Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse will stage a seven-race National Hunt meeting on Thursday, 29 October 2026, featuring a varied programme of hurdle races, steeple chases and a National Hunt Flat Race. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:20 PM, with further contests taking place at 30-minute intervals until the concluding race at 4:20 PM. The card includes opportunities for mares, novice hurdlers, handicap runners and three-year-old fillies, with prize money ranging from £4,500 to £13,650.
The highlight of the afternoon is the 3:20 PM Happy Birthday Penny Tyacke Handicap Steeple Chase, a Class 3 contest carrying the day’s highest prize fund of £13,650. Open to horses aged four and older, the race will be run over 2 miles, 3 furlongs and 158 yards, with an official rating range of 0–140. The contest is designated a GBB Race and is expected to be one of the principal attractions on the programme.
The meeting opens at 1:20 PM with the 4 X 4 Tyres Mares’ Maiden Hurdle Race. This Class 4 GBB Race is open to mares aged four and older and will cover 2 miles, 6 furlongs and 7 yards. With £10,000 in prize money, the contest provides an opportunity for mares yet to record a victory in a hurdle race to demonstrate their ability over obstacles. The extended distance will place emphasis on stamina, jumping technique and the capacity to maintain a consistent pace.
At 1:50 PM, the first division of the EBF and Charlie Longsdon Racing ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle Race will take place. This Class 4 qualifier is open to horses aged four to six and is scheduled over 2 miles and 70 yards. The race carries £12,000 in prize money and is designated a GBB Race. Novice hurdlers will have an opportunity to gain further experience while competing over a relatively short distance that places importance on fluent jumping and tactical positioning.
The second division of the same contest follows at 2:20 PM. Like the opening division, it is a Class 4 GBB Race for horses aged four to six, covering 2 miles and 70 yards. The prize fund is £12,000, making both divisions among the more valuable events on the afternoon card. The separate divisions allow additional novice runners to compete, with each field providing its own test of jumping ability, pace and race-day experience.
The fourth race, scheduled for 2:50 PM, is the Blaze a Trail Stratford Hat-Trick Hero Handicap Hurdle Race. This Class 5 contest will be run over 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 148 yards, with £7,650 in prize money. Open to horses aged three and older rated between 0 and 100, the race will bring together runners competing under handicap conditions. Maintaining rhythm over the hurdles and producing a sustained effort through the closing stages will be important over the intermediate distance.
At 3:20 PM, attention turns to the Happy Birthday Penny Tyacke Handicap Steeple Chase. The Class 3 event is open to horses aged four and older and carries a rating range of 0–140. Scheduled over 2 miles, 3 furlongs and 158 yards, it offers £13,650 in prize money, the highest amount available at the meeting. As a GBB Race, it is a major feature of the programme. Competitors will need to negotiate the fences accurately while balancing speed and stamina throughout the contest.
The sixth race is the J.H. Rowe Memorial Handicap Steeple Chase, scheduled for 3:50 PM. This Class 5 event will cover 2 miles, 6 furlongs and 197 yards and carries £7,650 in prize money. Open to horses aged four and older with ratings between 0 and 105, the race presents a longer test over fences than the preceding steeple chase. Stamina, sound jumping and the ability to maintain momentum over the extended distance will be important considerations.
The meeting concludes at 4:20 PM with the Charlotte Cole and Becky Rowland Memorial Fillies’ “Junior” National Hunt Flat Race. This Class 5 GBB Race is restricted to three-year-old fillies and will be contested over 2 miles and 70 yards. With £4,500 in prize money, it provides a platform for young fillies to gain experience in a race without hurdles or fences. The contest will place emphasis on pace, balance and the ability to sustain an even rhythm over the distance.
With seven races scheduled throughout the afternoon, Stratford-on-Avon’s 29 October meeting combines novice hurdle divisions, mares’ competition, handicap events over hurdles and fences, and a concluding Flat Race for three-year-old fillies. The £13,650 Handicap Steeple Chase stands out as the most valuable event, while the two £12,000 novice hurdle divisions add further depth to the programme.
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