As Jump racing starts to get into full swing, there are just four weeks until Newbury Racecourse’s 2016/17 season commences, with a new fixture on Thursday, November 3.

The bet365 Festival Preview Fixture on this date features a seven-race card worth over £75,000 in prize money, with the highlight being the Whitley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, run over two miles for £20,000.

The card will also feature the KKA-Highpoint Beginners’ Chase over two miles six and a half furlongs, a potential springboard to the prestigious Grade Two bet365 Novices’ Chase at the bet365 Festival three weeks later.

The bet365 Festival has been reduced to two days from this year, taking place on Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 26. Over £600,000 in prize money will be on offer, with the 60th running of the Grade Three Hennessy Gold Cup on Saturday, November 26, the highlight.

The feature race on Friday, November 25 is now the £50,000 Grade Two bet365 Long Distance Hurdle over three miles, won last year by Thistlecrack (pictured), who became the seventh winner of this race in the last 11 years to go on victory in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

This sits alongside the £50,000 bet365 Handicap Chase over two miles and four furlongs on a card worth £190,000.

Hennessy Gold Cup Day on Saturday, November 26 now includes the Grade Two bet365 Novices’ Chase over almost three miles and the Listed bet365 Intermediate Hurdle over two miles and half a furlong.

Andy Clifton, Head of Communications at Newbury Racecourse, said: “We’re very excited about the new-look start to our Jump season.

“It will be great to start Jump racing here earlier on November 3 and I hope that some of the horses in action on that day will return three weeks later.

“At the end of November, all roads lead to the bet365 Festival featuring the 60th Hennessy Gold Cup, worth £200,000.

“No race is worth more than this historic contest until the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham the following March and with a top-class supporting card on the Friday, including the bet365 Long Distance Hurdle which has been moved from the Saturday, the bet365 Festival looks as strong a two-day Jump racing meeting as you will find outside the spring festivals.”

 

Race Programmes for November racing at Newbury

 

Thursday, November 3, 2016

12.55pm	The Book Now for the bet365 Festival on 25 & 26 November Novices’ Hurdle (Class 4)	5yo+	£7,000	2m 4f
1.25pm	The bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (0-120)	4yo+	£7,300	3m
2.00pm	The bet365 Handicap Chase (Class 3) (0-135)	5yo+	£12,000	2m 4f
2.35pm	The Whitley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Class 2)	4yo+	£20,000	2m ½f
3.10pm	The KKA-Highpoint Beginners’ Chase (Class 3)	5yo+	£11,000	2m 6½f
3.45pm	The Club 24 Membership for just £120 Handicap Hurdle  (Class 3) (0-140)	5yo+	£14,000	2m ½f
4.15pm	The Lodge Hotel at Newbury Racecourse Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Class 5)	4yo+	£4,000	2m ½f

 

Friday, November 25, 2016

12.30pm	The bet365 ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle (Class 3)	4yo+	£10,000	2m ½f
1.05pm	The bet365.com Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3) (0-140) (for the Fulke Walwyn Trophy)	4yo+	£20,000	2m ½f
1.35pm	The Fullers London Pride Novices’ Chase (Class 1) (Grade 2)	4yo+	£35,000	2m 4f
2.10pm	The  bet365 Long Distance Hurdle (Class 1) (Grade 2)	4yo+	£50,000	3m
2.45pm	The bet365 Handicap Chase (Class 2)	4yo+	£50,000	2m 4f
3.20pm	The Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) (0-145)	4yo+	£15,000	3m
3.50pm	The bet365 Novices’ Hurdle (Class 3)	4yo+	£10,000	2m 4½f

 

Saturday, November 26, 2016

12.20pm	The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Class 1) (Listed Race)	4yo+	£23,500	2m ½f
12.55pm	The bet365 Novices’ Chase (Class 1) (Grade 2)	4yo+	£35,000	2m 7½f
1.30pm	The Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase (Class 3) (0-140)	4yo+	£40,000	2m 6½f
2.05pm	The bet365 Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) (0-150)	4yo+	£35,000	2m 4½f
2.40pm	The bet365 Intermediate Hurdle (Class 1) (limited handicap) (Listed)	4yo+	£45,000	2m ½f
3.10pm	The Hennessy Gold Cup Chase (Class 1) (Grade 3)	4yo+	£200,000	3m 2f
3.45pm	The bet365 Handicap Chase (for The Jim Joel Trophy) (Class 2) (0-150)	4yo+	£35,000	2m ½f