العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolNATIONAL HUNT RACING
'National Hunt racing' is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom and Ireland where the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences (except in the case of a 'bumper').
The core of the National Hunt season is over the winter when it is not competing with its more glamorous cousin (flat racing). The softer ground in this season is also more appropriate for jumping. The horses are much cheaper, as the majority are geldings and have no breeding value. This makes the sport more popular as the horses are not usually retired at such a young age.
Jump racing is only taken seriously in Britain, Ireland and France.In Ireland the sport is far more popular than flat racing, while in England it is more balanced, but the different seasons mean that most fans of the sport can enjoy both forms of racing.
The horses come from a variety of sources, with many being former flat horses, while others are bred for jumping. National Hunt horses do not have to be thoroughbreds, but most are, and the ones who are not tend to be French. Many of the future stars of the sport come through Point-to-Pointing. The name reflects its hunting origins, from which the sport developed. The same skills of jumping ability and speed are required to succeed at both.
The highlight of the National Hunt Calendar is the Grand National, which is held at Aintree every April. Many of the best horses come to the festival, as well as a huge television attendance worldwide. Hundreds of millions of pounds are gambled over the three days. This is regarded as the "olympics of Horse Racing". It generates the most bets put on out all horse racing consistently each year.
Other important festivals are the Punchestown Festival - the Irish equivalent , and Cheltenham Festival meeting held at Cheltenham Racecourse, The Tingle Creek at Sandown Park as well as the Scottish Grand National at Ayr Racecourse and the Welsh National at Chepstow Racecourse.
National hunt racing originated in Ireland, particularly in the southern counties. Early races were mainly two-horse contests known as "pounding races" that became popular in the early 18th century. These involved long trips across country where horses were required to jump whatever obstacles the landscape threw in their way.
The first recorded race of this nature took place between the towns of Buttevant and Doneraile in the north of County Cork in 1752. The distance of the race was 4.5 miles(7.2km). The start and finish were marked by the church steeple in each town, hence the term "steeplechase". Point-to-point races, amateur steeplechases normally run on farmland, remain hugely popular in the same region, and in many parts of rural Ireland, today.
The first use of the term steeplechase on an official racecard was in Ireland in the early 19th century. The first running of the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National, held annually at Aintree in England, took place in 1856. An Irish horse, Lottery, took the honours. The ''national'', as its known, is run over 4.5 miles.
Given the sports origins, Irish-bred and trained horses remain a dominant force in national hunt racing today. In 2005 and 2006, Irish-trained horses captured the three main prizes at Cheltenham and won the Grand National. Best Mate who captured three successive Cheltenham Gold Cups between 2002-2004, was Irish-bred, but trained and owned in England.
★ Chase -
★
★ run over distances of 2 - 4½ miles.
★
★ over obstacles called fences that are a minimum of 4½ feet high.
★ Hurdling -
★
★ run over distances of 2 - 3½ miles.
★
★ over obstacles called hurdles that are a minimum of 3½ feet high.
★ National Hunt Flat race (NH Flat) -
★
★ are flat races for horses that have not yet competed either in flat racing or over obstacles, often called 'bumper' races.
★
★ run over distances of 1½ - 2½ miles.
The capital of National hunt racing in the UK is Cheltenham Racecourse, in the Cotswolds, which hosts the Cheltenham Festival in the third week of March each year, as well as other important fixtures during the NH calendar.
There are numerous well-known trainers operating in the Cotswolds including Jonjo O'Neil, Richard Phillips, Tom Geroge, Nigel Twiston Davies and latterly Kim Bailey. However in recent years the Cheltenham Festival has been utterly dominated by horses bred and trained in Ireland.
The highlight of the Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup (qv). All races run at Cheltenham finish with a long uphill run-in in front of the stands. The Gold Cup is run over a distance of about 3 miles 2 furlongs and on numerous occasions the hill at the finish has found out the brave. All horses carry the same weight in the Gold Cup. Famous winners of the Gold Cup include Dawn Run (mare, ridden by Jonjo O'Neil), Arkle (arguably the greatest horse of all time), Golden Miller (ditto), Best Mate and Desert Orchid.
