Flat Racing
This type of horse racing takes place on flat terrain.
There are 35 racecourses in the United Kingdom that stage Flat racing.
The weather and ground conditions are important, some horses favour soft ground and
others firm ground.
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National Hunt (Jump) Racing
Races where horses have to jump hurdles, fences and ditches are called National Hunt races.
Glossary of some race types
Each category of race has its own variations.
Maiden
Races restricted to horses that have never won a race under that specific code.
Novice
Open to maidens but also to winners of either one or two races. The winners usually have to carry extra weight (a penalty) according to the race conditions. Horses are not eligible for some novice events after they have raced more than a specified number of times.
Over Jumps, a novice chaser/hurdler is a horse which has not won a chase/hurdle race before the end of the previous season.
Handicap
Horses are allotted weight according to their handicap rating to enable so those with different ability can race competitively against each other.
Restricted handicaps
Handicaps can be limited to a particular group of horses based on other criteria and not merely linked with their handicap rating. For example, age restrictions apply in veterans’ races and a nursery is a Flat handicap limited to two-year-olds.
Race conditions can also restrict a handicap to horses that, for example, have not won since a specified date or that have never won a race above a certain value
Classified Stakes
Eligibility for these races is determined by a horse’s handicap but the weight carried isn’t. These races provide an opportunity for horses of similar ability to compete on level terms.
Conditions races
Contests in which the weights carried are dictated by the race conditions.
National Hunt Flat races (Bumpers)
Restricted to horses that have not previously raced in any type of race except other bumpers and aged seven or less.
Hunter Chase
Restricted both to amateur riders and horses that have certificates to show they have been taking part in hunting.
Beginners Chase
Conditions races restricted to horses which have never won a steeplechase.
Graduation Chase
Conditions races restricted to horses which have not won more than two chases.
Introductory Hurdle
Conditions races for juveniles restricted to horses which have not run in more than one hurdle race.
Pattern races
Elite races for their very best horses.
The levels of race are Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3
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