A lively and thoroughly engaging afternoon of National Hunt racing will unfold at Southwell Racecourse on Wednesday, 1 April, with a six-race programme scheduled from 2:30pm through to 5:02pm. The fixture will present a well-composed blend of steeple chases, hurdle contests, and a mares’ flat race, collectively offering a varied examination of stamina, technique, and emerging ability. With compact yet competitive fields declared throughout, the meeting will provide a structured platform for both seasoned performers and progressive runners to demonstrate their credentials.
Opening the afternoon, the 2:30pm contest, a Class 4 Handicap Steeple Chase, will be conducted over an exacting distance of 3m 60y for a purse of ÂŁ8,900 and will feature six runners. Fern Hill, Noche Negra, Always Busy, Hell Hound, Queens Wish, and Le Beau Gosse will assemble for what will be a searching test of endurance and fluent jumping, where composure in the closing stages will likely prove decisive.
Following on the card, the 3:00pm next race, a Class 4 Novices’ Handicap Steeple Chase, will be staged over 2m 4f 88y, once again for ÂŁ8,900 in prize money. The six declared participants—Kayce Dutton, Big Boy Barney, Ukantango, Intenzo, Boston Boy, and Gilbertina will represent a cohort of developing chasers, and the contest will demand a measured blend of tactical awareness and accurate fencing as these runners will continue their progression.
Midway through the programme, the 3:30pm third race on the card, a Class 5 Mares’ Standard National Hunt Flat Race, will be run over 1m 7f 182y with £4,500 on offer. A field of ten will be expected, including Aunt Gallie, Briery Bluebelle, Frost Moon, Greyse, Queens Charm, and Rose of Knocknamoe. As a bumper event, the race will offer an informative glimpse into several unexposed mares, many of whom will be expected to transition to hurdling assignments in due course.
Attention will then turn to the 4:00pm feature race of the middle stages, a Class 4 Maiden Hurdle, which will be contested over 1m 7f 182y with a prize fund of ÂŁ10,000. Eight runners will be set to go to post, among them Corsican Caper, Lou des Bordes, Papillondelumiere, Promethean, Road To Wembley, and Top Coeur. With numerous lightly raced individuals in contention, the race will serve as a formative stepping stone for those seeking to establish a foothold in hurdling company.
In the penultimate contest, the 4:30pm fifth race on the programme, a Class 4 Handicap Hurdle, will be run over 3m 60y for £7,700. Eight runners—El Galactico, Immortal Fame, Jubilant, Passing Pleasure, Ocean Conquest, Diamond Geezer, and Campaign Trail will line up in a contest that will place a pronounced emphasis on stamina reserves and consistent hurdling technique, particularly as the race will unfold over the extended trip.
Bringing the meeting to a close, the 5:02pm concluding race of the day, a Class 5 Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, will be staged over 3m 60y with £6,150 in prize money. Seven runners will be declared, including Rosa Diaz, Briery Butterfly, Princesse Milania, Venturevango, Belladinotte, and Shorten Sassy. The final contest will mirror earlier staying events on the card, placing sustained emphasis on endurance and resilience as the programme will draw to its conclusion.
The Southwell Race Cards 1 April will deliver a thoughtfully assembled six-race programme, characterised by a consistent emphasis on stamina-intensive contests and a measured balance between experienced campaigners and emerging talent across the National Hunt disciplines.
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