Carlisle Racecourse is set to host an eight-race National Hunt meeting on Thursday, October 22, 2026, featuring a varied programme of novice hurdles, handicap hurdles, steeplechases and an Open National Hunt Flat Race. The meeting will begin at 1:17 PM and conclude at 5:20 PM. With races ranging from two-mile contests to a staying steeplechase over three miles and 110 yards, the afternoon will test the participants’ stamina, jumping ability and consistency. Prize money across the card ranges from £4,000 to £50,000.
The highlight of the meeting will be the Panoramic Hurdle Race, scheduled for 4:12 PM. This Class 1 Listed contest carries the day’s highest prize money of £50,000 and is open to horses aged four and older. Run over two miles, one furlong and 33 yards, the race is expected to be a major attraction on the Carlisle programme, bringing together runners for an important hurdle contest.
The day’s action will begin at 1:17 PM with the Class of ‘63: 63 Years On Novices’ Hurdle Race. This Class 4 GBB Race will be run over two miles, one furlong and 33 yards and is open to horses aged four and older. With £10,000 in prize money available, the contest will provide novice hurdlers with an opportunity to demonstrate their jumping skills and potential over the distance. The race also serves as a qualifier for the Go North Night Nurse Series.
At 1:52 PM, the 50 Years of the Window Shop Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Race will follow. This Class 4 contest will cover the same distance of two miles, one furlong and 33 yards. Open to horses aged three and older with ratings between 0 and 120, the race carries £8,750 in prize money. The contest is a qualifier for the Go North Sea Pigeon Series and will give conditional jockeys an opportunity to showcase their skills in a competitive hurdle race.
The third race, scheduled for 2:27 PM, is the Magnet, Better. By Design Handicap Steeple Chase. This Class 3 GBB Race will cover three miles and 110 yards and is open to horses aged four and older with ratings between 0 and 135. Offering £18,000 in prize money, it will be one of the afternoon’s principal staying contests. The race also serves as a qualifier for the Challenger Staying Chase Series, with stamina and accurate jumping likely to be crucial over the extended distance.
At 3:02 PM, the first division of the Race Home with Genesis Homes Handicap Hurdle Race will take place. This Class 5 contest is scheduled over two miles, three furlongs and 218 yards and is open to horses aged three and older with ratings between 0 and 100. The race carries £6,750 in prize money. The second division will follow at 3:37 PM under the same conditions, covering the same distance and offering an identical prize amount of £6,750. Both divisions will provide opportunities for runners to compete over a middle-distance hurdle course.
The Panoramic Hurdle Race will take centre stage at 4:12 PM. As a Class 1 Listed GBB Race, it offers £50,000 in prize money, making it the most valuable contest on the card. Open to horses aged four and older, the race will be run over two miles, one furlong and 33 yards. The quality of the field and the importance of the Listed classification are expected to make this contest a key feature of the Carlisle meeting.
The penultimate race at 4:45 PM will be the Thomas Armstrong Group ‘Building the Future’ Handicap Steeple Chase. This Class 4 GBB Race will cover two miles, three furlongs and 210 yards and is open to horses aged four and older with ratings between 0 and 120. The contest offers £9,750 in prize money and serves as a qualifier for the Go North Monet’s Garden Series. Competitors will need to maintain a steady rhythm and negotiate the fences efficiently throughout the race.
The meeting will conclude at 5:20 PM with the GA Wilson Plastering Open National Hunt Flat Race. This Class 5 Category 1 Elimination GBB Race will be run over two miles, one furlong and 33 yards and is restricted to horses aged four and five. With £4,000 in prize money available, the contest will offer younger runners an opportunity to gain experience on the National Hunt circuit without tackling hurdles or steeplechase fences.
With eight races covering a range of distances and disciplines, Carlisle’s Thursday programme promises an engaging afternoon of National Hunt racing. The £50,000 Panoramic Hurdle Race stands out as the principal contest, while the staying steeplechase and the two divisions of the Race Home with Genesis Homes Handicap Hurdle Race add further variety to the card.
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