Early In The Year

Haydock Park in Merseyside features elite National Hunt and Flat racing throughout the year.


Type of Racing: Flat & NH


NH Highlights: The Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock is the pinnacle of their National Hunt season, the race happens in November frequently on testing room conditions and has been won by high-grade chasers like Kauto Star, Cue Card, Silviniaco Conti and Bristol De Mai in recent years.


On the exact same day as the Betfair Chase is the Betfair Stayers Handicap Hurdle, another race which can be extremely requiring and draws in large fields, however discovering the winners can be very satisfying. Early in the year, we have the Peter Marsh Chase, a race that can include a few of the top 3 milers.


In February, Haydock hosts a Grand National Trial; however, the kind of the winner of this has been questionable. During May, Haydock hosts a notable occasion outside of the routine dives season - the Swinton Handicap Hurdle. This race typically attracts an excellent variety of competitors and occurs on the exact same day as the Cross country Handicap Hurdle.


Flat Highlights: The Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup in September is one of the most prestigious occasion. Worth over ₤ 150k, the race attracts the leading sprinters from around Europe and on the exact same day, there is the Old Borough Cup, a class 2 handicap run over one mile and six furlongs.


In July, we get to see the fillies and mares in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks, which has actually been present since 1939 and has been won by the likes of Alpinista, who went on to win the Prix de l'Arc de the following year. That racecard likewise features the class two handicap, the Old Newton Cup, which typically throws up a decent-priced winner.


In regards to heritage handicaps, the Silver Bowl is contested in May and is limited to three-year-old runners, which can draw in decent-sized fields. On the very same card are a couple of Group 2 races in the Sandy Lane Stakes and the Temple Stakes.