Racecourse Guide

Ascot
National Hunt

Ascot, Berkshire · the Christmas Racing Weekend and the Long Walk Hurdle

⬤ National Hunt
Turf
Right-Handed
Undulating

Shape

Triangular ~1m6f

Track Type

Stiff, Uphill Finish

Fences

10 per circuit

Hurdles

6 per circuit

Home Straight

2 fences

Run-in

~2f uphill

Direction

Right-handed

Course Highlight

Long Walk Hurdle Gr.1

Also at Ascot

Ascot also stages Flat turf racing. Read the Flat racecourse guide →

Course Overview

What is Ascot like as a jumps track?

Ascot’s jumps course is laid out inside its famous Flat circuit — right-handed, triangular, and roughly a mile and five to six furlongs round, with ten fences a circuit (two of them open ditches, plus a water jump) and six hurdle flights. It’s a track built around one defining feature: horses descend into Swinley Bottom, the lowest point of the course, then climb around 73 feet from there to the winning post — one of the toughest finishes anywhere in British jump racing.

The run-in itself is short — commonly given as around two furlongs — and uphill the whole way, so position matters enormously. The consequence is plain enough: with a run-in that short, positioning is the whole game, and whatever the pace you can get into trouble trying to come through rivals late on. That edge is sharpest in small novice fields, where front-runners are especially hard to peg back; in bigger handicaps, the effect is real but harder to exploit outright, since a truly-run pace still gets reeled in more often than at a smaller-field novice event.

Ascot’s own NH history is comparatively young — jumps racing began there in 1965, with the new course’s turf originally relaid using material from Hurst Park Racecourse, which closed in 1962. The course’s major 2004–2006 redevelopment reshaped the Flat side extensively, but the jumps course itself reopened in 2006/07 with a more sweeping turn into the straight and improved drainage, meaning the ground rarely gets as testing now as it once did.

The Jumps Course

Circuit Right-handed, triangular, ~1m6f, laid out inside the Flat track
Fences 10 per circuit (2 in the home straight) — 2 open ditches, 1 water jump
Hurdles 6 flights per circuit
The finish Descend into Swinley Bottom, then climb roughly 73 feet to the line — among the toughest finishes in NH racing
Run style Short, uphill run-in favours prominent racers and front-runners, especially in small novice fields; harder to exploit in big-field handicaps

Track & History

Jumps founded 1965 — turf relaid using material from the closed Hurst Park Racecourse
Redevelopment Major rebuild 2004–2006; the jumps course itself reopened 2006/07 with a sweeping turn and better drainage
NH season Around 8 jumps racedays a year, late October to March
Signature meeting The Howden Christmas Racing Weekend, the most valuable fixture of the jumps season
Grade 1 races Three run at Ascot: the Long Walk Hurdle, Ascot Chase and Clarence House Chase

Notable Races

When does Ascot race?

Grade 1 · December

Long Walk Hurdle

Run over 3 miles and 102 yards as the showpiece of the Christmas Racing Weekend. Baracouda’s 4 wins (2000–2004) is the race record; François Doumen and Richard Johnson share the training and riding records with 4 wins apiece.

Grade 1 · February

Ascot Chase

Run over 2m5f85y, an important trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Ryanair Chase. First run 1995 as the Comet Chase. Paul Nicholls has won it a record six times, most recently with Pic D’Orhy in 2024 and 2025. Jonbon took the 2026 running for Nicky Henderson, holding off Pic D’Orhy by a length and a half.

Grade 1 · January

Clarence House Chase

Run over 2 miles 1 furlong as a leading trial for the Cheltenham Champion Chase. First run 1989. Recent winners include Jonbon (2025, 2026) and Shishkin (2022) for Nicky Henderson.

Grade 2 · November

1965 Chase

Named for the year jumps racing began at Ascot, run over 2m5f18y as part of the November Racing Weekend that opens the jumps season proper.

Grade 2 · February

Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase

Run over roughly 3 miles on Ascot Chase raceday. Past winners include future Champion Chase winner One Man and two-time Ryanair Chase winner Albertas Run.

Premier Handicap · November

Sodexo Live! Gold Cup

The feature of the season-opening Fireworks Spectacular Family Raceday, run over 2m7f185y. First run 2006 as the United House Gold Cup.

Pace Bias

The Number That Matters

Ascot’s jumps course has a well-documented reputation for favouring prominent racers and front-runners — driven directly by the short, uphill run-in and the sweeping turn out of Swinley Bottom that makes it hard to switch off and still get involved late. Our reading is that it is a front-runners’ track, and most emphatically so in small fields of novices — but that the same edge is very hard to convert from the front in a big-field handicap.

