Las has enjoyed continued success since first opening.

Built on a former Open Cast Coal Mine near Ffos Las, a rural area North of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire in Wales, the course has a great atmosphere thanks to the natural amphitheatre the course was built in.

The trace itself is 12 furlongs in length, lying mostly flat has hosted Flat and National Hunt racing for thoroughbreds as well as Arabian horse racing and even Harness Racing.

Despite been one of the newest race courses in the British Isles, Ffos Las has built up a strong reputation and offers racing all year round with the Welsh Champion Hurdle, raced in February, arguably the courses most notable race.

Watch all of the action live from Ffos Las races via GGTV as out partners bring you every race live via their Ffos Las races live stream services.

When first opened on the 18th June 2009, the course became the first newly built National Hunt course to be built in the United Kingdom for 80 years and it became just the 3rd racecourse in Wales.

Located in Carmarthenshire near to Llanelli and close to the county town of Carmarthen and the up and coming city of Swansea, the course attracts fans from across West and South West Wales.

Over the years, the course has continued to improve and developed and now offers a mix of steeplechase racing, hurdle racing and flat racing and it has also hosted harness racing to make it a course that offers great action no matter what your preference is.

The first ever race held at the course was won by Plunkett, ridden by Donal Fahy whilst the first ever flat race, the Jamie Yeates Memorial Maiden Stakes, was run on 21st July 2009 and was won by Dream Queen.

The most notable race to be run at Ffos Las is the Welsh Champion Hurdle, run in October, it is a handicap race run over 2 miles for horses aged 4 and over.

No matter if you want to watch that great race or any other race from the course, you can.

All of the live streaming services listed on this page bring you all of the action live and whilst there is a wagering requirement that needs to be met before you can watch the races live, the chances are that if you are looking for a Ffos Las live stream, you are also interested in betting on the action so why not choose to bet with one of the bookies listed on this page and watch along live on races you have bet on?

If you have already placed a bet with a bookie that doesn’t allow you to watch along, make sure you next bet is with a great bookie that does allow you to watch the action live and to cheer on your chosen horse as it hopefully races away to victory.

No longer do you need to be at the course in person to watch the racing live from Ffos Las and no longer do you need to make the long trip into town to your local bookie in the hopes they are showing the action, you can now simply watch when and where you want to via your phone, laptop, tablet or computer.

With flat racing happening mostly through the main summer season and with National Hunt racing, including hurdle and steeplechase races, taking place throughout e the winter season, there is great racing action available year around at the course and with an ever expanding schedule, it is no wonder that so many fans are looking for Ffos Las races live streams.

HISTORY OF FFOS LAS RACECOURSE

From Open-Cast Coal Mine to Racecourse

The history of Ffos Las Racecourse begins long before the first horse crossed its winning post. The site lies in Carmarthenshire, between the former mining villages of Trimsaran and Carway, in an area shaped by the industrial heritage of South Wales. Before it became a sporting venue, the land formed part of a large open-cast coal mining operation. Mining dramatically altered the landscape, leaving behind a vast excavated site that would eventually be transformed into a very different kind of attraction.

The name Ffos Las is commonly translated into English as ‘blue ditch’. It is an unusual name for a racecourse, but one that reflects the site’s Welsh identity and distinctive past. Today, visitors see turf, grandstand facilities and surrounding countryside rather than an industrial excavation. The transformation is a notable example of how former industrial land can be redeveloped for recreation, tourism and community use.

The idea of establishing a racecourse in West Wales developed over a period of years. Welsh racing already had established venues at Chepstow and Bangor-on-Dee, but a new course in Carmarthenshire would bring a major sporting facility to a region that had previously lacked a modern racecourse of its own. The project was driven by Welsh businessman and racing enthusiast Dai Walters, who helped turn the ambitious proposal into reality.

Building a New Racecourse in Wales

Developing a racecourse on a former open-cast mine presented a substantial engineering challenge. The site needed to be transformed into suitable ground for racing, with an appropriate turf surface, drainage, spectator facilities and the infrastructure required to stage professional meetings. Walters drew on resources from his civil engineering businesses during the development, helping to convert the former mining landscape into a sporting venue.

The project represented a major investment in the region. Published historical accounts commonly put the initial development cost at approximately £20 million, reflecting the scale of the work involved. The completed venue included a racecourse, grandstand and facilities for racegoers, together with supporting infrastructure designed for the demands of modern racing.

Ffos Las was particularly significant because it became the first new National Hunt racecourse to open in Britain for approximately 80 years. Its arrival expanded the country’s racing map and restored access to top-level organised racing in West Wales. The development also offered opportunities to attract visitors and support local businesses through race meetings and other events.

The new venue was not simply a track cut into an empty field. The design needed to provide a functional racing surface and good viewing opportunities while taking advantage of the surrounding countryside. The result was a modern venue in a landscape that had undergone a remarkable transformation, linking the industrial history of Carmarthenshire with a new sporting future.

The Opening Meeting: 18 June 2009

Ffos Las Racecourse officially opened its racing programme on 18 June 2009, when a National Hunt meeting attracted a crowd of approximately 10,000 people. The occasion was a landmark for the course and for racing in West Wales. The opening meeting combined sporting action with a sense of local celebration, as visitors gathered to see the first runners compete at the new venue.

The first race at Ffos Las was won by Plunkett, who started at odds of 15/8. The horse was ridden by Donal Fahy, trained by Evan Williams and owned by Hywel Jones. The result provided an appropriate beginning for a course intended to become a lasting part of Welsh racing. Rather than opening its history with an anonymous name in the results book, Ffos Las began with a winner whose connections became part of the venue’s early story.

