This Saturday’s Winter Derby 2024 at Southwell will be run at the Nottinghamshire track for the first time after being switched from his regular home – Lingfield. But just why has the big Group Three all-weather race moved venues?
Winter Derby Moved To Southwell in 2024 From Lingfield
Arena Racing Company (ARC) took the bold decision to move the Winter Derby 2024 from Lingfield Park, where the race had been run since 1998, to Southwell.
This was due to changes to the British horse racing fixture list, with the new Southwell meeting now having a ‘Premier fixture’ status.
The other bonus is that ARC now had the option to run the meeting later on with Southwell having floodlights.
With the card running from 2:45pm till 6:05pm and the Winter Derby at 3:20pm, so it can still be shown on ITV Racing.
Lingfield is the only AW track in the UK not to have floodlights, due to being on the Gatwick flight path.
ARC group operations director Mark Spincer told the Racing Post last year
“We’ve had to move the Winter Derby to Southwell. We can’t run it in the afternoon and we don’t have lights, so we couldn’t run it later. It will move to Southwell and start under the lights, but it will still have TV coverage. Currently it is a two-year trial and it’s our intention to run it there for at least the next two years.”
“Lingfield has had to be flexible for next year’s fixture list to allow premierisation to work. We’ve had to move 14 fixtures. We’ve ended up net only four fixtures down as we’ve added some Sunday and midweek fixtures in there. If we had floodlights it wouldn’t be a problem, but we’re directly on the flightpath to Gatwick – so unless something significant has changed that we’re unaware of floodlights aren’t an option.
“We’ve done it to support premierisation. If we don’t do anything no-one will, so we’ve put our best foot forward for all of the industry. It doesn’t come without challenges, particularly for Lingfield, but we’ve got to work through them as a business.”
What Date & Time Is The Winter Derby 2024 at Southwell?
📅Time/Date: 3:20pm (Saturday 24th March 2024)
🏇Racecourse: Southwell
💰 Winner: £56,710
📺 TV: ITV4 / Sky Sports Racing
See the full ITV Racing running order and races for Saturday 24th February 2024.
Winter Derby 2024 at Southwell Will Be The Richest Race Ever Run at the Track
With the Winter Derby 2024 now at Southwell, this means the race will not only be the richest (£56k to the winner) held at the track, but also the first time a Group Class contest has been run at the versatile Nottinghamshire course, where they also stage National Hunt racing.
Southwell’s Winter Derby Will Be Run Over A Furlong Longer
The Winter Derby switch has also meant a slightly new trip, with the old one race being run over 1m2f and the new race a furlong longer at 1m3f.
2023 Winter Derby Winner Lord North Is Back For More
Trainer John Gosden has won the Winter Derby four times in the past, including 12 months ago with Lord North.
In fact, Gosden’s four winners in the race have all come in the last five runnings, with only William Haggas spoiling his clean sweep in 2022.
His 2023 Winter Derby winner Lord North (watch below) is also back for more in 2024 as he looks to become the first back-to-back winner of the race. He’ll take on last year’s second Tyrrhenian Sea again too.
The 8 year-old Lord North has amassed over £6.3m in total prize money during his career and this will be his first visit to Southwell. He’s priced at 2/1 with the best UK horse racing betting sites to successfully defend his crown.
Gosden also has another big fancy in the betting with the 109-rated Lion’s Pride. He was last seen winning the Listed Floodlit Stakes at Kempton in November and is 2-from-3 on the sand surfaces. He’ll also be running at Southwell though for the first time and can be backed at 5/2.
RELATED: Winter Derby 2024 Trends, Tips, Betting and Runners For Saturday’s Southwell Group Three
Winter Derby Betting Odds 2024
See below the best Winter Derby betting odds 2024 from BetMGM, where you can bet £10 and get £40 in free bets.
- Lord North 2/1
- Lion’s Pride 5/2
- Military Order 3/1
- Eydon 6/1
- Tyrrhenian Sea 7/1
- Teumessias Fox 8/1
- 14/1 bar
Note: Odds are subject to change and others on request
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Winter Derby Past Winners
- 2023 – LORD NORTH (8/11 fav)
- 2022 – ALENQUER (11/4)
- 2021 – FOREST OF DEAN (10/3)
- 2020 – DUBAI WARRIOR (13/8)
- 2019 – WISSAHICKON (1/4 fav)
- 2018 – MASTER THE WORLD (16/1)
- 2017 – CONVEY (11/2)
- 2016 – GRENDISAR (11/4)
- 2015 – TRYSTER (3/1 fav)
- 2014 – ROBIN HOODS BAY (10/1)
- 2013 – FARRAAJ (6/4 fav)
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