The published run-style work bears the reading out, and sharpens it: the picture changes between hurdles and chases, and it changes dramatically between the short and staying chase trips. Over hurdles Ascot rewards the front-runner at every distance. Over fences it does not — at the minimum trip the outright leader is close to unbackable, while a horse tracking the pace is exactly where you want to be, and by three miles the leader is the best place on the track. The numbers are below.

Front-Runners at Ascot, by Code and Trip

Chases, up to 2m1½f

2/48 · IV 0.36

Chases, prominent, same trip

IV 1.62

Chases, around 3m

10/48 · IV 2.14

Hurdles, around 2m

23% won · A/E 1.68

Hurdles, 2m4f–2m6f

27% won · A/E 1.83

Hurdles, around 3m

A/E 1.70

Figures are from published run-style research on handicap races. The one that should change how you bet here is the chase split: over the minimum trip the outright leader has won 2 of 48 at an impact value of 0.36, while the horse tracking the pace runs at 1.62 — so at around two miles over fences, handy is the place to be and in front is not. Over three miles that inverts completely, the leader winning 10 of 48 at an impact value of 2.14. Over hurdles there is no such split: front-runners are strong at two miles, at two and a half and at three, and hold-up horses at three miles win at 22% against a 32% all-courses average.

Set beside that, the coursecraft read still holds and is worth keeping: in a small field of novices, where there is less pace on to collapse the leader’s advantage, a horse allowed an easy lead up this hill is very hard to peg back. That is a race-shape judgement rather than a course-wide rule, and the trip figures above are where to start.

Statistics · Since 2010

Which trainers and jockeys win most at Ascot?

Trainer	Runs	Wins	Win%	Places	Place%	A/E	P/L
1 Henderson, N J	465	103	22.15%	203	43.66%	0.89	-83.17
2 Nicholls, P F	524	101	19.27%	201	38.36%	0.95	-21.93
3 Williams, Miss Venetia	198	35	17.68%	64	32.32%	1.20	+38.96
4 Hobbs, P J / White, J	239	31	12.97%	83	34.73%	0.81	-77.19
5 Fry, Harry	131	31	23.66%	60	45.80%	1.37	+20.98
6 King, A	235	29	12.34%	75	31.91%	0.88	+4.92
7 Moore, Gary and Josh	318	27	8.49%	76	23.90%	0.78	-141.02
8 Pipe, D E	169	26	15.38%	62	36.69%	1.22	-6.52
9 Skelton, Daniel	244	25	10.25%	70	28.69%	0.87	-33.34
10 Pauling, Ben	118	20	16.95%	44	37.29%	1.15	+50.13
11 Bailey, K C	109	18	16.51%	42	38.53%	1.13	-15.30
12 Twiston-Davies, N A	214	17	7.94%	50	23.36%	0.65	-101.59
13 O’Neill, Jonjo and AJ	180	14	7.78%	53	29.44%	0.58	-71.00
14 Tizzard, Joe	52	13	25.00%	25	48.08%	1.35	-0.05
15 O’Brien, Fergal	91	12	13.19%	23	25.27%	0.98	-14.59
16 Newland, Dr R D P	81	12	14.81%	28	34.57%	1.17	+28.75
17 Lavelle, Miss E C	128	10	7.81%	44	34.38%	0.54	-69.25
18 Honeyball, A J	75	10	13.33%	24	32.00%	0.90	+10.58
19 Thomas, Sam	29	10	34.48%	16	55.17%	1.44	+14.66
20 Gordon, C	109	9	8.26%	25	22.94%	0.91	-45.64

Ascot NH, since 2010. This is a far more rewarding page than the Flat equivalent. Harry Fry is the standout — 31 winners from 131 at 23.66%, A/E 1.37 and +£20.98 — with Venetia Williams next at 17.68% for A/E 1.20 and +£38.96. The biggest profit in the table belongs to Ben Pauling, +£50.13 from 118 runners at A/E 1.15. Joe Tizzard (A/E 1.35) and Tom Lacey (1.26) also beat their prices. Nicky Henderson has the most winners (103) but at A/E 0.89, and Philip Hobbs is the one to oppose at 0.81. Ascot’s stiff, galloping jumping track suits a strong stayer. What the table shows is which yards have beaten market expectation here, not why — an A/E above 1.00 means a yard’s runners have won more often than their prices implied.
ascot NH · Current trainers, since 2010

