After a spectacular summer on the flat, the attention of British and Irish horse racing fans now inevitably turns to national hunt racing. One of the attractions of the jumps racing season is that it tends to build in momentum and intensity, heating up across the winter until we get to the blue-chip Cheltenham, Aintree, and Punchestown Festivals in the spring.
Yet, already, there are talking points ahead of the new season, questions about specific horses, trainers, jockeys, and owners, as well as the sport in general. Below, we have a look at some of those talking points, asking what they mean for an exciting jumps racing season ahead:
Significant Changes to the Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is the highlight of the jumps season and joins the Grand National as the biggest horse racing betting event of the year. Some changes are afoot for the 2025 Festival, however. Five races have been changed, introducing more handicaps in place of some of the novice events. The Turners’ Novices Chase, for example, will now be a grade 2 handicap. Overall, the changes have been geared toward making the Festival more competitive, and few could argue with that as an ambition.
The Willie Mullins Question
Talking about competitiveness, the biggest talking point of last season was the supreme dominance of Irish trainer Willie Mullins. His spectacular record, particularly at Cheltenham, was treated as both a positive and a negative. Punters love Mullins, of course, but his dominance also raised questions about deficiencies elsewhere, especially among the British training setup. Nobody wants to see Mullins’ brilliance decline, but it would be good to see someone put up a challenge against the Irish master.
Can Nicky Henderson Bounce Back?
Big things are always expected from Nicky Henderson’s horses. In truth, the 73-year-old has been carrying a lot of the load for British trainers at elite meetings in recent years. However, disaster struck at Cheltenham in March when an illness swept through his yard, impacting star names like Constitution Hill, Shiskin, and Jonbon. Henderson is too good to discount, but you could tell the issues rocked him last spring. All eyes will be on Constitution Hill, in particular, as he looks to regain his crown as the best hurdler in the business.
Wresting the Limelight Away from Cheltenham
We mentioned that the jumps season builds in momentum, and there is a sense that all roads lead to Cheltenham. That’s exciting, but the fact the season has become so Cheltenham-centric has caused some criticism. There are numerous brilliant races and meetings that dot the calendar from October through to April, yet Cheltenham is given the priority. It’s a question for owners, many of whom prefer to have their charges in ship-shape for Cheltenham rather than fight for what they see as secondary prizes. Yet, it’s also a question for racing authorities – how can they draw the best runners and the crowds to historic events like the Fighting Fifth and Tingle Creek Chase?
Fewer Races, Better Competition?
Broadly speaking, there is a consensus that jumps racing will be better served by more quality on the track – even if it means fewer races. While there is a jumps season, as such, national hunt races are held across the summer. In the summer of 2024, there was an effort to reduce the number of meetings – by around 20% – and it seemed to work a treat: Bigger fields and crowds, and better quality action. It’s all part of a puzzle facing horse racing authorities – how to get the fans more engaged. It won’t be fixed this season, but the fact the will for change is there is encouraging.