The first meeting was held in the evening and included a Ladies Night theme. Its attendance demonstrated the interest generated by the arrival of a new racecourse in the region. For local residents, the venue offered a new opportunity to watch professional horse racing without travelling to established courses farther afield.

The official opening celebrations continued in August 2009. Racing commentator Sir Peter O’Sullevan conducted the formal opening ceremony before a crowd reported to number around 12,000, while Welsh singer Cerys Matthews performed. The celebrations highlighted the venue’s sporting significance and its ambition to become an established destination for both racing enthusiasts and the wider public.

Introducing Flat Racing

Although Ffos Las opened with National Hunt racing, its programme soon expanded to include Flat racing. The first Flat race meeting took place in July 2009, only weeks after the inaugural jumps fixture. This development established the foundation for the dual-purpose programme that continues to define the racecourse.

The early Flat programme also included a race with a particular local connection: the Jamie Yeates Memorial Maiden Stakes. The race commemorated Jamie Yeates, a schoolboy and aspiring jockey from the Llanelli area who died in 2008. Its inclusion reflected the close relationship between the new course and the communities around it, showing how racing could honour local people as well as celebrate sporting achievement.

From its first season, Ffos Las offered opportunities for both types of racing. Flat meetings provided competitive action on the level, while National Hunt fixtures introduced the jumping contests associated with Britain’s colder-weather racing season. This combination helped the racecourse establish a varied calendar and appeal to different sections of the racing public.

Early Development and Sporting Milestones

In its opening years, Ffos Las worked to establish its place within the British racing industry. The course attracted horses, trainers and jockeys from across Britain and Ireland while giving Welsh racing professionals an additional local venue at which to compete. Its modern facilities and West Wales location helped distinguish it from older, more established racecourses.

One notable early name associated with the venue was Sprinter Sacre, who won his first novice hurdle at Ffos Las in 2011 under jockey Barry Geraghty. He subsequently became one of the most celebrated National Hunt horses of his generation, particularly through his outstanding performances over fences. His early success at Ffos Las forms a memorable link between the young Welsh racecourse and a horse whose career would go on to attract national attention.

The venue also developed a programme of feature meetings, including the West Wales National and the Welsh Champion Hurdle. The West Wales National became an important staying contest on the jumps calendar, while the Welsh Champion Hurdle provided another high-profile attraction for National Hunt enthusiasts. Such races helped give Ffos Las a stronger identity within the competitive landscape of British racing.

As the racecourse matured, its role extended beyond staging the occasional headline meeting. A varied fixture list brought racing to the region throughout the year, with Flat fixtures typically concentrated in the warmer months and jumps racing continuing across the broader National Hunt season.

A New Chapter Under Arena Racing Company

On 18 May 2018, Arena Racing Company (ARC) announced that it had acquired Ffos Las Racecourse Limited from founder Dai Walters. ARC had already been involved in managing the venue, but the acquisition brought Ffos Las fully into the company’s portfolio of British racecourses. Walters remained associated with the course as its honorary chairman following the transaction.

The acquisition placed Ffos Las within one of Britain’s major racecourse groups and offered the potential to benefit from wider industry experience in racecourse operations, marketing and event development. At the time of the announcement, the published 2018 fixture programme comprised 19 meetings: six Flat fixtures and 13 National Hunt fixtures. The schedule included established attractions such as the Welsh Champion Hurdle and West Wales National.

The change in ownership marked an important stage in the racecourse’s development. After nearly a decade under the leadership of its founder, Ffos Las became part of a larger organisation operating venues across the country. The move reflected the commercial realities of modern horse racing, where racecourses must balance the cost of maintaining facilities with the challenge of attracting racegoers, sponsors and participants.

Environmental Improvements and the Wider Estate

The transformation of Ffos Las has extended beyond the racing surface and grandstand. The wider estate includes conservation areas, lakes, bridleways, solar farms and the Diamond Jubilee tree plantation. These features contribute to the character of the site and illustrate how the former mining landscape has been adapted for a range of uses.

The racecourse sits within an estate of approximately 600 acres, according to tourism and venue information. Its broad setting allows it to operate as more than a sporting venue, accommodating private functions, weddings, corporate events and other gatherings alongside racing. This versatility has become an important part of its modern identity.

One of the recognisable features of the course is the ‘Spirit of the Race’ sculpture, located in front of the winners’ enclosure. It provides a focal point for visitors and a natural meeting place on race days. Another distinctive feature is the Jonathan Davies Grandstand, named after the Welsh rugby international. Davies has local connections to the area and worked on the former open-cast mine, giving the building’s name an additional connection to the site’s industrial past.

These details reinforce the relationship between the racecourse and the communities around it. Ffos Las is a modern sporting venue, but its story remains closely tied to the history of Carmarthenshire and the people who helped shape the region.

Ffos Las Racecourse Today

Today, Ffos Las Racecourse continues to stage both Flat and National Hunt racing in West Wales. Its annual programme includes standard race meetings and themed events designed to appeal to different audiences. The venue’s wider activities, including hospitality and private hire, help it attract visitors outside the core racing community.

More than a decade after its opening, the course remains an important addition to the Welsh racing calendar. Its development has helped bring professional racing to a part of Wales that had been without a modern venue of this kind for generations. It also demonstrates the potential for large former industrial sites to acquire a new purpose through carefully planned redevelopment.

The story of Ffos Las Racecourse is therefore about more than horses, jockeys and winning posts. It is a story of ambition, engineering, sport and regional identity. From the first race won by Plunkett in June 2009 to the continued staging of Flat and jumps meetings today, Ffos Las has established a distinctive place in British horse racing. For visitors, that history adds another reason to experience a race day in Carmarthenshire: beneath the excitement of the track lies a remarkable example of Welsh transformation.