Countryside Day 17th November 2023 – November Meeting Day One

Race 1 - Cross Country Handicap Chase - 12:40

The longest race of the day by some distance takes place on the Cross Country Course and lasts for about three miles, six furlongs and thirty-seven yards (3m 6f 37y).

It’s open to horses aged five and older and the field normally contains ten or more horses. It’s an exciting one to watch that will tell you plenty about the horses that have got some staying power for the coming season. The fourth handicap race of the day, it’s a Class 2.

This race was moved from the November meeting in 2022 to Trails Day in 2023 owing to a lack of rain and dry ground at the time of Day 1 of the November meeting.  This year it will return to it's usual autumn slot, meaning there will be two races in 2023.

Race 2 - Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle - 13:10

The November Meeting starts off with a middle-distance race open to a large field and is a conditional handicap hurdle that takes place over two miles, five furlongs and twenty-six yards (2m 5f 26y). It’s a Class 3 race that counts as a qualifier for the series final of the The Challenger Staying Hurdle later in the season.

The field for this one is normally quite big, with around twenty horses entering the race even if not all of them finish it.

Race 3 - Handicap Chase - 13:45

This Class 2 race takes place over one mile, seven furlongs and one hundred and ninety nine yards (1m 7f 199y). Open to four-year-olds and older, it’s the third handicap race of the day.

Typically speaking you can expect somewhere in the region of ten horses to compete in it.  There are 13 fences to be jumped on the old course.

Race 4 - Novices' Limited Handicap Chase - 14:20

Another race that’s open to four-year-olds or older, the Racing Welfare Novices Chase runs over two miles, four furlongs and forty-four yards (2m 4f 44y).

It’s a Class 3 race that normally features quite a small field.  In 2021 only two horses ran in it and one of them fell (the favourite), so don’t be expecting particularly big odds from the bookies.

In 2022 it was converted from a Class 2 chase to a Class 3 handicap.

Race 5 - Veterans' Handicap Chase - 14:55

The race that usually occupies this slot for Countryside Day is the Cross Country Chase, the longest race of the meeting at 3 miles, 6 furlongs and 37 yards featuring 32 fences.  It is a highlight of the meeting and it is a gruelling race for older horses with a lot of Stamina that is run on the Cross-Country course.

Unfortunately dry weather in the lead up to the November meeting has meant the ground is too firm to run the race now and so it has been moved to Trials Day at Cheltenham in January.  The Old Course, that all the other races run on, has been watered and so in its place there is Veterans' Handicap Chase.

This race is for 9 year old plus horses, hence Veterans', and goes over two and a half miles with 16 fences to be jumped.  The class 2 race allows runners with an official rating between 0-150 to enter.

It is hardly going to be the fastest race of the week, although that is part of the point with the nature of the ground.  Still it should be fun to see some old names you many recognise from previous Grand Nationals, such as Ballyandy and Magic Dancer.

Race 6 - Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle - 15:30

The countryside day draws towards to a close with the biggest race of the day, the Novices’ Hurdle. Featuring ten hurdles and run over two miles, five furlongs and twenty-six yards (2m 5f 26y). It’s a Grade 2 race for novice horses aged four and up.

The field usually contains between five and ten horses and this is the one you’ll want to keep your eye on for clues about the best horse to bet on for the Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival later on in the jump racing season.

Registered as the Hyde Novices' Hurdle it was given its current name when it was upgraded to Grade 2 in 2008.  The race dates back to 1996 and has been sponsored by Ballymore since 2017.

Philip Hobbs is the trainer to look for with a record 4 wins in this race. Tony McCoy has the most wins as a jockey with 4, including three back-to-back between 2001-03, Richard Johnson since then has 3 wins to his name.  The only horse to win the race twice was Tarxien, ridden both times by Tony McCoy.

Race 7 - Novices' Handicap Hurdle - 16:00

The final race of day one is, as the name suggests, for novices. It’s another one that’s run on the Old Course and it’s open to novice horses aged three-year-olds and up.

The race lasts for two miles and eighty-seven yards (2m 87y). It’s a Class 3 handicap and normally has around fifteen to twenty horses running in it.