Horse Racing Today – Monday 27 July 2026

Monday's racing card serves up a healthy spread of 27 races across four UK flat meetings, with action running from early afternoon right through into the summer evening. Southwell Racecourse leads the way on prize money with a top prize of £30,000 on its all-weather Fibresand surface, while Aintree Racecourse gets the day's racing underway at 14:15 on ground described as Good to Firm, Good in places. Later on, Wincanton Racecourse and Pontefract Racecourse provide a superb evening double-header for punters looking to extend their day's interest. Whether you're hunting a winner on the all-weather or fancy a flutter on one of the evening turf cards, today has something for everyone.

Aintree – First Race 14:15 (Good to Firm, Good in Places)

Aintree Racecourse – famous the world over for its Grand National fences – hosts a seven-race flat card this afternoon, with the ground riding Good to Firm, Good in places. That should suit horses who travel well on a quick surface, so keep an eye on those with proven form on similar going. The top prize on offer is £13,000, making this a competitive enough card to attract some interesting runners.

The standout race from a breeding and future-prospect perspective is The Ladbrokes EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Class 3), a GBB Race that often unearths a smart filly with a big future. Trainers will be keen to get black type on the page for their better-bred juveniles, so expect some well-fancied debutantes from the powerful southern yards making the trip north. Elsewhere, The Ladbrokes 'Big Daily Boosts on Racing' Handicap Stakes (Class 4) and The 'Get More with Racing Bet Builder' Handicap (Class 6) complete the competitive handicap action. Check out the full Aintree Racing Preview for our best bets and race-by-race analysis.

Southwell – First Race 14:30 (Standard – All-Weather)

Running almost simultaneously with Aintree, Southwell Racecourse stages the richest race of the day with a top prize of £30,000. The Nottinghamshire track's Fibresand surface rides Standard today, which historically favours horses with a prominent racing style – those who get bogged down in the kickback can struggle here, so front-runners and prominent racers are always worth noting in your form study.

The headline act is The Prestige Safety First Aid Training Novice Stakes (Class 3), a GBB/GBBPlus Race that could attract some well-bred types stepping onto the all-weather for the first time. The dual GBB qualification makes this particularly valuable for connections of winning fillies and colts looking to accumulate bonus prize money throughout the season. Complementing that are two Class 5 handicaps – The Prestige Safety Your Trusted Safety Partner Handicap and The Prestige Safety E-Learning Handicap – which should provide competitive betting races with open-looking fields. Don't miss our Southwell Racing Preview for the inside track on today's card.

Wincanton – First Race 17:15 (Good to Firm)

As the afternoon gives way to a warm summer evening, Wincanton Racecourse takes centre stage with a seven-race card beginning at 17:15. The Somerset track is riding Good to Firm (42 on the going stick), which is on the quicker end of the spectrum – a real test of speed and stamina on a course that rewards handy, well-balanced horses who can handle the undulations.

Three races stand out on the Wincanton card:

  • The British EBF Novice Stakes (Class 4, GBB Race) – a key early-season pointer for juveniles, with the EBF qualification adding extra prestige and attracting quality runners from leading stables.
  • The Follow @attheraces on X Restricted Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Class 4, GBB Race) – restricted to horses in Bands B, C and D, this gives less-exposed fillies a chance to shine away from the very top-rated individuals. Horses dropping in class or making their second or third career start are the ones to focus on here.
  • The Download the At The Races App Apprentice Handicap (Class 5) – always an entertaining watch, apprentice races can throw up big-priced winners as the weight allowances level the playing field. Back the horse, not the jockey – but a confident young claimer in form can make all the difference.

Read our detailed Wincanton Racing Preview for our selections and key form angles on tonight's card.

Pontefract – First Race 18:00 (Good, Good to Firm in Places)

Rounding off the day's action, Pontefract Racecourse hosts a six-race evening card on ground described as Good, Good to Firm in places – near-ideal summer conditions on one of Britain's most unique and undulating tracks. Pontefract's uphill finish is notoriously testing, and it has a well-earned reputation for suiting tough, resolute gallopers who don't mind a stiff test of stamina. First-time visitors to the track can often be caught out, so course form is an important angle here.

The top prize of £15,000 is on offer, with three particularly interesting races on the card. The British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (Class 4, GBB Race) and The Queen Ethelburga's Collegiate Fillies' Novice Stakes (Class 4, GBB Race) both carry GBB bonuses and should attract some progressive types from yards with a strong record in juvenile novice races. Meanwhile, The Discover Valentina Luxury Photobooth Experience Apprentice Handicap (Class 6) gives the claimer brigade another opportunity to shine in what should be a fiercely competitive sprint handicap. Our full Pontefract Racing Preview has everything you need to know.

Today's Racing – Key Themes and Summary

Monday 27 July 2026 is a cracking day's racing with something to suit every punter. Here's a quick summary of what to look out for:

  • Going: Predominantly quick ground across all turf tracks – Good to Firm at Aintree and Wincanton, Good at Pontefract. Speed figures and fast-ground form are key angles today.
  • All-weather: Southwell's Standard Fibresand surface rewards front-runners and prominent racers – watch for horses drawn low in sprint distances.
  • GBB Races: Multiple GBB and GBBPlus qualifying races across all four meetings, making today valuable for connections chasing bonus prize money throughout the campaign.
  • Apprentice races: Both Wincanton and Pontefract feature apprentice handicaps – always worth a look for value, especially when an in-form claimer picks up a well-handicapped ride.
  • Top prize: Southwell's £30,000 feature race is the richest pot of the day and should attract the strongest field.

With 27 races spread across four meetings from 14:15 through to the evening, today is a full and rewarding day's racing. Bookmark this page, check the individual course previews linked above, and enjoy the action. Good luck!