What Does National Hunt Mean In Horse Racing?

In National Hunt racing, commonly known as jumps racing, horses are required to jump obstacles over distances ranging from two miles to more than four and a quarter miles. The two types of obstacles in jumps racing are hurdles and fences.

What is a National Hunt horse?

What is National Hunt in horse racing? National Hunt racing is a form of horse racing in the UK and Ireland where horses must leap obstacles like fences, hurdles or ditches during a race. This tests the skill of the horse and the jockey as the pair career round the racecourse at breakneck speeds.

What is the difference between flat racing and National Hunt?

Flat is typically faster and shorter, rewarding sprinters, while National Hunt’s many jumping tests and longer distances make it suited to horses that excel at endurance. The shortest flat race is more than a mile shorter than the quickest jumps race.

What are National Hunt rules?

A horse shall be deemed qualified to run for a National Hunt flat race which has not run after the age of three years, or won after the age of two years, under the recognised rules of flat racing in any country, which has been placed first, second, or third in a steeplechase in Great Britain or Ireland, and which has

What is a good rating for a National Hunt horse?

135–139: an outstanding horse. 130–134: above average Group 1 winner (a “top-class racehorse”) 125–129: average Group 1 winner. 116–124: average Group 2 winner.

What age do National Hunt horses start?

National Hunt Horses
They are raced on the flat at 2 or 3 years of age before moving on to hurdling and possibly to steeplechasing, or they are bred specifically for National Hunt racing. Red Rum, who won the Grand National on three occasions, is an example of a horse that started racing in flat races as a 2-year-old.

Are all National Hunt horses gelded?

Almost all male national hunt horses are gelded but flat horses can also undergo ‘the cruellest cut of all’. Mare – A mare is a female horse aged over five.

Is National Hunt racing is called as jump racing?

In National Hunt racing, commonly known as jumps racing, horses are required to jump obstacles over distances ranging from two miles to more than four and a quarter miles. The two types of obstacles in jumps racing are hurdles and fences.

How long is a National Hunt race?

The race is a different sort of contest from the Gold Cup: it is a Grade 3 race, it is run over a distance of more than 4 miles (6.4 km), there are up to 40 runners, the course at Aintree is essentially flat, and the horses are handicapped (the best horses carry the most weight).

What are the three types of horse racing?

Flat racing, where horses gallop directly between two points around a straight or oval track. Jump racing, or Jumps racing, also known as Steeplechasing or, in the UK and Ireland, National Hunt racing, where horses race over obstacles. Harness racing, where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky.

How are National Hunt horses bred?

The majority of National Hunt horses bred in Ireland come from the small breeder/farmer sector, who usually confine their breeding enterprises to five mares or less, Shane O’Dwyer, the chief executive of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, told the Farming Independent this week.

What is a Grade 1 National Hunt race?

National Hunt Grades
Class 1 races are then divided into Grades 1, 2 and 3, with a further category called listed races beneath that. Grade 1 races are, again unsurprisingly, the crème de la crème, and there are only 30 of these all season. These are the championship races with the best horses and the biggest prizes.

What is the National Hunt season?

Although there is generally jumps racing 12 months of the year, the majority of National Hunt fixtures take place in the Autumn and Winter months. The bigger meetings tend to start at the back-end of October, running through to April, the end of this month marking the official end of the campaign.

How much does a National Hunt jockey get per ride?

However, as a general rule of thumb Flat jockeys receive around 8.5% of the advertised win prize and 2.61% of the advertised place prize. Jump Jockeys receive around 11.03% of the win prize and 3.44% of the place prize. The riding fee is negotiated annually between the PJA and the ROA.

What are grades in National Hunt races?

There are six class bands in the National Hunt hierarchy, of which the top band is split into three grades: Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. These are the elite-level races run over jumps such as hurdles and fences, and feature the most iconic horses in UK and Irish racing.

What is the smartest bet in horse racing?

Many people consider the Lucky 15 one of the smartest bet in horse racing as it gives lots of options and bet types.

What age is a racehorse at its best?

We find that a typical horse’s peak racing age is 4.45 years. The rate of improvement from age 2 to 4 1/2 is greater than the rate of decline after age 4 1/2. A typical horse will improve by 10 (horse) lengths in sprints (less than 1 mile) and 15 lengths in routes (one mile or greater) from age 2 to 4 1/2.

At what age are race horses the fastest?

between 4 and 5 years old
The running performance of Thoroughbred racehorses has been reported to peak when they are between 4 and 5 years old.

At what age is a race horse at its peak?

Most jump racehorses are at the peak of their ability between the ages of seven and ten. Racehorses are allowed to race from the age of two years old.

Do male and female horses run against each other?

Both males and females race, sometimes even against each other. Speaking of racehorses, both males and females race. It’s rare for them to race together, but sometimes fillies and mares beat colts and stallions.

Can female horses race in the Kentucky Derby?

The Kentucky Oaks vs.
The Oaks is a gender-specific race, allowing only 3-year-old female horses, or fillies, to qualify and compete. The Derby, however, is open to eligible colts, geldings or fillies. While non-male horses are able to compete in the Kentucky Derby race, it’s an oddity in the sport.