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NH Chase courses?

Dingo Bingo

Dingo Bingo

Amateur Rider
Joined
Jun 4, 2025
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Probably not a great day to ask, with Goodwood happening and the weekend approching.
What are the toughest Chase courses in the UK?
I know (well, I think I know), that Uttoxeter and Hexam are testing, but is that due to the topography of the courses or are the fences tough too? Anyway, if fellow members could list their top (say 8) toughest UK chase courses in order, that would be useful to me. Any kind of description as to why would be helpful too (uphill finish/tough fences). Actually, no reason not include IRE chase courses, so say top 10 out of them all, but ranked in order.
No rush, I know it's a busy time of the week. Just wanted to post now while it's on my mind.
 
Many years ago, when I worked for the Racing Specialist, I published a study of this, ascertaining the percentage of fallers and unseated riders relative to runners at every track in Britain.

Cheltenham and Wetherby were among the toughest back then.

From memory, Ascot was formidable back then, too.

Nowadays it's all different, fences are generally easier and a rebuilt obstacle or two can change the nature of the test,
 
It's mostly conjecture and probably influenced by winners and losers.

Toughest courses:

1. Navan
2. Cheltenham (New Course)
3. Punchestown
4. Sandown
5. Carlisle

"They didn't act on the course"

Believable:

1. Galway
2. Downpatrick
3. Plumpton
4. Hexham
5. Sedgefield

Bullshit:

1. Cork
2. Kempton
3. Naas
4. Aintree (Mildmay)
5. Doncaster
 
Slim said:
When you say ‘tough’, do you mean physically demanding on stamina, tricky jumping tests, or just a mix of both?
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Both ideally, Slim, if they can be described those ways.
I don't know about Navan (or any for that matter), but for example...
Navan - Course testing / Fences fair
Punchestown - Course average / Fences testing

I know it'll be a pain in the arse to type that out for each of the top 10, but something along those lines would be ideal for me. If it ends up at 12 - 15, that's good too. I just want an basic understanding of them, as I honestly haven't got a clue about any NH racing. I did want to begin by focusing on the more testing courses though.

Thank you both for the input, appreciate it.
 
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I remember an article years ago by Nick Mordin in the Weekender in which he concluded that Irish trained chasers being sent over to races in Britain should only be backed if they had successfully got round Punchestown. Otherwise they couldn't be relied upon to handle the generally stiffer fences at the major British tracks. I don't think more recent data would support any conclusion along those lines.

Haydock used to be regarded as a very stiff chase track with challenging fences but not so much these days and even the Aintree National course, though still a unique test, is not what it was. But you still have tracks which require more stamina than others on all types of going (eg Chepstow, Navan, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Ascot, Galway), and some where the ground can become especially testing (Haydock, Newbury, Exeter, Uttoxeter, Limerick, Naas).

Plenty of the gaff tracks can also be testing but I'd find it very hard to rank them.
 
Peter Easterby might start off a novice chaser at Market Rasen or Catterick Bridge, but he'd send it to Wetherby or maybe Haydock Park before venturing to Cheltenham - that was the sort of stiff fence pecking order back in the day.

But it's all changed since then and all of the above take less jumping than they used to.
 
I never lived in Doncaster, but my father worked there for some years and often dropped me off to go racing while he did.

It was consequently a bit of a local for me.

It used to have a reputation for big stiff fences, but, while the fences were big enough when I first got seriously interested late 70s/early 80s, I'm not sure how stiff they were.

A horse really had to meet one halfway up to fall, and got away with errors the way they wouldn't at Cheltenham, Wetherby, Haydock Park and Ascot at the time.

The Town Moor ground was often unseasonably quick in dry spells, even in the teeth of Winter, but could get testing enough in prolonged wet weather.

A real galloping track, for sure, with a long home straight.
 
Sad news indeed, but I hope it’s not a fait accompli. As the article mentions, Thurles is a key track during the winter months. The IHA will have to see whether they or someone else could take it over. Keep it on the list for the time being.
 
Grey said:
Sad news indeed, but I hope it’s not a fait accompli. As the article mentions, Thurles is a key track during the winter months. The IHA will have to see whether they or someone else could take it over. Keep it on the list for the time being.
Click to expand...

It's greatest strength used to be that it could race in any weather, now it's the tracks greatest weakness because we aren't getting any rain and snow in winter
 
Slim said:
It's greatest strength used to be that it could race in any weather, now it's the tracks greatest weakness because we aren't getting any rain and snow in winter
Click to expand...
Yes, they lost a few fixtures last winter because of dry ground.
 

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