Catterick’s 2018/19 National Hunt season starts on Friday 23 November

The jumps are back at Catterick Races, with the first fixture of the 2018/19 National Hunt season taking place on Friday 23 November.

Following on from a successful Flat season, the North Yorkshire track will host 10 National Hunt fixtures this winter featuring the ever popular Christmas and New Year’s Day fixtures as well as the prestigious North Yorkshire Grand National on Thursday 10 January and finishing with Countryside Day on Wednesday 6 March.

Fiona Needham, General Manager & Clerk of the Course said: “We’re excited for the start of the new Jumps season and have some thrilling days racing ahead of us this winter including the North Yorkshire Grand National which Sue Smith has won for the last three years, so her horses will be ones to watch for this year’s running!”

At the first meeting, The Start of the Jumps on Friday 23 November, presentations will be made to Catterick’s 2017/18 National Hunt Season Champions. The series was generously sponsored by The Black Bull Inn, Moulton and the Champion Owner, Trainer and Jockey will each receive a voucher for a meal for two people at The Black Bull Inn, located just 5 miles from the racecourse.

Last year’s Champion Owners were Mr & Mrs Duncan Davidson, while the Champion Trainer was taken by Donald McCain who finished just 9 points ahead of Sue Smith in second. The Champion Jockey series was close throughout the season between Brian Hughes and Danny Cook but in the end it was Hughes who took the top spot, with a total of 7 winners at Catterick last season.

The Black Bull Inn, Moulton have kindly agreed to continue their sponsorship of the Champion Owners and Trainer Series for the upcoming season, whilst Millbry Hill have kindly continued their Flat season winning jockey sponsorship for the upcoming National Hunt season and will be giving each winning jockey throughout Catterick’s National Hunt season a £20 voucher to spend at one of their stores, as well as giving a grand prize to the Champion Jockey at the end of the season.

The first race on Friday 23 November is scheduled for 12.15pm, with the gates opening two hours prior. The feature race of the afternoon, The Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap Steeple Chase (a qualifier for The Challenger Staying Chase Series Final) will take place at 1.50pm. The last race is scheduled for 3.35pm.

As with all Catterick’s fixtures a big screen will be at the course on the day to give racegoers the best views of all the action, and a free shuttle bus will leave approximately an hour before the first race to bring racegoers from Richmond Market Place to the racecourse, and returns again after the last race.

Tickets are available to purchase online, and remember accompanied under 18’s go free!