Flat Racing v National Hunt: What’s the Difference?
If you are a newbie in horse racing betting, then it is imperative that you know the dissimilarities between the two major codes of British horse racing: National Hunt and Flat racing.
It includes horses, jockeys, trainers and canny racegoers trying to predict the outcome of races. Nevertheless, each code examines different aspects of a racehorse as well as many factors that influence betting on horses online.
For example, the shortest flat race in the UK horse racing calendar is more than a mile shorter than the fastest National Hunt race. This is crucial to bear in mind if you are considering wagering but are pressed for time.
Find below more information about Flat and National Hunt racing in the UK.
Flat Racing
British horse racing has a shorter and faster form known as flat racing. It is an assessment of the fleetness and stamina of the racehorse as well as a test for the jockey’s talent on his back; he must make instant moves to get his horse into an advantageous position as this is what separates victory from defeat in flat races.
The running of flat races takes place on a level ground and the distances for these races can be either five-furlong (1,000m) or even up to two miles, six furlongs. While most flat races in the country are held over turf, there are also six all-weather tracks at Kempton, Chelmsford, Lingfield, Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Southwell meaning that punters can always find a raceday somewhere during winter nights with evening racing taking place under floodlights.
Usually, the Flat season begins in early April when the National Hunt campaign is winding down. The Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster Racecourse is traditionally known as the curtain raiser of a long summer of racing that culminates with Champions Day at Ascot in mid-October.
National Hunt Racing
National hunt racing, which is also known as the jumps racing is a test of fitness and jumping ability. For horse to over fences and ditches require strength and endurance thus the horses that compete in national hunts races are usually bigger and older than the ones in flat races.
Some horses start out their career by participating in National Hunt Flat (NHF) races, which are also frequently referred to as bumpers. A bumper race is a type of horse race that is specifically meant for young and inexperienced horses on noisy tracks.
Horses that are superior become hurdling horses; these never go beyond three and a half miles and the jumps are three and a half feet high. After this they graduate to steeplechase, which involve jumping over various obstacles including fences not shorter than four and a half feet, open ditches, water jumps.
Within the National Hunt racing calendar, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Grand National are considered to be its mainstay races.