The Most Important National Hunt Races

Every year the top rated racehorses in national hunt racing, compete in a series of the sport’s highest rated races. Grade 1 steeplechases form the pinnacle of national hunt racing, and as such draw the strongest, most competitive fields, and offer the largest prize funds.

Not all Grade 1 steeplechases are created equal. Whilst Grade 1 chases are regarded as superior to lower-rated handicap chases, the Grade 1 national hunt season schedule is regarded as a progression towards the two most highly rated chases of the season – the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Grade 1 chases are roughly divided into two categories, those drawing racehorses that will race over 2 miles in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, and those catering for the stayers which will contest the Cheltenham Gold Cup over 3 miles. Only the most talented racehorses compete over both distances, and trainers generally prefer to prime their horses for specific race distances.

Betfair Chase

Month: November
Distance: 3 miles
Racecourse: Haydock Racecourse
Age Group: 4 year old and above
The Betfair Chase is the first major steeplechase of the national hunt season. The race is the initial stepping stone leading up to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it is not unusual for the defending champion to participate in this race.

Racehorses that put in promising performances at Haydock are generally entered into the King George VI Chase, the next scheduled Grade 1 chase over 3 miles. Racehorses that fail to stay over the 3-mile distance are often sent on to the shorter Tingle Creek Chase, in preparation for the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Tingle Creek Chase

Month: December
Distance: 2 miles
Racecourse: Sandown Racecourse
Age Group: 4 year old and above
Sandown gets its annual taste of Grade 1 steeple chasing with the Tingle Creek Chase. The race is the season’s first outing for racehorses targeting the Queen Mother Champion Chase, a number of which will be entered into the race after achieving good performances in the previous season’s Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

Tingle Creek Chase champions are frequently stepped up to 3 mile Grade 1 chases the following season. A number of the most impressive racehorses in recent memory had won the Tingle Creek Chase before proceeding to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the King George VI Chase or the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

King George VI Chase

Month: December
Distance: 3 miles
Racecourse: Kempton Park Racecourse
Age Group: 4 year old and above
The King George VI Chase is one of the highlights of the national hunt season. A win in this race is considered to be a significant achievement for a racehorse, even if it subsequently fails to follow it up with wins in the feature races at the Cheltenham Festival.

The King George VI Chase also has an important relationship to the Cheltenham Gold Cup and is regarded by many as the most significant trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Four of the last six King George VI Chase winners also succeeded in achieving one or more Cheltenham Gold Cup victories.

Ascot Chase

Month: December
Distance: 2 miles 5½ furlongs
Racecourse: Ascot Racecourse
Age Group: 5 year old and above
The Ascot Chase is the most prestigious national hunt race hosted by the traditional home of British flat racing. Unlike the majority of the chases run prior to the Cheltenham Festival, the Ascot Chase does not cater specifically for entries into either the Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Cheltenham Gold Cup, as it is run over an intermediate distance of 2 miles 5½ furlongs.

The Ascot Chase tends to attract some of the fringe entries into the Cheltenham Festival feature chases, as the trainers of these horses wish to test the ability of their entries over an intermediate distance. During the short history of the Ascot Chase only one winner, Kauto Star, has gone on to win a feature race at the Cheltenham Festival.

Queen Mother Champion Chase

Month: March
Distance: 2 miles
Racecourse: Cheltenham Racecourse
Age Group: 4 – 6-year olds
The Queen Mother Champion Chase ends months of speculation over which national hunt racehorse is the finest performer over 2 miles. Attention is usually focused on the winner of the Tingle Creek Chase, but the defending champion and the winners of lower grade handicaps can also attract significant interest from punters.

The fact that the Queen Mother Champion Chase requires specialised skills over the 2 mile race distance is reflected by race records, as no racehorse has ever won both the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Cheltenham Gold Cup

Month: March
Distance: 3 miles
Racecourse: Cheltenham Racecourse
Age Group: 4 – 6-year olds
The Cheltenham Gold Cup rivals the Grade 3 Grand National as the highlight of the national hunt season. The race and its entries attract more press attention than any other horseracing event in the United Kingdom, and the event is one of the few national hunt races to attract interest from outside the racing community.

Both exceptional skill and staying power are required for a racehorse to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. It is not unusual for trainers to begin schooling the most promising novices for this race years in advance of an appearance in the event. A win in the Cheltenham Gold Cup is considered the crowning achievement in national hunt racing.

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