JUMP racing is live in Hereford this autumn with four meetings aimed at bringing the excitement and fun of the sport back to the county.

The first fixture will be on Thursday, October 6, and marks the first time in four years that professional racing has taken place at the course.

It will be followed by a second meeting on Monday, October 31, which will be dedicated to the local community and promoting Herefordshire businesses.

This will include the inaugural business brunch, which will see local businesses come together for a networking event with key speakers prior to racing.

There are further fixtures on the afternoons of Wednesday, November 23, and Monday, December 19, as well as a Christmas party night on Friday, December 16.

Further details and start times can be found at hereford-racecourse.co.uk.

The first meetings will pave the way for the reestablishment of the racecourse as a leading sporting and events venue after it closed in December 2012.

Operated by Arena Racing Company (ARC), the racecourse’s new executive director and clerk of the course is Rebecca Davies.

Davies has joined from Cheltenham Racecourse, where she spent 17 years in various roles, most recently as racing operations manager.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing racing back to Hereford,” she declared.

“We’ve got four great meetings lined up for 2016 and we’re already planning a busy schedule for 2017 with 11 fixtures next year.

“It has been wonderful to hear about all the goodwill and excitement about the reopening and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to the course and to celebrate our first winner on the track.”