National Hunt Racing

National hunt racing is the most popular winter horseracing format in the United Kingdom and Europe. The sport has its roots in the tradition of the hunt, requiring horses to jump obstacles during races. Thoroughbred pedigree is not a requirement for this sport, making it accessible to a greater number of horses and trainers.

National hunt races and festivals provide some of the biggest betting events of the year, with races like the Grand National and Cheltenham Festival attracting hundreds of millions of pounds in bets every year. The sport has a unique appeal as national hunt horses have longer careers and often race in top events multiple times.

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National Hunt Festivals

Literally hundreds of national hunt meetings take place throughout the winter months, with some race courses also hosting races during the summer months. However, three meetings reign supreme in this sport.

• The Cheltenham Festival: Held over four days in March each year at Prestbury Park in Cheltenham, the Cheltenham Festival is home to four of the biggest races in national hunt racing – the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the World Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle.
• The Grand National Meeting: Aintree racecourse is the annual host for the prestigious April Grand National meeting. The event’s highlight is the Grand National steeplechase, a truly historic race and the biggest national hunt handicap chase of the year.
• The Punchestown Festival: The National Hunt Festival of Ireland is the biggest race meeting in the country. The event, held annually in April, marks the end of the national hunt season in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

National Hunt Races

Several top national hunt races form the focal point of single day meetings held during the national hunt season. A win in any of these races is considered to be a major achievement in the career of a racehorse or trainer. They include:

• Paddy Power Gold Cup
• The Racing Post Chase
• The King George VI Chase
• The Scottish Grand National
• The Irish Grand National
• The Welsh National

National Hunt Betting

The betting markets for the biggest national hunt races and festivals tend to open months before the races are set to take place. Ante-post odds on the likely runners for the renewal are available within hours of completion of the Grand National.

National hunt racing offers numerous betting opportunities, as it features both non-handicap races with low odds and strongly backed favourites, as well as handicaps where the outcome is more difficult to predict but the odds are higher.

Useful National Hunt Resources

Official Cheltenham Site
Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide