If you’re already eyeing the National Hunt 2025/2026 Calendar, you know the jumps season in Britain and Ireland is more than just dates on a page. It’s mud, fences, Guinness, and the countdown to Cheltenham. In fact, each month brings its own drama, from the optimism of autumn at Chepstow to the grand finales at Aintree and Punchestown. This guide keeps it all clear and simple, so you never miss a festival or mix up your weekends.
For fans, keeping track of it all can be a challenge. You don’t want to mix up the Tingle Creek with the Welsh National, or worse—plan a weekend away during Gold Cup week. That’s why we’ve pulled together this simple, no-nonsense National Hunt 2025/2026 calendar guide. Think of it as your racing survival kit: all the key dates, meetings, and festivals laid out month by month, with a few hints on what makes each one special.
So grab a pen, mark up the calendar, and remember—your social life can wait. The jumps are calling, and the roar of Cheltenham is closer than you think.
National Hunt 2025/2026 season calendar month by month
Here’s your month-by-month guide to the National Hunt 2025/2026 season calendar. From the mud and stamina tests of Chepstow to the roar of Cheltenham and the finales at Aintree and Punchestown, each fixture has its own character. This section breaks it all down so you won’t miss a single highlight.
October 2025 – National Hunt season curtain rises
Chepstow Jump Season Opener (Fri 10 – Sat 11 Oct 2025, Chepstow)
Every good story needs a first chapter, and Chepstow delivers it with mud, stamina tests and more pulled-up horses than you’ll see all summer. In addition, trainers love it because it tells them who’s winter-fit and who’s still dreaming of the beach. Meanwhile, fans love it because—finally—the jumps are back. The Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle is usually the star, but half the fun is spotting a future Grade 1 horse lurking in the novice races. If you want a head start on names to watch, check out our full guide on horses to follow for the 2025/26 Jumps Season.
Cheltenham: The Showcase (Fri 24 – Sat 25 Oct 2025, Cheltenham)
Cheltenham doesn’t waste time. Before the leaves are off the trees, the Showcase reminds everyone where the real season climax will happen in March. Punters descend for two days of competitive handicaps and novice races that often reveal Festival clues. The atmosphere is more relaxed than March—fewer Guinness hats, more notebooks—but the racing still matters.
November 2025 – Key fixtures in the National Hunt 2025/2026 season
The November Meeting (Fri 14 – Sun 16 Nov 2025, Cheltenham)
Known as the “mini-Festival,” this three-day fixture offers everything from juvenile hurdles to the Paddy Power Gold Cup. It’s also a great stage for up-and-coming novice chasers—don’t miss our list of the 10 best novice chasers to follow this season. It’s the first proper chance to feel the Cheltenham roar and test your anti-post theories.
Betfair Chase Day (Sat 22 Nov 2025, Haydock Park)
The first Grade 1 of the season, and usually the day when we find out if a Gold Cup hopeful is the real deal or just a pretender. Heavy ground at Haydock makes it brutal—perfect for stamina lovers.
Coral Gold Cup (Sat 29 Nov 2025, Newbury)
Still affectionately called the Hennessy by many fans, this historic handicap is where legends like Denman and Many Clouds proved their class. If a horse carries top weight to victory here, take note—it usually means bigger prizes await.
Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Sat 29 Nov 2025, Newcastle)
The first major hurdle race of the season. Speed, slick jumping and often freezing weather—National Hunt in a nutshell.
December 2025 – Christmas highlights of the jumps season
Tingle Creek Festival (Fri 5 – Sat 6 Dec 2025, Sandown Park)
Two days at Sandown headlined by the Tingle Creek Chase, a test of pure speed and accuracy over fences. It’s where two-milers make or break their Champion Chase credentials. Fans still talk about the duels of Sprinter Sacre and Sizing Europe—blink and you’ll miss it, because mistakes are punished instantly.
Howden Christmas Weekend (Fri 19 – Sat 20 Dec 2025, Ascot)
Ascot provides a touch of class with the Long Walk Hurdle, a gruelling stamina test that crowns the best staying hurdlers. Add in mulled wine, twinkling lights and the poshest Christmas jumpers you’ll ever see, and you’ve got a proper festive weekend.
Kempton Christmas Festival (Fri 26 – Sat 27 Dec 2025, Kempton Park)
Boxing Day belongs to the King George VI Chase, second only to the Gold Cup in prestige. Flat, right-handed Kempton is a specialist’s track, and legends like Kauto Star and Desert Orchid built their legacies here. Day two keeps the momentum with the Christmas Hurdle—perfect for Champion Hurdle clues.