Jockey	Runs	Wins	Win%	Places	Place%	A/E	P/L
1 Boinville, Nico	185	46	24.86%	77	41.62%	0.99	-31.96
2 Cobden, Harry	225	40	17.78%	82	36.44%	0.91	-28.36
3 Twiston-Davies, Sam	251	28	11.16%	89	35.46%	0.71	-105.55
4 Deutsch, Charlie	89	24	26.97%	32	35.96%	1.68	+55.53
5 Skelton, Harry	156	18	11.54%	52	33.33%	0.81	-14.34
6 Bass, David	132	17	12.88%	51	38.64%	0.93	-19.51
7 Powell, Brendan	114	17	14.91%	38	33.33%	1.17	-6.05
8 Burke, Jonathan	88	17	19.32%	32	36.36%	1.51	+14.21
9 Jones, Ben R	57	15	26.32%	23	40.35%	1.43	+41.05
10 O’Neill, Jonjo (Jr)	86	11	12.79%	30	34.88%	0.82	-14.00
11 Bowen, James C	54	9	16.67%	16	29.63%	1.20	+26.16
12 Williams, Lorcan	50	9	18.00%	17	34.00%	1.15	+3.81
13 Woods, K K	56	8	14.29%	15	26.79%	1.23	+1.08
14 Cannon, Tom J	138	7	5.07%	29	21.01%	0.56	-86.15
15 Bowen, Sean P	104	7	6.73%	28	26.92%	0.44	-75.12
16 Sheehan, Gavin	84	6	7.14%	17	20.24%	0.55	-44.37
17 Bellamy, Tom	80	6	7.50%	16	20.00%	0.77	-41.75
18 Frost, Bryony	51	6	11.76%	15	29.41%	0.81	-10.86
19 Wedge, Adam	64	5	7.81%	11	17.19%	0.89	-29.25
20 McLernon, R P	56	5	8.93%	20	35.71%	1.06	-6.50

Ascot NH, since 2010. Charlie Deutsch is the standout rider figure on any page in this library — 24 winners from 89 rides at 26.97%, A/E 1.68 and +£55.53. Jonathan Burke (A/E 1.51 from 88) and Ben Jones (1.43 from 57, +£41.05) are the other two well clear of fair price. Nico de Boinville leads on winners (46) at a 24.86% strike but only A/E 0.99. Sam Twiston-Davies is the clearest to oppose at A/E 0.71 for £105.55 down. What the table cannot tell you is why: it records who has beaten market expectation at Ascot, not how they ride.
ascot NH · Current riders, since 2010

Sire Statistics · Since 2010

Which sires do best at Ascot?

Sire	Runs	Wins	Win%	Places	Place%	A/E	P/L
1 King’s Theatre (IRE)	174	25	14.37%	67	38.51%	0.99	+28.03
2 Flemensfirth (USA)	130	24	18.46%	46	35.38%	1.36	+36.22
3 Presenting	176	23	13.07%	52	29.55%	0.90	-22.84
4 Kayf Tara	191	19	9.95%	50	26.18%	0.74	-29.54
5 Milan	137	19	13.87%	40	29.20%	0.99	-28.75
6 Shantou (USA)	80	18	22.50%	38	47.50%	1.25	+51.01
7 Midnight Legend	114	16	14.04%	40	35.09%	1.14	-0.56
8 Beneficial	123	13	10.57%	36	29.27%	0.78	-42.95
9 Walk In The Park (IRE)	67	13	19.40%	28	41.79%	1.06	+0.31
10 Westerner	104	12	11.54%	32	30.77%	0.90	+8.13
11 Shirocco (GER)	61	12	19.67%	21	34.43%	1.38	+2.95
12 Oscar (IRE)	110	11	10.00%	29	26.36%	0.65	-52.96
13 Yeats (IRE)	65	11	16.92%	16	24.62%	1.10	-6.53
14 Turgeon (USA)	32	10	31.25%	15	46.88%	1.35	-3.25
15 Getaway (GER)	116	9	7.76%	33	28.45%	0.59	-69.24
16 Martaline	84	9	10.71%	29	34.52%	0.75	-13.49
17 Gold Well	60	9	15.00%	22	36.67%	1.16	-13.29
18 Authorized (IRE)	56	9	16.07%	16	28.57%	1.05	-7.97
19 Poliglote	45	9	20.00%	18	40.00%	1.07	-19.12
20 Voix Du Nord (FR)	36	9	25.00%	12	33.33%	1.45	+23.52

