Worcester Racecourse will host an eight-race National Hunt meeting on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, featuring steeplechases, hurdle races and a National Hunt Flat Race. The programme will begin at 1:10 PM and conclude at 5:10 PM. The card will feature horses aged three years and older, with contests for experienced runners and developing talent. Race distances will range from two miles to two miles and four furlongs, alongside an opening steeplechase over two miles and 110 yards.
The meeting will open at 1:10 PM with the Fred & Mercy Rimell Memorial Handicap Steeple Chase, a Class 4 contest for horses aged four years and older. Scheduled over two miles and 110 yards, the race offers £8,900 in prize money and is restricted to horses rated between 0 and 120. The opening event will test the runners’ jumping ability, pace and consistency over fences. A smooth passage over the obstacles and a strong finish will be important as the field competes in the first race of the afternoon.
At 1:40 PM, the FBC Manby Bowdler ‘Chasing Excellence’ Beginners’ Steeple Chase will provide the second contest of the day. This Class 3 race is open to horses aged four years and older and will be run over two miles and four furlongs. With £15,000 in prize money, it is the most valuable race on the programme. As a beginners’ steeplechase, the contest will place particular emphasis on how the runners handle fences while maintaining their rhythm over the longer distance. Jumping technique, stamina and concentration will be key elements throughout the race.
The third event, scheduled for 2:15 PM, will be a National Hunt Flat Race for conditional and amateur jockeys. This Class 5 contest is designed for horses aged four and five years and will cover two miles, with £4,500 in prize money. Listed as a Category 1 Elimination race, it will offer an opportunity to observe developing horses competing without hurdles or fences. Balance, pace and stamina will play important roles, while the runners will need to settle into a suitable rhythm before producing their strongest effort in the closing stages.
At 2:50 PM, the first division of the Richard and Ann Hitchings Memorial Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Race will bring mares aged four years and older to the track. This Class 4 contest will be run over two miles and offers £10,000 in prize money. It also serves as a qualifier for the Herring Queen Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Series. The race will test the mares’ ability to negotiate hurdles while maintaining a consistent pace. Their jumping fluency and response to the demands of the final stages will be important factors in determining the outcome.
The second division of the Richard and Ann Hitchings Memorial Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Race will follow at 3:25 PM. Like the first division, this Class 4 contest is open to mares aged four years and older and will cover two miles, with £10,000 in prize money. It is also a qualifier for the Herring Queen Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Series. The separate divisions will provide further opportunities for novice mares to demonstrate their ability over hurdles. Maintaining momentum between obstacles and finishing strongly will be important throughout the two-mile contest.
The sixth race, the Squarcle Sprint Handicap Hurdle Race, is scheduled for 4:00 PM. This Class 4 contest will be open to horses aged three years and older and will cover two miles. The race offers £7,700 in prize money and is restricted to horses rated between 0 and 110. With a shorter distance than the beginners’ steeplechase earlier in the afternoon, the contest will place emphasis on speed, efficient jumping and tactical positioning. The runners will need to maintain a strong rhythm while negotiating the hurdles and conserve enough energy for the final stages.
At 4:35 PM, the first division of the Class 5 Handicap Hurdle Race will take place over two miles and four furlongs. This contest is open to horses aged four years and older, with £6,150 in prize money and a rating range of 0 to 105. The longer distance will test stamina and the ability to sustain a consistent pace throughout the race. Accurate jumping and effective handling of the course will be important as the runners approach the closing stages.
The meeting will conclude at 5:10 PM with the second division of the Class 5 Handicap Hurdle Race. Like the first division, this event will cover two miles and four furlongs and is open to horses aged four years and older, rated between 0 and 105. The race also carries £6,150 in prize money. As the final event of the afternoon, it will provide another test of stamina and jumping consistency, with the runners aiming to finish the eight-race programme on a strong note.
Overall, Worcester’s October 21 meeting will feature a varied National Hunt programme comprising two steeplechases, a National Hunt Flat Race and five hurdle contests. The FBC Manby Bowdler ‘Chasing Excellence’ Beginners’ Steeple Chase offers the highest prize money of £15,000, while the two divisions of the mares’ novices’ hurdle provide opportunities for developing female jumpers. With races scheduled throughout the afternoon, the meeting will showcase jumping technique, stamina and emerging talent across a range of distances and race classes.
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