If you’ve read about Day One, Showcase Friday, then you’ll know that it’s a day filled with exciting races, culminating in a hat-trick of offerings that seem to be specifically designed to give you some useful information about the rest of the jump racing season. Things carry on in munch the same way on the Saturday as the second set of races get underway, with punters given the opportunity to enjoy the weekend as well as the horses.
Racegoers will be treated to another day of excellent races, whilst also having the ability to do some shopping and see the stalls that are setup especially for the event. It’s an interesting time of year, with Christmas still too far away for the organisers to go whole hog on the decorations, receiving that mainly for the Christmas Meeting, but close enough to mean that the weather can give you a wintery feel if you turn up on the wrong day.
New Customer Offers
Existing Customer Offers
Looking For More Offers?
If you're looking to place a bet on this meeting then don't forget to check our offer lists. It's a decent haul this year with free bets galore and plenty of money back specials and price boosts.
Showcase Saturday Race Card
Just as the weather can’t be relied upon, so too might the race schedule change depending on a number of factors. We’ll give you the races and timings as correct in the race card.
Here’s our brief look at each of the races in turn:
Race 1 - Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) - 13:10
- Grade: Class 3 Chase
- Distance: 2m 4f 44y (6064m)
- Fences: 16
- Course: Old Course
The first race of the second day is one for novices, taking place over two miles, four furlongs and one hundred and forty-four yards (2m, 4f, 44y). This race was moved from day one to day two and extended from 2m, 3f, 166y with two fences added in 2024.
It’s for horses aged four-years-old and above and 14 horses were entered into the race last time with two falling and two pulling up.
There are sixteen fences to be jumped, so plenty of chances for horses to stumble or seize upon openings given to them by others. It’s an exciting chase and if the going is Good to Soft then you can expect it to 4:50 or so.
2025 Winner
- Horse - Zurich (10/1)
- Jockey - Darragh O'Keeffe
- Trainer - Rebecca Curtis (GB)
- Overall Prize Money - £21,642
- For The Winner - £11,618
Race 2 - Showcase Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race) - 13:45
- Grade: Class 2 Hurdle
- Distance: 2m 7f 208y (4817m)
- Fences: 12
- Course: Old Course
This second race of the Showcase Saturday meeting is open to novice horses aged four and above. It lasts for two miles, seven furlongs and two hundred and eight yards (2m, 7f, 208y). This one sees a highly variable field with anywhere form 5-15 horses usually entering, last year 13 ran from a possible max 18.
There are twelve hurdles that these horses will need to use any limited experience that they have gained over the years to negotiate in order to stand a chance of winning. Being a 3 mile run a good time in this one would be under 5:45.
2025 Winner
- Horse - Conman John (4/1)
- Jockey - Derek Fox
- Trainer - Lucinda Russell (GB)
- Overall Prize Money - £19,674
- For The Winner - £10,892
Race 3 - Handicap Chase (GBB Race) - 14:20
- Grade: Class 2 Chase
- Distance: 3m 1f (5029m)
- Fences: 20
- Course: Old Course
Day Two continues with a nice long distance handicap chase. Open for horses aged four and over, this race lasts for three miles and one furlong (3m, 1f) and has twenty fences to be jumped before the race to the finish.
Expect a reasonably large field, with eighteen horses lining up for the event last time, for example. If the going is heavy expect a fair number of horses pulling up and falling too.
It also tends to boast one of the largest pots of the two days at just under £100k. As one of the longest races of the weekend this one will take a good 6 minutes and 20 seconds on decent ground.
2025 Winner
- Horse - Three Card Brag (6/1)
- Jockey - Jack Kennedy
- Trainer - Gordon Elliott (IRE)
- Overall Prize Money - £98,370
- For The Winner - £52,030
Race 4 - Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) - 14:55
- Grade: Class 2 Hurdle
- Distance: 2m 7f 208y (4817m)
- Fences: 12
- Course: Old Course
This race is a series qualifier for the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next year.
For horses aged four and over, this Handicap Hurdle usually welcomes one of the largest fields of the the day.
In 2025, for example, 17 horses took place in the event that sees twelve hurdles spaced around the two miles, seven furlongs and two hundred and eight yards (2m, 7f, 208y) of the race. Five minutes 45 seconds is a good time for this race.