The most famous NH race is probably the Grand National (qv), run at Aintree in April each year. The race is a different sort of contest to the Gold Cup in that it is run over 4 and a bit miles, there are 40 runners, the course at Aintree is essentially flat, and the horses are handicapped ie the best horses carry the most weight. Perhaps the most fundamental difference is that the grand national fences at Aintree are far bigger than any fence at Cheltenham, and a number of fences incorporate significant drops. The Canal Turn is a huge fence, with a substantial drop and a 90 degree turn. It is jumped twice and accounts for many fallers each year.
Famous winners of the Grand National include Red Rum (won 3 times, runner up twice), Mr Frisk (the last winner to be ridden by an amateur jockey), Aldaniti (ridden by Bob Champion shortly after he had recovered from cancer; his story was made into a film) and Foinavon (winner at 100 to 1 in 1967 when all other horses fell or refused 8 out, a fence now named after the winner).
1973, the first year that Red Rum won is generally acknowledged as being his most exciting victory. Crisp, carrying top weight (12 stone), had built up a lead of about 20 lengths from the rest of the field. Red Rum gradually eroded this enormous gap with a couple of fences left to jump. As Crisp came into the elbow, a slight crook in the course where the long run-in starts, his jockey brought his whip out to try and encourage the horse for the final effort required. Unfortunately the effect was to put the horse slightly off balance allowing Red Rum, carrying 24 lbs less weight, to rob him in the shadow of the post. Much is made of the huge difference in weight carried by the two horses. Supporters of Red Rum point out that he carried top weight in all subsequent renewals, and yet went on to win twice more.
Other NH races of note include the King George VI run at Kempton Park on 27 December and the Hennessy Gold Cup run at Newbury at the end of November.
Hunter chases take place at national hunt racecourses but are only open to thoroughbred horses that have hunter certificates. Hunter certificates are issued to horses that have hunted for at least four days in the season before racing starts in January. In addition the jockey must obtain a certificate from the hunt secretary.
Main articles: Point to point racing
★ Steeplechase for this style of horse racing more generically ('steeplechase' being the term used for similar styles of racing in the USA)
★ BBC Gloucestershire's Virtual Cheltenham: An insider's view of the world famous National Hunt course
The core of the National Hunt season is over the winter when it is not competing with its more glamorous cousin (flat racing). The softer ground in this season is also more appropriate for jumping. The horses are much cheaper, as the majority are geldings and have no breeding value. This makes the sport more popular as the horses are not usually retired at such a young age.
Jump racing is only taken seriously in Britain, Ireland and France.In Ireland the sport is far more popular than flat racing, while in England it is more balanced, but the different seasons mean that most fans of the sport can enjoy both forms of racing.
The horses come from a variety of sources, with many being former flat horses, while others are bred for jumping. National Hunt horses do not have to be thoroughbreds, but most are, and the ones who are not tend to be French. Many of the future stars of the sport come through Point-to-Pointing. The name reflects its hunting origins, from which the sport developed. The same skills of jumping ability and speed are required to succeed at both.
The highlight of the National Hunt Calendar is the Grand National, which is held at Aintree every April. Many of the best horses come to the festival, as well as a huge television attendance worldwide. Hundreds of millions of pounds are gambled over the three days. This is regarded as the "olympics of Horse Racing". It generates the most bets put on out all horse racing consistently each year.
Other important festivals are the Punchestown Festival - the Irish equivalent , and Cheltenham Festival meeting held at Cheltenham Racecourse, The Tingle Creek at Sandown Park as well as the Scottish Grand National at Ayr Racecourse and the Welsh National at Chepstow Racecourse.
| Contents |
| History |
| National Hunt Racing today |
| Types of race |
| Major National Hunt festivals |
| Cheltenham |
| Aintree |
| Other notable National Hunt races |
| Hunter chase racing |
| Point to point racing |
| See also |
| External links |
History
National hunt racing originated in Ireland, particularly in the southern counties. Early races were mainly two-horse contests known as "pounding races" that became popular in the early 18th century. These involved long trips across country where horses were required to jump whatever obstacles the landscape threw in their way.
The first recorded race of this nature took place between the towns of Buttevant and Doneraile in the north of County Cork in 1752. The distance of the race was 4.5 miles(7.2km). The start and finish were marked by the church steeple in each town, hence the term "steeplechase". Point-to-point races, amateur steeplechases normally run on farmland, remain hugely popular in the same region, and in many parts of rural Ireland, today.
The first use of the term steeplechase on an official racecard was in Ireland in the early 19th century. The first running of the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National, held annually at Aintree in England, took place in 1856. An Irish horse, Lottery, took the honours. The ''national'', as its known, is run over 4.5 miles.
