Moving past the midpoint of February, a looming event at Prestbury Park dominates much of the racing discussion. However, the season isn’t ALL about the Cheltenham Festival, and this week offers plenty for racing fans to get stuck into before the March jamboree.
Carlisle offers an intriguing card of Challenger Chase and Go North qualifiers on Monday afternoon, whilst Lingfield goes a little early with its Jumps Season Finale on Thursday. Elsewhere in midweek, we have Graded action from Ireland and even a “National” contest thrown into the mix on Friday. Let’s take a look at the racing highlights for the week ahead.
Wondermare honoured at Punchestown
If ever there was a horse who deserved to have a race named in her honour, it is surely the marvellous mare Quevega. Hailing from the yard of Willie Mullins, this 21st-century superstar made six trips to the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and won every time – no horse has won any race at the festival on as many occasions.
Willie Mullins has three entries for the 2025 Quevega Mares’ Hurdle, including the highly regarded Jade De Grugy.
National Excitement Grips Exeter
If April is a little long to wait for your Grand National fix, why not tune into the highlight of the year from the Southwest town of Exeter? The 2024 edition of this demanding 3m6f contest fell to Mr Vango, who has since added the London National and Peter Marsh Chase to his haul.
Iroko Heads to Kempton
As ever, the pick of the action comes at the weekend, with Saturday afternoon seeing a pair of cracking handicaps in the north and south. Down in Berkshire, Kempton stages this three-mile £150,000 affair, which features Coral Gold Cup winner The Kandoo Kid and leading Grand National fancy, Iroko, amongst the current entries.
Sticking to the staying chase theme, Newcastle moves things up a notch with one of the most gruelling contests of the year. One of the highlights of the season at the Gosforth Park venue, the 4m1½f Eider Chase places a firm emphasis on stamina. Often seen as a key Grand National trial, Comply Or Die claimed the 2008 edition before his finest hour at Aintree.
Terrific Tapeta Action from Southwell
Flat fans aren’t left out on Saturday afternoon as Southwell stages the 2025 edition of the valuable Winter Derby. At 1m3f and 23 yards, the trip is just short of the Epsom Derby distance, and the race can’t quite match the prestige of the Group 1 Classic. It is nevertheless one of the highlights of the all-weather season and counts the name of three-time Dubai Turf winner Lord North on the roll of honour.
Focus on Fontwell on Sunday Afternoon
Finally, we head to Sussex on Sunday afternoon for the standout contest of the year at Fontwell Park. Best known for possessing the only figure-of-eight chase layout in the country, this Grade 2 contest takes place over the more conventional hurdles course. 2m3f is the trip for an event named in honour of the dual Champion Hurdle winner and previously won by Comedy Of Errors, Baracouda, and My Way de Solzen.