Leopardstown Christmas Festival (Fri 26 – Mon 29 Dec 2025, Leopardstown)
Ireland’s answer to Kempton, but stretched over four days. The Savills Chase and Christmas Hurdle attract the very best from Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and beyond. If Cheltenham clues are your thing, this is a goldmine.
Welsh Grand National (Sat 27 Dec 2025, Chepstow)
Mud, rain and stamina—it’s almost a rite of passage for hardcore jump fans. The Coral Welsh National can turn into a war of attrition, and the winners often become Grand National contenders later in the spring. It’s also the type of race where big-priced shocks happen, so it’s worth checking our 10 outsiders to follow in the 2025/26 jumps season before placing a bet.
January 2026 – Trials and tests in the National Hunt calendar
Cheltenham New Year’s Day (Thu 1 Jan 2026, Cheltenham)
Forget resolutions—start the year at Cheltenham with competitive handicaps and novice races that warm you up for the spring.
Clarence House Chase (Sat 17 Jan 2026, Ascot)
Speed and bravery combined, often serving as the final prep for the Champion Chase. If the ground is soft, it becomes even more brutal.
Festival Trials Day (Sat 24 Jan 2026, Cheltenham)
Arguably the most important single day before the Festival itself. The Cotswold Chase and Cleeve Hurdle provide direct pointers for Gold Cup and Stayers’ Hurdle hopefuls. If a horse shines here, don’t ignore it in March. Many fans mark this date in their diaries as a turning point in the National Hunt calendar.
February 2026 – Dublin Racing Festival in the jumps season
Dublin Racing Festival (Sat 31 Jan – Sun 1 Feb 2026, Leopardstown)
Just a few years old, but already a jewel of the calendar. Two days, eight Grade 1s, and more Mullins runners than you can count. Think of it as Ireland’s mini-Cheltenham, where stars of the future clash with seasoned campaigners. The atmosphere is electric—Guinness-fuelled but family friendly—and the racing is top class. Many Festival winners have used this as their springboard.
March 2026 – The Cheltenham roar and National Hunt climax
The Cheltenham Festival (Tue 10 – Fri 13 Mar 2026, Cheltenham)
Four days, 28 races, and more drama than Netflix could script. From the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle curtain-raiser (and the famous “Cheltenham roar”) to the Gold Cup finale on Friday, this is the heart of the jumps season. You can find the full schedule and ticket info on The Jockey Club’s official Cheltenham Festival page
Day by day highlights:
- Tuesday (Champion Day): Supreme + Champion Hurdle. Hope and chaos in equal measure.
- Wednesday (Festival Wednesday): Queen Mother Champion Chase—two miles at breakneck speed.
- Thursday (St Patrick’s Thursday): Stayers’ Hurdle and the Ryanair Chase, plus plenty of Guinness.
- Friday (Gold Cup Day): The pinnacle—horses, jockeys and punters chasing immortality.
If you only make one racing trip all year, make it Cheltenham. Just pack waterproofs and patience for the queues.
April 2026 – Grand Nationals and spring highlights of the jumps season
Aintree Grand National Festival (Thu 9 – Sat 11 Apr 2026, Aintree)
Three days of world-class racing, culminating in the Grand National—the one race even non-fans know. Forty runners, thirty fences, four miles and plenty of heart-in-mouth moments. Before Saturday, enjoy Grade 1s like the Aintree Hurdle and Bowl, often featuring Cheltenham stars.
Fairyhouse Easter Festival (Sat 4 – Mon 6 Apr 2026, Fairyhouse)
Home to the Irish Grand National, a marathon staying test with history and prestige. Easter weekend racing in Ireland is as much about family days out as it is about punting.
Scottish Grand National (Fri 17 – Sat 18 Apr 2026, Ayr)
If Aintree is chaos, Ayr is about stamina. It’s the last big staying handicap of the season, and Scottish fans create a carnival atmosphere.
April–May 2026 – Punchestown Festival and the National Hunt finale
Punchestown Festival (Tue 28 Apr – Sat 2 May 2026, Punchestown)
The curtain call. Ireland’s grand finale, where Cheltenham and Aintree form is tested again on home soil. Mullins usually dominates, but surprises are frequent. Sun, rain or sideways hail—you’ll get it all in Kildare. Many fans say Punchestown is the most fun of all, because by now the pressure’s off and it’s all about the craic.
Conclusion – wrapping up the National Hunt 2025/2026 season
That’s the National Hunt 2025/2026 calendar laid out month by month, from the muddy optimism of Chepstow to the sunshine (hopefully) of Punchestown. It’s a journey that mixes drama, tradition and the odd miracle result at 100/1. Along the way, you’ll see future champions emerge, household names fall, and more than a few punters swearing they’ll “never back in a handicap again”… until the next one.
The point of this calendar isn’t just to give you dates—it’s to help you feel the rhythm of the season. October is about potential, December about legends, March about destiny. By April, it’s chaos, colour and one last cheer before summer takes over again.
So save this page, scribble notes in your diary, or just keep it bookmarked on your phone. This National Hunt 2025/2026 calendar is your quick reference when plans clash with racing. Because when your mate asks if you’re free on Gold Cup Friday, you’ll know the answer already. Spoiler: you’re not. Racing comes first. Always.
National Hunt 2025/2026 fixtures summary table
| Festival / Race | Dates | Racecourse |
|---|---|---|
| Chepstow Jump Season Opener | 10–11 Oct 2025 | Chepstow |
| Cheltenham Showcase | 24–25 Oct 2025 | Cheltenham |
| The November Meeting | 14–16 Nov 2025 | Cheltenham |
| Betfair Chase Day | 22 Nov 2025 | Haydock Park |
| Coral Gold Cup | 29 Nov 2025 | Newbury |
| Fighting Fifth Hurdle | 29 Nov 2025 | Newcastle |
| Tingle Creek Festival | 5–6 Dec 2025 | Sandown Park |
| Howden Christmas Weekend | 19–20 Dec 2025 | Ascot |
| Kempton Christmas Festival (King George VI Chase) | 26–27 Dec 2025 | Kempton Park |
| Leopardstown Christmas Festival | 26–29 Dec 2025 | Leopardstown |
| Welsh Grand National | 27 Dec 2025 | Chepstow |
| Cheltenham New Year’s Day | 1 Jan 2026 | Cheltenham |
| Clarence House Chase | 17 Jan 2026 | Ascot |
| Festival Trials Day | 24 Jan 2026 | Cheltenham |
| Dublin Racing Festival | 31 Jan – 1 Feb 2026 | Leopardstown |
| Cheltenham Festival | 10–13 Mar 2026 | Cheltenham |
| Aintree Grand National Festival | 9–11 Apr 2026 | Aintree |
| Fairyhouse Easter Festival (Irish Grand National) | 4–6 Apr 2026 | Fairyhouse |
| Scottish Grand National | 17–18 Apr 2026 | Ayr |
| Punchestown Festival | 28 Apr – 2 May 2026 | Punchestown |
FAQs about the National Hunt 2025/2026 season
The new campaign kicks off in October 2025 at Chepstow with the Jump Season Opener. Technically, some summer jumps fixtures take place earlier, but Chepstow is where fans and trainers alike agree “the real season begins.” From there, the calendar builds quickly towards the November Meeting at Cheltenham.
Which is bigger: Cheltenham or Aintree?
Cheltenham is the holy grail for most owners, trainers and jockeys—the Festival crowns champions across four days. But the Grand National at Aintree is the sport’s shop window: the one race that non-racing fans actually watch. In short, Cheltenham decides who’s the best, Aintree decides who gets remembered.
Are National Hunt tickets expensive?
Not always. Big days like Gold Cup Friday or Grand National Saturday sell out fast and command higher prices, but many fixtures—especially in autumn and January—are very affordable. Families often find good value midweek at places like Chepstow or Leicester. Pro tip: book early and check official sites for deals.
If you want the ultimate experience, Cheltenham is unbeatable, but it can be overwhelming. For a friendlier introduction, try the Dublin Racing Festival or the November Meeting at Cheltenham—big names, great atmosphere, but less hectic. You’ll actually get served a pint in under 20 minutes.
Crucial. Heavy going can turn a three-mile slog into survival of the fittest, while good ground rewards speed and rhythm. Many shocks at big festivals come from horses handling the ground better than their rivals. Always check the going before placing a bet—it matters more than the market often admits.
Absolutely. Just ask anyone who backed Noble Yeats at 50/1 in the Grand National or Poniros at 100/1 in the Triumph Hurdle. Outsiders are part of the magic of jump racing. They don’t win every week, but when they do, they make headlines—and memories—for a lifetime.
When the Punchestown Festival wraps up in early May, the top jump horses go on holiday, and the spotlight shifts to the Flat season with classics like the Derby and Royal Ascot. Some die-hard fans switch codes, others patiently count the days until Chepstow rolls around again.
Horses to follow for the 2025/26 Jumps Season –
[…] Several of these names are likely to clash at Cheltenham in March. You can already mark it on your diary with our National Hunt 2025/2026 calendar […]