For the casual observer, the horse racing season may seem like it is winding down as we approach the winter months. However, a closer look at the racing calendar reveals some fantastic meetings and races to enjoy across the United Kingdom over the winter period. Read on as we bring you the best of the winter horse racing schedule.
November Meeting at Cheltenham
We begin with the November Meeting at Cheltenham and this takes place between the 15th and 17th of November 2024. Cheltenham Racecourse is well known for the Cheltenham Festival, which takes place in March every year but for those who want to visit the legendary racecourse with fewer crowds, the November Meeting at Cheltenham is the perfect opportunity. The races at this event include the Paddy Power Handicap Chase, Paddy Power Gold Cup Chase, and Stan James Greatwood Hurdle. Each of these three races carry over £100,000 prize money and will feature some of the biggest names in horse racing.
Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton Park
Christmas is a fantastic time of year for horse racing fans and the Ladbrokes Christmas Festival at Kempton Park is one of the outstanding meetings. This event takes place on the 26th and 27th of December, meaning it is a wonderful meeting to enjoy around the Christmas holidays. In terms of individual races, they do not come much bigger than the King George VI Steeple Chase, which is one of the highlights of winter racing in the UK.
There are many traditions around Christmas in the UK, such as the Boxing Day football fixtures, and the King George VI Steeple Chase falls into the same category. A glance down the list of past winners of the race underlines how special it has become, with the likes of Desert Orchid and Kauto Startasting success at Kempton Park in the past. As the race takes place on Boxing Day, there is also a special atmosphere at the track which adds to the occasion. If you cannot be at Kempton Park on the day, you can still be part of the action thanks to horse betting sites. Many of the top online betting sites not only offer odds on the King George VI Steeple Chase but also live streaming of the race, so you can enjoy the excitement at home or on a mobile device.
Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow
In addition to the Grand National, which is run at Aintree in April, the horse racing calendar includes the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow. This race takes place on the 27th of December and the meeting includes plenty of other thrilling races, with the Finale Junior Hurdle and Championship Bumper being two of the best. Having been switched to the 27th of December having previously been held at other times of year, the Welsh Grand National has attracted a stronger class of runners. This makes the race a good indicator for some of the other high-profile races in the calendar, includingthe Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Recent successes include Synchronised, who won the 2010 Welsh Grand National and went on to win the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup and Native River, who won the 2016 Welsh Grand National before claiming the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Some of the other exciting horse racing fans can look forward to over winter include the Coral Gold Cup in November and the Betfair Ascot Chase in February, the latter of which is a good indicator for form ahead of the Cheltenham Festival.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.