Newmarket Racecourse’s dedicated Grounds Team has been named Flat Course Winners at this year’s Racecourse Association (RCA) Groundstaff Awards.

The accolade is recognition of their outstanding performance, innovation and commitment to delivering a first-class racing surface.

This achievement comes after a particularly challenging year, with an unprecedented and prolonged dry summer. Despite these conditions, the team maintained safe going for every fixture across both of Newmarket’s racecourses.

Their work included the first major renovation of the July Course racing surface in 25 years, enhancing drainage, firmness and riding confidence; the use of wireless soil monitors to prepare the track for the Betfred Guineas Festival and upgrades to the July Course Winners Enclosure, improving both safety and accessibility.

The Newmarket Grounds Team have devoted countless hours to keeping the track at its very best. Thanks to their dedication, the racecourse continues to provide a safe, high-quality surface for racing and an exceptional experience for everyone both on and off the track.

This recognition underscores horseracing’s ongoing focus on innovation, high standards and equine welfare, with Grounds Teams at the heart of maintaining some of the country’s most iconic racetracks.