Key Points
- Bumpers are designed for horses to gain experience under NH rules
- Hurdles races have relatively small obstacles designed to be jumped at speed
- Steeplechases (Chases) feature bigger, solid fences, presenting a test of ability and stamina
Todayās educational article explores National Hunt (NH) racing, typically referred to as the āJumpsā. What follows is a beginnerās guide to cover this side of horse racing, but hopefully, those of you who are more experienced will learn a few things too.
If youāre new to my articles, Iām RacingGav and Iām the resident horse racing tipster here at Betting.co.uk. As you will see from this article, Iām more than just a tipster, as I also provide other types of content, including guides like this one. I have already covered
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What is National Hunt racing?
In the next few sections of this article, Iāll go through the various disciplines within National Hunt racing, which is the official name for Jump racing. Although there is National Hunt racing all year round these days, the majority of meetings take place from autumn through to spring the following year. Most racing fans consider the season to run from October until late April, which covers the months where the main NH meetings take place.
Whilst Flat racing is largely a test of speed, with some stamina elements at the longest distances, National Hunt racing relies much on jumping ability and stamina. National Hunt horses tend to be bigger and more developed than Flat horses, and they must be at least three years old before they can race under NH rules.
National Hunt racing is broken down into three different types of race: Bumpers, Hurdles and Steeplechases. There are 64 racecourses in the UK and Ireland that host National Hunt racing, with 25 of them exclusively NH and a further 39 that are dual purpose and host both National Hunt and Flat racing.
Bumpers are designed for horses to gain experience under NH rules
It is quite likely that a National Hunt horse will have itās first taste of competition in a race called a Bumper. These are races designed to give horses experience of racing. They take place on National Hunt tracks, but there are no jumps.
The origin of the name āBumperā is widely disputed. However, many believe it is because Bumpers used to be exclusively for conditional and amateur riders. As both the riders and the horses lacked experience, it could become quite messy with a good deal of ābumpingā taking place!
Bumper races are typically run over the minimum National Hunt trip of two miles, from a ārollingā start, where the runners approach the start at a steady pace. You will occasionally find Bumpers run over slightly shorter, or longer distances varying from 1m 4f to 2m 2f.
Horses that have previously run on the Flat cannot run in Bumpers. They already have experience of racing on a racecourse and would arguably have an unfair advantage. However, they are eligible to run in Hurdle or Steeplechase races.
While Flat horses cannot run, Flat jockeys can ride, provided they have a Jump Jockeyās licence. Jamie Spencer famously did this, and won the most prestigious Bumper of them all - The Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival way back in 2002.
Hurdles have relatively small obstacles which are designed to be jumped at speed
Hurdles races are run with a number of obstacles to jump. Hurdles are a minimum of 3.5 feet high, and typically consist of a series of panels made from brush.
These types of races are run over various distances starting from a minimum trip of 2m, and going up to a maximum trip of 3m 2f. Hurdles races tend to be run at a relatively fast pace, due to the height and construction of the obstacles. Effectively enabling the horses to jump fast and low in order to maintain more momentum as they land.
The pinnacle of hurdling is considered to be the Champion Hurdle, run over two miles, which is held on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. However, Cheltenham also hosts the Stayersā Hurdle, over three miles, later in the week.
Steeplechases (Chases) feature bigger, solid fences, presenting a test of ability and stamina
The final type of National Hunt race is a Steeplechase, or simply Chase, as they are more commonly known nowadays. While Hurdles are a minimum of 3.5ft high, Chase fences are a minimum of 4.5 feet.
They are much more solid and typically constructed of birch and spruce to give the appearance of a hedge. There are three different types of Chase fences: plain, open ditches and water jumps.
You may wonder where the name Steeplechase comes from, and it originates in Ireland. Young Irish men used to race their horses from one church steeple to another, jumping any and every obstacle they encountered on the way.
Like Hurdle races, Chases start at a minimum trip of 2m, but they can go all the way up to 4m 2.5f. Two of the most famous Steeplechases are the Cheltenham Gold Cup, run over 3m 2.5f, and the Aintree Grand National which is run over the maximum Chase distance of 4m 2.5f.
There's more to know about National Hunt racing!
There is far more to know about National Hunt racing, bringing potential for a part two for this article! If you have any questions, my DMs are always open over on X @RacingGav and if I receive the same questions multiple times, maybe I will cover them in a second article.
I personally watch, tip, and bet on both Flat racing and National Hunt racing, but if I could only pick one, it would be National Hunt racing, no contest! The thrill of seeing the horses negotiating substantial obstacles at speed just takes it to another level. Thereās also the fact that most male Jumps horses are geldings, which means they often have much longer racing careers compared to stallions, who may be rushed off to stud if they are successful. This allows more time for fans to build a connection with the horses, and subsequently a much stronger bond.
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