![\"Horse](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/horse-race-rain-bigstock-2-EUO-800px.jpg\")
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There are around 60 racecourses in the UK and the vast majority \u2013 around 90% \u2013 are turf-only. However, not all UK horse racing takes place on grass; Chelmsford City, one of the newest courses around, and Wolverhampton only host action on their synthetic, all-weather surfaces. In addition to those two, Kempton, Newcastle, Lingfield and Southwell have both grass and all-weather tracks.<\/p>\n
So, what is all-weather racing all about, what are the biggest races held on synthetic surfaces and what does the future hold for this more modern style of racing?<\/p>\n
In the United Kingdom all-weather racing refers to action that takes place on a non-turf racecourse. For a short period of time this included both Flat and National Hunt racing but the latter was stopped due to the high rate of equine injuries. Due to increasingly extreme weather and advances in the surface technology, a return to all-weather jumps racing was discussed by the powers that be, but nothing came of it and the subject is not currently under serious consideration.<\/p>\n
So in short, all-weather horse racing takes place at Newcastle, Kempton, Wolverhampton, Lingfield, Southwell and Chelmsford. It is held year-round and applies to flat racing only, with contests held on a number of different artificial surfaces.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll-weather\u201d and \u201cartificial\u201d are catch-all terms that encompass a number of different surfaces on which such racing takes place. In the UK the following three are currently used:<\/p>\n
All of these are brand names, produced by specific companies, rather than generic names for a type of surface such as turf or dirt.<\/p>\n
![\"Polytrack\"](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/3.jpg\")
Polytrack is widely considered to be the best and is made by a UK company, Martin Collins Enterprises. This surface is widely used around the world, including at courses such as Dundalk (Ireland), Chantilly (France) and Arlington Park (USA). It is very safe, has limited kickback and generally replicates traditional \u201cgood\u201d ground very well whilst offering fast conditions too. Made from a wax-coated mix of silica and recycled fibres including rubber and carpets, it is very popular with trainers, owners and jockeys.<\/p>\n
![\"Tapeta](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/2.jpg\")
Tapeta is a similar surface and is made by a US firm, Michael Dickinson, Inc., founded by the eponymous Yorkshire-born former jockey and trainer. As a trainer he is famous for saddling the first five<\/em> horses home in the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he retired to focus on his new business venture, Tapeta Footings, which was set up in 2005. Tapeta is also made up of a mix of sand, rubber and other fibres, is usually laid on asphalt and rides very similarly to Polytrack. Tapeta can be found in the UK, as well as at Meydan in the UAE and at a number of US tracks.<\/p>\n![\"Fibresand\"](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/1.jpg\")
Fibresand is a little more distinct than the other two, although as the name might indicate, once again a sand base is used. Made by the UK firm Mansfield Sand Company this is slower and deeper, and as well as sand it is made with polypropene, a type of plastic. One of the main criticisms of this surface is that it produces a lot of kickback.<\/p>\nHow Does the Going Work?<\/h3>\n
![\"Tapeta](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/tapeta-safety-400px.jpg\")
The biggest and most obvious advantage of an all-weather surface is that (as the name suggests in a slightly exaggerated way) they are far less prone to disruption due to the elements. They are not immune to Mother Nature\u2019s whims but cancellations, abandonments and postponements are far less likely than with other surfaces.<\/p>\n![\"Wolverhampton](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/wolverhampton-all-weather-track-400px.jpg\")
None of racing\u2019s showpiece events are held on all-weather tracks. Of course all the flagship NH races, such as those at the Cheltenham Festival or the Grand National Meeting, are automatically ruled out. In terms of the Flat, all five Classics, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood, the Ebor and, in fact, all of the sport\u2019s Group 1 and Group 2 races, are held on turf courses.<\/p>\n![\"Lingfield](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/lingfield-statue-800px.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Horses](\"https:\/\/www.ukgamblingsites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/horses-feet-fibresand-400px.jpg\")
Some like to claim that all-weather racing is the future of the sport but in truth it is hard to see too much expansion happening anytime soon. The growing importance of money in all sports means tradition often has to take a back seat. That is something that may be exacerbated if racing\u2019s association with (and funding by) betting companies becomes more heavily regulated. But ultimately any move towards more racing on synthetic surfaces is going to be very slow.<\/p>\n