Ascot NH, since 2010. Flemensfirth is the pick of the volume sires — 24 winners from 130 at 18.46%, A/E 1.36 and +£36.22 — with Shantou (22.50% from 80, A/E 1.25) returning the biggest profit at +£51.01. King’s Theatre leads the winner count at a fair A/E 0.99 and is also in profit (+£28.03). Kayf Tara is the one to oppose at A/E 0.74. Below the table, Shirocco has returned A/E 1.38 from 61 runners. The pattern is consistent with the trainer page: Ascot’s stiff jumping track rewards genuine stamina pedigrees, and three separate stayer sires beat their price here.
ascot NH · Since 2010

How to read these tables. The figures are a first-party pull for this course and code covering runs since 1 January 2010, taken as a snapshot rather than updated live. A/E compares actual wins with the wins implied by starting price, so a figure above 1.00 means the group has won more often than its SP suggested. P/L is profit or loss to £1 win stakes at starting price.

Insider Knowledge

Betting Angles

🐎

Back the pace in small novice fields

The front-running edge is strongest when there’s little pace on to challenge the leader — small novice chases and hurdles are where it’s most reliably exploitable.

⛰️

Respect the hill in big handicaps

In large-field, truly-run handicaps, the uphill finish still asks a real stamina question — don’t assume a lone front-runner walks it just because the course “favours the pace.”

📈

Grade 1 form here travels to the Festival

The Ascot Chase, Clarence House Chase and Long Walk Hurdle are all genuine trials for their Cheltenham Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Stayers’ Hurdle equivalents.

🌧️

Post-2006 drainage changed the going profile

Since the redevelopment, testing ground is less frequent than Ascot’s older reputation suggests — check the current going rather than assuming a bog.

🏆

Watch the leading yards

Venetia Williams’ Ascot record since 2010 has beaten market expectation — A/E 1.20 at a profit — and Charlie Deutsch’s riding figures are stronger still at 26.97% and A/E 1.68. Neither holds the best raw strike rate among the yards: that is Harry Fry at 23.66%.

🎯

Course experience over Swinley Bottom counts

A horse that’s already handled the descent-then-climb sequence without being caught out deserves extra weight against a track debutant — though not enough, on its own, to outweigh a real difference in class.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Treating the front-running edge as a single course-wide rule. It holds over hurdles at every trip, but over fences it reverses with distance — the outright leader has won 2 of 48 handicap chases up to 2m1½f, while the same position wins 10 of 48 around three miles. The small-field novice races where an easy lead is hard to peg back are a race-shape case, not the general rule.
Treating Ascot’s jumps course reputation as identical to its Flat course — the two have different pace dynamics entirely.
Assuming testing ground as often as pre-2006 form suggests — the redevelopment measurably improved drainage.
Overlooking that specific Grade 1 races here (Ascot Chase, Clarence House Chase, Long Walk Hurdle) are genuine Cheltenham trials, not just prestigious one-off prizes.

Common Questions

Ascot Racecourse FAQs

Is there a pace or front-running bias at Ascot over jumps?

Yes, and it splits by code and trip rather than running one way across the card. Over hurdles the front-runner is strong at every distance — 23% of two-mile handicap hurdles at an A/E of 1.68, 27% at two and a half at 1.83, and 1.70 around three miles. Over fences it is not that simple: in handicap chases up to 2m1½f the outright leader has won just 2 of 48 at an impact value of 0.36, while horses tracking the pace run at 1.62, so handy beats in-front at the minimum trip. By three miles it inverts, the leader winning 10 of 48 at an impact value of 2.14. The short uphill run-in and the sweeping turn out of Swinley Bottom still make this a hard track to come from behind on, and in small novice fields an easy lead is very hard to peg back.

How many fences and hurdles are there at Ascot?

Ten fences per circuit for chases — two of them open ditches, plus a water jump — and six hurdle flights. The run-in is short, roughly two furlongs, and uphill the whole way.

What is Swinley Bottom?

The lowest point of Ascot’s circuit. Horses descend into it before climbing roughly 73 feet from there to the winning post — a sequence widely regarded as one of the toughest finishes in British jump racing.

What are Ascot’s biggest jumps races?

Three Grade 1s: the Long Walk Hurdle (December, the Christmas Racing Weekend showpiece), the Ascot Chase (February, its 2m5f trip making it a pointer to both the Gold Cup and the Ryanair) and the Clarence House Chase (January, a Champion Chase trial). Baracouda’s four Long Walk Hurdle wins and Paul Nicholls’ six Ascot Chase wins are the standout records.

Explore

Other Jumps Tracks

Aintree

Home of the Grand National — Mildmay and National courses.

Cheltenham

Old Course and New Course — the home of jump racing.

Kempton Park

Sharp, flat right-hander — home of the King George.

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