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THOUSANDS of horse-lovers and racing fans turned out to watch the UK's first official shire horse race at Lingfield Park Racecourse at the weekend.

Eight heavy horses galloped two furlongs in the Showerking Flying Feathers Maiden Stakes Race.

The event, which was watched by more than 7,500 racegoers, was part of the venue's annual countryside evening on Saturday (June 15) - a fundraising event in aid of the Countryside Alliance Foundation.

Regional director Michelle Nudds said it was important to celebrate the endangered breed, adding: "Shire horses are a very important part of Britain's farming heritage but, like so many of our unique breeds of livestock, are considered by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust to be at risk of extinction.

"Events like this race serve to raise their profile in the public eye and highlight the great work Hurst Green Shires, and other bodies, do to preserve their future. We thank Lingfield Park racecourse for putting on what has been a real spectacle."

Professional jump jockeys backed the horses to race them around the track.

Four-year-old Joey - also known as Goose Green John Smith - claimed victory in the special race ridden by jockey Mark Grant.

Owner Jacqui Goddard - who runs Hurst Green Shires, in Westerham, Kent, which provided all eight shires - said: "He is a fab chap, very good, and was broken to drive earlier this year after he recovered from a nasty eye injury.

"To win the race as he did was just brilliant after he has already recovered from some real adversity in his short life."

A video of the race has attracted more than 75,000 views on YouTube and the event even made it into the news in New Zealand.

Curious George, ridden by Gavin Sheehan, took second place and Flash came in third with jockey Marc Goldstein on board.

Ms Goddard, who supplied the horses for the race in a bid to raise the profile of the breed, added: "It was amazing to see them all out there on the track.

"The horses absolutely loved every second of it and the visitors have shown a huge amount of interest in what we do. It can only be a good thing for the shire [horse]."

Lingfield Park has since been inundated with feedback from horse-lovers across the world calling on the event to be a regular fixture.

Andrew Perkins, Lingfield Park Resort executive director, said he had been taken aback by the level of interest, adding: "We have been contacted by people from all over the globe about this race, via social networking and email.

"Now the messages are flooding in, begging us to repeat this next year.

"While thoroughbred racing will remain at the heart of what we do here at Lingfield Park, I think we've established that there's a genuine thirst out there for a variety of horse-related entertainment.

"We are thrilled that this has been such a success."

As well as the popular race, the event also featured lots of fun family activities, including a petting farm, terrier racing and a meet-and-greet with the fox hounds from the Old Surrey and Burstow Hunt.

Julie Reilly, from race sponsor Showerking, said: "The whole point of this was to highlight the versatility of this gorgeous breed – and anyone who saw them in this race can see that they are a riding horse.

"We will do all we can to help preserve the shires as they are so special.

"This is one of the best things we have ever done at Showerking and we will certainly be lobbying for another race next year.

"I know people who have travelled half the country to come and see this – that's how special it is."