First anniversary for Ffos Las
Ffos Las racecourse marks its first anniversary fixture - the 20th since the racecourse opened 12 months ago - on the evening of Thursday 17 June.
During the first 19 fixtures, almost 70,000 visitors have passed through the gates to watch a total of 127 races and more than 1,100 racehorses.
The average attendance has been more than 3,500 people.
Clerk of the Course Tim Long said: "The racecourse has come a long way in a very short time. People have really taken Ffos Las to their hearts - they view it as 'their' racecourse and have supported us in big numbers, especially at our feature meetings. Now, we are looking forward very much to welcoming everyone for our first anniversary fixture - Sinclair Group Ladies' Night on Thursday 17 June."
TIMELINE AND FACTFILE: JUNE 2009 - JUNE 2010
18 June 2009: The first new racecourse on turf in Britain for more than 70 years opens in front of a 10,000 crowd. The Welsh-trained jumps racehorse Plunkett makes history as the first winner.
21 July: First ever Flat race meeting is held.
28 August: Official capacity is raised to 15,000, and the racecourse is officially opened by the former "Voice of Racing" Sir Peter O'Sullevan. Cerys Matthews performs live after racing.
12 & 13 September: First two-day meeting is held - a festival of Flat racing.
21 December: In time for a special Christmas fixture, the Racegoers Club of Great Britain names Ffos Las as one of the best racecourses in the country.
9 January 2010: Disappointment on what would have been the new Welsh Champion Hurdle day as wintry weather forces the racecourse's only abandonment to date.
24 March: Plans for a three-day summer festival in August are announced, combining Flat and jump racing.
6 April: Top Flat jockey Frankie Dettori makes his riding debut at Ffos Las.
12 April: The racecourse's catering wins a top national award for sports stadia. More awards will follow as 'Newcomer of the Year' and for sustainable development.
26 April: Champion Jump Jockey Tony McCoy maintains his phenomenal record at Ffos Las with a trio of winners.
1 June: All six races are won by horses stabled with Welsh trainers - five of them based in The Principality and Nigel Twiston-Davies from Gloucestershire.
17 June: Sinclair Group Ladies' Night marks corresponding fixture to opening day in 2009.
SPORTING HISTORY IN THE MAKING IN CARMARTHENSHIRE
HISTORY was made on Thursday 18 June 2009 with the opening of the new Ffos Las Racecourse in west Wales.
It became the first turf racecourse in Britain in more than 70 years, and - by 17 June 2010 - it will have hosted 20 fixtures in its first 365 days of operation.
A total of 68,104 visitors have come through the gates during the first 19 fixtures.
Years in the planning, the £21 million track stages both jump and Flat racing around its left-handed mile and a half circuit.
Created on the site of a 650-acre former open cast mine by the Walters Group of civil engineers, the racecourse - beside the village of Trimsaran between Llanelli and Kidwelly - is operated by the management of racecourse group Northern Racing.
Dai Walters, who founded the Walters Group more than a quarter of a century ago, originally bought the land where the racecourse has been constructed in 2002.
During the first 19 fixtures, almost 70,000 visitors have passed through the gates to watch a total of 127 races and more than 1,100 racehorses.
The average attendance has been more than 3,500 people.
Clerk of the Course Tim Long said: "The racecourse has come a long way in a very short time. People have really taken Ffos Las to their hearts - they view it as 'their' racecourse and have supported us in big numbers, especially at our feature meetings. Now, we are looking forward very much to welcoming everyone for our first anniversary fixture - Sinclair Group Ladies' Night on Thursday 17 June."
TIMELINE AND FACTFILE: JUNE 2009 - JUNE 2010
18 June 2009: The first new racecourse on turf in Britain for more than 70 years opens in front of a 10,000 crowd. The Welsh-trained jumps racehorse Plunkett makes history as the first winner.
21 July: First ever Flat race meeting is held.
28 August: Official capacity is raised to 15,000, and the racecourse is officially opened by the former "Voice of Racing" Sir Peter O'Sullevan. Cerys Matthews performs live after racing.
12 & 13 September: First two-day meeting is held - a festival of Flat racing.
21 December: In time for a special Christmas fixture, the Racegoers Club of Great Britain names Ffos Las as one of the best racecourses in the country.
9 January 2010: Disappointment on what would have been the new Welsh Champion Hurdle day as wintry weather forces the racecourse's only abandonment to date.
24 March: Plans for a three-day summer festival in August are announced, combining Flat and jump racing.
6 April: Top Flat jockey Frankie Dettori makes his riding debut at Ffos Las.
12 April: The racecourse's catering wins a top national award for sports stadia. More awards will follow as 'Newcomer of the Year' and for sustainable development.
26 April: Champion Jump Jockey Tony McCoy maintains his phenomenal record at Ffos Las with a trio of winners.
1 June: All six races are won by horses stabled with Welsh trainers - five of them based in The Principality and Nigel Twiston-Davies from Gloucestershire.
17 June: Sinclair Group Ladies' Night marks corresponding fixture to opening day in 2009.
SPORTING HISTORY IN THE MAKING IN CARMARTHENSHIRE
HISTORY was made on Thursday 18 June 2009 with the opening of the new Ffos Las Racecourse in west Wales.
It became the first turf racecourse in Britain in more than 70 years, and - by 17 June 2010 - it will have hosted 20 fixtures in its first 365 days of operation.
A total of 68,104 visitors have come through the gates during the first 19 fixtures.
Years in the planning, the £21 million track stages both jump and Flat racing around its left-handed mile and a half circuit.
Created on the site of a 650-acre former open cast mine by the Walters Group of civil engineers, the racecourse - beside the village of Trimsaran between Llanelli and Kidwelly - is operated by the management of racecourse group Northern Racing.
Dai Walters, who founded the Walters Group more than a quarter of a century ago, originally bought the land where the racecourse has been constructed in 2002.
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