Plumpton Racecourse will prepare to host an afternoon where purpose and sport will move in step, as the Bentswood Hub Fighting Child Poverty Raceday unfolds on Monday, February 9. Across seven competitive jumps races running from 1:45pm to 4:45pm, the Sussex track will combine the raw theatre of National Hunt racing with a cause that sits at the heart of the local community. The meeting will be defined not just by what happens between the flags, but by why it matters, as racegoers support Bentswood Hub’s ongoing work to combat child poverty through its community larder and vital family services.
The racing itself will promise intensity and focus from the outset, with the afternoon framed as a celebration of both competition and compassion. Each contest will carry weight, but the opening race will immediately set the tone. Race 1, the Star Sports Cheltenham Preview Panel Novices’ Handicap Chase, a GBB Race for Class 4 runners aged five and older, will get underway at 1:45pm over 2m3f166y, featuring just three runners tackling 14 fences for a winner’s share of £5,809.
Star Of Affinity, guided by Brendan Powell for trainer Joe Tizzard, will take on Hors Jeu, ridden by Richard Patrick for Clive Boultbee-Brooks, and Where’s Cato, partnered by Conor Ring for Evan Williams, in a compact but tactically intriguing opener.
The tempo will stretch significantly in Race 2 at 2:15pm, as the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle tests stamina over 3m217y. This Class 4 contest for four-year-olds and up will feature six runners negotiating 14 hurdles, with £5,281 awaiting the winner. It will demand patience, rhythm, and resilience, qualities often revealed clearly at Plumpton’s testing circuit.
At 2:45pm, attention will shift to developing talent in Race 3, a Maiden Hurdle staged as a GBB Race over 1m7f195y. Seven runners aged four and older will face nine hurdles in pursuit of a £5,281 winner’s share, offering a platform for future performers to announce themselves.
The charitable heartbeat of the day will come sharply into focus at 3:15pm with Race 4, The Bentswood Hub Handicap Chase. This Class 4 GBB Race for five-year-olds and up will be run over 2m219y, with five runners taking on 12 fences. The £5,809 winner’s share will sit alongside the symbolic importance of the race name, underlining why the meeting exists beyond the sport itself.
Non Stop will represent Joe Tizzard under Brendan Powell, while Cobbler’s Boy teams up Tristan Durrell with Dan Skelton. Alto Alto will carry the colours for Freddie Gordon and trainer Chris Gordon, Icare Grandchamp will be partnered by Caoilin Quinn for the Moore stable, and It’s Easy will bring Conor Ring and Evan Williams back into the spotlight.
Race 5 at 3:45pm, The Bentswood Hub Handicap Hurdle, will continue that theme. Seven runners aged four and older will contest a Class 4 event over 2m4f116y, facing 10 hurdles for a £5,281 prize, blending competitive depth with community-driven purpose.
Staying power will again be tested at 4:15pm in Race 6, the More Radio Handicap Chase. This Class 5 contest for five-year-olds and up will stretch across 3m1f157y, with seven runners jumping 18 fences in pursuit of a £4,225 winner’s share, likely rewarding the toughest and most resolute stayer.
The afternoon will close at 4:45pm with Race 7, a Mares’ Handicap Hurdle over 1m7f195y. Seven runners aged four and older will tackle nine hurdles in this Class 5 contest, with £3,829 to the winner, providing a fitting conclusion to a day shaped by effort, care, and connection.
Plumpton Racecards 9 February will stand as a reminder that racing can carry meaning beyond the finish line. With competitive action, human stories, and a cause rooted in real lives, the Bentswood Hub Fighting Child Poverty Raceday will be set to deliver impact both on and off the track.
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