Market Rasen’s first fixture of 2021 will take place on Saturday 16th January and will be featured live on ITV Racing for the first time.

In a change from recent seasons, the Lincolnshire track will stage two fixtures in January in an annual programme which, as always, sees almost half of its meetings on weekends or Bank Holiday slots and the highest profile days in their usual places in the calendar.

Market Rasen’s first raceday of 2021 will include the Alan Swinbank Mares Listed National Hunt Race - known in racing as a ‘Bumper’ - and will feature as part of ITV Racing’s Saturday afternoon coverage.

Elsewhere in the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) fixture list, which has been published in provisional form for 2021, Market Rasen’s traditional Easter Sunday meeting will take place on 4th April, while Summer Plate day, featuring the track’s flagship race and Ladies’ Day, is scheduled for Saturday 17th July.

August is set to see two major meetings, the Family Extravaganza on Sunday 1st and the traditional Saturday night fixture on the 14th, while the Ferry Ales Brewery Beer Festival is, as usual, in late September.

The BHA’s provisional fixture list also includes the great Lincolnshire tradition, Boxing Day at Market Rasen Racecourse, which is scheduled to return in 2021 with the Rand Farm Park Raceday.

Nadia Powell, Market Rasen’s General Manager, said: “I am delighted with our provisional fixtures for next year and it’s especially important to us that our highlights - Easter, Summer Plate Day and Boxing Day - remain on their traditional dates.

“For everyone in racing the top priority is to welcome racegoers back as soon as it’s deemed safe and appropriate to do so and with the necessary protocols in place. Until then we continue to race behind closed doors without spectators.

“We all hugely appreciate everyone’s understanding and the terrific support we have had from owners, trainers, jockeys and sponsors in difficult circumstances in 2020.”

Market Rasen’s remaining fixtures in 2020 are on Thursday 5th November, Thursday 19th November, Thursday 3rd December and Wednesday 30th December. All meetings will be staged without spectators until further notice.

Every race at every fixture Market Rasen hosts can be watched live on Racing TV and then free and in full just 20 minutes after the conclusion of each race at thejockeyclub.co.uk/the-racing/race-replays/.