National Hunt Racing today
Given the sports origins, Irish-bred and trained horses remain a dominant force in national hunt racing today. In 2005 and 2006, Irish-trained horses captured the three main prizes at Cheltenham and won the Grand National. Best Mate who captured three successive Cheltenham Gold Cups between 2002-2004, was Irish-bred, but trained and owned in England.
Types of race
★ Chase -
★
★ run over distances of 2 - 4½ miles.
★
★ over obstacles called fences that are a minimum of 4½ feet high.
★ Hurdling -
★
★ run over distances of 2 - 3½ miles.
★
★ over obstacles called hurdles that are a minimum of 3½ feet high.
★ National Hunt Flat race (NH Flat) -
★
★ are flat races for horses that have not yet competed either in flat racing or over obstacles, often called 'bumper' races.
★
★ run over distances of 1½ - 2½ miles.
Major National Hunt festivals
Cheltenham
The capital of National hunt racing in the UK is Cheltenham Racecourse, in the Cotswolds, which hosts the Cheltenham Festival in the third week of March each year, as well as other important fixtures during the NH calendar.
There are numerous well-known trainers operating in the Cotswolds including Jonjo O'Neil, Richard Phillips, Tom Geroge, Nigel Twiston Davies and latterly Kim Bailey. However in recent years the Cheltenham Festival has been utterly dominated by horses bred and trained in Ireland.
The highlight of the Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup (qv). All races run at Cheltenham finish with a long uphill run-in in front of the stands. The Gold Cup is run over a distance of about 3 miles 2 furlongs and on numerous occasions the hill at the finish has found out the brave. All horses carry the same weight in the Gold Cup. Famous winners of the Gold Cup include Dawn Run (mare, ridden by Jonjo O'Neil), Arkle (arguably the greatest horse of all time), Golden Miller (ditto), Best Mate and Desert Orchid.
Aintree
The most famous NH race is probably the Grand National (qv), run at Aintree in April each year. The race is a different sort of contest to the Gold Cup in that it is run over 4 and a bit miles, there are 40 runners, the course at Aintree is essentially flat, and the horses are handicapped ie the best horses carry the most weight. Perhaps the most fundamental difference is that the grand national fences at Aintree are far bigger than any fence at Cheltenham, and a number of fences incorporate significant drops. The Canal Turn is a huge fence, with a substantial drop and a 90 degree turn. It is jumped twice and accounts for many fallers each year.
Famous winners of the Grand National include Red Rum (won 3 times, runner up twice), Mr Frisk (the last winner to be ridden by an amateur jockey), Aldaniti (ridden by Bob Champion shortly after he had recovered from cancer; his story was made into a film) and Foinavon (winner at 100 to 1 in 1967 when all other horses fell or refused 8 out, a fence now named after the winner).
1973, the first year that Red Rum won is generally acknowledged as being his most exciting victory. Crisp, carrying top weight (12 stone), had built up a lead of about 20 lengths from the rest of the field. Red Rum gradually eroded this enormous gap with a couple of fences left to jump. As Crisp came into the elbow, a slight crook in the course where the long run-in starts, his jockey brought his whip out to try and encourage the horse for the final effort required. Unfortunately the effect was to put the horse slightly off balance allowing Red Rum, carrying 24 lbs less weight, to rob him in the shadow of the post. Much is made of the huge difference in weight carried by the two horses. Supporters of Red Rum point out that he carried top weight in all subsequent renewals, and yet went on to win twice more.
Other notable National Hunt races
Other NH races of note include the King George VI run at Kempton Park on 27 December and the Hennessy Gold Cup run at Newbury at the end of November.
Hunter chase racing
Hunter chases take place at national hunt racecourses but are only open to thoroughbred horses that have hunter certificates. Hunter certificates are issued to horses that have hunted for at least four days in the season before racing starts in January. In addition the jockey must obtain a certificate from the hunt secretary.
Point to point racing
Main articles: Point to point racing
See also
★ Steeplechase for this style of horse racing more generically ('steeplechase' being the term used for similar styles of racing in the USA)
External links
★ BBC Gloucestershire's Virtual Cheltenham: An insider's view of the world famous National Hunt course
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
Featured Companies
| Vacation By V | |
| Golf Holidays International |
Newest Companies
National Hunt racing Travel Deals
