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Each of the different categories of Jump race has its Championship race at either the Cheltenham Festival or the Aintree Grand National Festival.
These festivals are the main events of the Jumps season, and two of the most historic and important events in racing anywhere on the planet.
Cheltenham Festival
10-13 March 2009
Cheltenham Festival is the pinnacle of the Jump racing calendar anywhere in the world. Every owner, trainer and jockey dreams of having a winner at the festival in front of the huge crowds and the famous Cheltenham Roar.
Every race, be it the Gold Cup or a Novices Hurdle, is a championship race. Virtually every top Chaser and Hurdler is aimed at the Festival from the start of the season, and for jumps racing fans too, all roads lead to Cheltenham in March.
The feature race on Tuesday is The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, the most sought after prize anywhere for 2 mile hurdlers. The Irish have won seven of the last ten runnings of this historic contest, but Katchit led home a 1-2-3 for Britain in 2008.
Wednesday sees the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase take centre stage, as the best two mile chasers produce a fast and furious contest over the famous Cheltenham fences. For many, this is the most exciting race of the year and Master Minded produced one of the greatest performances of the modern era to claim victory in 2008.
Thursday is the famous Ladies day, and also the day the long distance hurdlers contest The Ladbrokes World Hurdle where only the brave and the strong prevail. Inglis Drever made history by winning the 3 mile race for the third time in 2008 and is being aimed at the race for one last time in 2009. Thursday also features the Grade 1 2m5f Ryanair chase.
Then comes Friday and the highlight of the entire Jump season: the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Steeple Chase, run over 3m 3 1/2f. Denman led home Kauto Star and Neptune Collognes in a Paul Nicholls-trained 1-2-3 in 2008 and will be looking to add his name in 2009 to those of legends Golden Miller, Arkle and Best Mate as multiple winners of Jumping's Blue Riband event. 2009 expects to see stablemates Kauto and Denman once again battling it out for the most prestigious race in Jumps.
Apart from the big races, the novice events for Hurdlers and Chasers are championships in their own right, while the handicaps are among the most fiercely contested races in the Jumps season.
Make sure you book your tickets early for this unsurpassable event.
Aintree Grand National Festival
2-4 April 2009
Since its inaugural running in 1839, the John Smith's Grand National has become the most famous and most valuable chase in the world. There is nothing quite like that sensation of the heart-clutching expectation as the 40-strong field are persuaded into line, ready to tackle the first of the thirty fences.
Held on the Saturday of a top class three day meeting, It's the time when even your granny has a flutter, and for those visiting Aintree during the meeting it's time to experience something really special. There truly is no spectacle like this in the entire Jumps racing calendar.
Last year saw Comply or Die take the crown at the head of a huge field for the 4m4f chase, with a gritty staying display.
Also on the Saturday you can watch the Championship Grade 1 John Smiths Aintree Hurdle (2m 4f) which was claimed for the third time in 4 years by Al Eile.
The Friday of the festival hosts the John Smiths Melling chase, a Championship Grade 1 2m4f Steeplechase event won last year by Voy Por Ustedes, seeing off the fantastic Master Minded by 18 lengths.
Book your tickets now for the most famous and valuable steeplechase in the World.
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