Stratford-on-Avon is set to host an engaging six-race jump programme on Tuesday, August 25, with a mixture of mares’ hurdles, novice events, handicap hurdles, steeple chases and a National Hunt Flat race. The afternoon and evening card begins at 5:10pm and continues through to 7:45pm, offering a varied test across different distances and race conditions. The opening contest is particularly notable as the day’s highest-prize race, with £10,000 on offer.
The 5:10pm Celebrate National Racehorse Week 2026 Mares’ Maiden Hurdle Race, a Class 4 GBB Race, carries the largest prize fund on the card. Open to four-year-olds and older, the contest is staged over 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 193 yards. It provides a valuable opportunity for mares making their mark over hurdles and forms an important early feature of the Stratford programme. With the race scheduled to open the meeting, attention will be focused on how the field handles the distance, hurdles and Stratford’s jumping test.
The 5:40pm race moves into a longer-distance challenge with The Stratford Novices’ Limited Handicap Hurdle Race, a Class 5 contest for four-year-olds and older. The race is scheduled over 2 miles, 6 furlongs and 61 yards and carries a prize fund of £5,000. The extended distance should place greater emphasis on stamina and consistency, particularly for runners still developing their experience over hurdles.
The 6:15pm programme feature is The George & Dragon Handicap Steeple Chase, a Class 4 GBB Race carrying £7,300. Open to horses aged five and older, the contest takes place over 2 miles, 1 furlong and 29 yards and is restricted to runners rated 0-120. The switch from hurdles to steeplechase fences brings another dimension to the meeting, with jumping technique, rhythm and the ability to maintain momentum likely to be important factors across the distance.
At 6:45pm, the action continues with The Allsopps Love Stratford Handicap Hurdle Race, a Class 5 contest for four-year-olds and older. The race covers 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 193 yards and carries £6,150 in prize money. With a rating range of 0-105, the contest provides another opportunity for established hurdlers to compete over a demanding middle-distance trip.
The fifth race, scheduled for 7:15pm, is The Thank You To Our Hardworking Groundstaff Handicap Steeple Chase. The Class 5 event is worth £8,900 and is open to horses aged five and older with ratings from 0-100. Competitors will face 2 miles, 5 furlongs and 39 yards, making it one of the longer races on the card. The distance should test stamina as well as the ability to negotiate fences efficiently, particularly during the later stages.
The programme concludes at 7:45pm with The Hollow Bottom National Hunt Flat Race, a Class 5 Category 1 Elimination contest for conditional and amateur jockeys. The race is restricted to four- and five-year-olds and carries £4,500. Competitors will cover 2 miles and 106 yards. As a National Hunt Flat race, it offers younger horses an opportunity to gain experience before potentially progressing towards hurdle racing.
Across the six races, Stratford-on-Avon’s August 25 meeting presents a broad mixture of racing disciplines and distances. The programme begins with the highest-value mares’ hurdle and progresses through novice and handicap hurdles before moving through two steeplechase contests. The closing National Hunt Flat race gives younger horses a different platform to showcase their ability.
The varied structure of the card also makes the meeting an interesting test of adaptability. Distances range from just over two miles to almost three miles, while the programme includes both hurdle and fence events. For the participants, each race presents its own demands, from jumping technique and pace control to stamina and race experience.
The Stratford-on-Avon meeting also forms part of National Racehorse Week celebrations, with the opening race carrying the event’s name. The programme additionally recognises the contribution of racecourse groundstaff through the 7:15pm steeplechase, highlighting the work that goes into preparing and maintaining racing venues.
With six contests spread across the afternoon and evening, Tuesday’s Stratford card promises a varied display of National Hunt action. The £10,000 opening mares’ hurdle takes centre stage as the meeting’s highest-prize race, while the later steeplechases and closing Flat event provide further opportunities for horses across different stages of their development. The first race is scheduled for 5:10pm, with the final contest bringing the meeting to a close at 7:45pm.
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