April Meeting Day One Wednesday 17th April 2024

Race 1 - Silver Trophy Chase - 13:30

This is widely considered to be the feature race of Day One at the April Meeting, thanks in no small part to the seventeen fences that must be jumped in order to get home as the winner. They are spaced out over two miles, four furlongs and one-hundred and twenty-seven yards (2m, 4f, 127y).

It’s a Grade 2 limited handicap race for horses aged five and over. This is the one that people will get most excited about, as evidenced by the fact that the winning money is double that of the first race, so listen out to what others are saying on the course and see if you can pick up any tips.

Established in 1986, this race was initially run over two miles and four furlongs and achieved Grade Two status five years after it first took place. The length was extended to its current numbers in 1993, becoming a limited handicap a decade later after having been a conditions race before that.

Norton's Coin is the only horse to have won it more than once, with Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh both earning themselves three wins in it over the years. The most successful trainer title is also shared, with Paul Nicholls and Martin Pipe boasting four wins apiece.

Race 2 - Kingston Stud Handicap Hurdle - 14:05

Race two of the day is close to being identical to the fourth race of the day in terms of what’s involved for the horses taking part in it. Run over two miles, four furlongs and fifty-six yards (2m, 4f, 56y), there are another ten hurdles placed around the course.

The big difference is that it isn’t limited to novices and it’s a handicap race, meaning that the Handicapper will decide how much extra weight each horse has to run with. As with the day’s opener, it’s a Class 2 race that hasn’t yet been upgraded to be given a Grade.

Race 3 - Holman Handicap Chase - 14:40

If the previous races have all been about speed then this one is very much something of an endurance test for the horses taking part in it.

It’s actually a fair bit longer than the three races that have gone before, lasting for three miles, four furlongs and twenty-one yards (3m, 4f, 21y). Yet it’s the amount of jumping that the competitors need to do that make it a race for anyone to take.

There are twenty-four fences to be negotiated before the finishing post comes into sight, meaning that the five-year-old and over horses racing in it will need to be on their game. As the name suggests, it’s a limited handicap race for horses that have a rating of 0-125, lending it its Class 3 certification.

Race 4 - Citipost Novices' Hurdle - 15:15

Raced over two miles, four furlongs and fifty-six yards (2m, 4f, 56y), the day’s third race is for novices aged four and up.

There are ten hurdles that need to be negotiated before the horses get into the final stretch. It’s a Class 2 race, which can perhaps be viewed as a sign of things to come over the two days.

Race 5 - Weatherite Handicap Chase - 15:50

The fifth race of the opening day of the April Meeting is one that’s open to horses aged five and over that are rated between 0 and 150. It’s is the fourth Class 2 race of the day, so you can see what we’re talking about when we said that race one was a sign of things to come.

As with race four, this is a test of a horse’s jumping ability thanks to the twenty-two fences that they’ll need to cope with if they want to win. It lasts for three miles and two furlongs (3m, 2f).

It normally boasts a field that stretches into double figures and if the going’s good will take around seven minutes for the competitors to complete. As the name suggests, this is another handicap offering.

Race 6 - Safran Handicap Hurdle - 16:25

Another handicap race follows straight on the heels of race five, though this one isn’t limited. It’s open to horses aged four and over and is another Class 2 race of the day.

There are twelve hurdles present in this one, which jockeys and their steeds will have to get over during the relatively short two miles, seven furlongs and two-hundred and thirteen yards (2m, 7f, 213y) of the race.

This is the one to bet on if you like horses with decent odds, considering the starting price favourite is often as long as 7/1.

Race 7 - Cheltenham Handicap Hurdle - 17:00

The final race of Day One sees the conditional jockeys and amateur riders given a run out. They’ll need to be on the back of horses aged four and up with a rating of 0 to 140.

As you’ll have now doubt inferred from the race’s title, this is a handicap running that the Handicapper will do their best to ensure is as fair as possible for all of those running in it. It’s the second Class 3 race of the day and features eight hurdles placed over two miles and one-hundred and seventy nine yards (2m, 179y).

Usually boasting a field of between ten and twenty competitors, it tends to last around four minutes on good ground.