The Jumps season looms large as we enter the winter months and the National Hunt betting is ramping up accordingly. The winter months often provide the most intrigue in the racing calendar as jockeys and trainers alike begin their preparations for the high-profile meets that are just a few months away. The Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National at Aintree are not too far off at all, but there is still so much racing between now and then. There is no shortage of hurdles, steeplechases or bumps to keep racing fans on their toes beforehand and with the Jumps season fast approaching, now is the time some of the favourites will be setting the scene for what is to come in the Spring of 2024. Here’s our look at some of the races to watch out for this Jumps Season.
Cheltenham
Perhaps the UK’s most popular course, Cheltenham never fails to attract big crowds. Punters routinely visit Gloucester as they bid to win big on some of the racing calendar’s biggest events. One such occasion is the upcoming BetVictor Gold Cup which kicks November’s Jumps season off in style. Set among 350 acres at the heart of the Cotswolds, many horses have made some noteworthy debuts at this meeting which certainly adds to the hype and intrigue surrounding the encounter. The Cheltenham Festival is what the course is most famous for and is the most popular National Hunt meeting in the world with good reason but do not underestimate just how thrilling and significant this November raceday can be. The track is far tougher to navigate in the winter months with a much wider array of weather conditions to navigate, and so this could prove to be one of the best races for jockeys and trainers to test their mettle. The one to look out for this Jumps season will be Mirazur West who is Willie Mullins’ latest venture. After an impressive debut in April, he is hotly tipped to be a winner this winter. He enters the campaign as a novice but is already being priced at 12/1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 2024. As always, this course will be one to watch in the coming months.
Aintree
While Cheltenham holds the most famous National Hunt race in the world annually, the course that hosts the most prestigious event year on year is the Merseyside racetrack, Aintree. Every April, horse racing’s most successful jockeys and trainers along with the sport’s most famous fans come in their droves to enjoy and participate in the Grand National and this season will be no different. Best betting sites will already have odds available for the next Grand National. The National is the longest jumps race in the UK and as such often sees massive TV viewership and regularly hosts crowds in excess of 70,000 spectators each and every year. It is a bucket list attraction for any racing fan worth their salt and 2024’s edition is sure to be another thrilling installment. Corach Rambler currently leads the betting at 16/1 followed closely by Fastorslow and Monbeg Genius but this course has been known as one of the most unique and treacherous in the sport so it wouldn’t be all too surprising if those early favourites were to fade into the background. Slight modifications to the fences over the years might have made them a little less fearsome than previous iterations but that won’t be any more comfort to the jockeys bidding to make history in April.
Ascot
Ascot is considered the spiritual home of British horseracing featuring well over 20 days of racing each year across the racing calendar. Of those events, the most famous and well attended is the Royal Ascot in the summer months each year. The track has maintained its association with the Royal Family for years after having been a favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the British Royal Family. The track hosts both Flat and National Hunt fixtures throughout the year and while it is well known as a flat track thanks to Royal Ascot, it still holds a treasured place in the Jump season too. In December and February in particular, the course can be very challenging with tough conditions and the need to navigate a 73-foot uphill climb with fences and long sweeping turns. It is very hard to come from behind on this track as a result and should one of the favourites fall to the back of the pack the possibility for a thrilling finish is usually high. If you consider yourself more of a purist and not a fan of the pomp and grandeur of summer meet then this unique and storied racetrack could be one to visit during the winter months instead.