2025 Winner
- Horse - Ma Shantou (18/5)
- Jockey - Harry Cobden
- Trainer - Emma Lavelle (GB)
- Overall Prize Money - £34,430
- For The Winner - £19,061
Race 5 - Masterson Holdings Hurdle (GBB Race) - 15:30
- Grade: Class 2 Hurdle
- Distance: 2m 87y (3298m)
- Fences: 8
- Course: Old Course
The fifth race of day two sees an often small field line up for a hurdle race - just 5 runners last time out. It’s exclusively for four-year-olds and takes place over two miles and eighty-seven yards (2m, 87y).
During that distance the horses are required to jump eight hurdles and when the going is Good the race usually lasts for around four minutes. Expect a winning time in the region of 3:50 for this.
2025 Winner
- Horse - Give It To Me Oj (4/9)
- Jockey - Caoilin Quinn
- Trainer - Gary & Josh Moore (GB)
- Overall Prize Money - £39,348
- For The Winner - £21,784
Race 6 - Novices' Chase (GBB Race) - 16:05
- Grade: Class 2 Chase
- Distance: 3m 110y (4929m)
- Fences: 20
- Course: Old Course
It’s the novice chase that gets underway second to last on the card, with this one being open to horses aged five and over. Run on the old course over a distance of three miles and one hundred and ten yards (3m, 110y), there are twenty fences that the horses will need to jump during the course of the race.
Well, there are usually twenty fences but in 2025 they omitted eight of them, which made for a very different race. It was because the sun was so low in the sky it presented a risk to the jockeys and horses and the rails on the course mean you have to leave out a whole group even if you just want to omit a couple. A nice bit of trivia for the future for this race.
Don’t be surprised if there’s a slightly smaller field for this one than you might have seen during the day’s other races. Last year seven ran. A typical time in this will be around 6:10.
2025 Winner
- Horse - Leave Of Absence (9/2)
- Jockey - Rex Dingle
- Trainer - Anthony Honeyball (GB)
- Overall Prize Money - £39,348
- For The Winner - £21,784
Race 7 - Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (GBB Race) - 16:40
- Grade: Class 2 Open Flat
- Distance: 2m 87y (3297m)
- Course: Old Course
The two day meet is brought to a close with a standard National Hunt flat race. That means no hurdles, of course, often leading to a slightly larger field - 11 last time and 15 the year before. It’s open to junior horses aged between four and five years old and lasts for two miles and eighty-seven yards (2m, 87y).
If the going is Good to Soft then expect it to be finished within four minutes of the horses getting off, meaning it can be something of a thrilling encounter if you are prepared to wait around to see it.
2025 Winner
- Horse - Chicker (7/2)
- Jockey - Jonathan Burke
- Trainer - Fergal O'Brien (GB)
- Overall Prize Money - £17,213
- For The Winner - £9,531
What To Expect On Showcase Saturday
The feel of the Saturday is a mixed one, with the majority of people turning up considering themselves to be serious race enthusiasts who want to continue to learn about what to expect from the season ahead of them. Yet there are also plenty of people rocking up to Prestbury Park who might have long dreamed of heading to the venue for the Festival but been concerned that they might not be able to get tickets or that concerned that they’d be intimidated. For that reason, Day Two of the Showcase sees a pleasant combination of people who take their racing seriously and others who are hoping to educate themselves about what big race meetings entail.
The same collection of craft and food producers that turned up in The Centaur on Day One for the SoGlos Showcase Zone are still there, along with a large number of other locally-based independent companies that are keen to teach you about their wares and hope to educate you about the produce you can expect to find in Gloucestershire. It’s a day that is as much about what’s taking place off the racecourse as on it, so don’t be surprised to see a few people dress up and plan to have a few drinks and a bite to eat in between races.
Much like on Day One, who knows what the weather will be up to? It’s an annoying time of year when it’s not guaranteed to do one thing or another; not that we can ever guarantee anything when it comes to the English weather, of course! Weather forecasters are your best bet in terms of thinking about what to wear and how to prepare for the day ahead. That said, it’s obviously more likely to be wet than sunny, so bear that in mind. Unlike during the Festival, this isn’t really a meeting where you’re likely to see celebrities popping up around the show. You’ll almost certainly spot some trainers and owners if you know who you’re looking for, though we can’t promise that they’ll be all that delighted if you pop over ask for some tips!
Final Thoughts
Day One is all about giving you a chance to learn about the future, whilst Day Two is a little bit more of a ‘typical’ race day. There are still a couple of novice races, of course, so don’t feel as though there’s nothing you’ll be able to learn about what’s to come over the rest of the jump racing season.