The Grimthorpe Handicap Chase is a

National Hunt National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, Great Britain and Ireland. Jump Racing requires horses to jump over fences and ditches. In ...

handicap

steeplechase SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, ...

in England which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at

Doncaster Doncaster ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, Yorkshire, River Don, it is the administrative centre of the City of Doncaster metropolitan borough, and is the second largest se ...

over a distance of about 3 miles and 2

furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one-eighth of a mile, equivalent to any of 660 foot (unit), feet, 220 yards, 40 rod (unit), rods, 10 chain (unit), chains, or a ...

s (3 miles, 2 furlongs and 1 yard or ) and during the race there are 19 fences to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in late February or early March. Prior to the early 1980s the Grimthorpe Chase was run over two miles and 150 yards. The distance was then nearly doubled to a stamina testing four miles and 100 yards. The distance was changed again to the current trip in the 1990s, when it was run as the Velka Pardubicka Grimthorpe Chase, a reference to Velká pardubická, a famous race run in the Czech Republic over varied obstacles. The race is now considered to be a trial for the

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...

. The race is named in honour of the Grimthorpe family who have been involved in racing for many years. Ralph Beckett, 3rd Baron Grimthorpe owned Fragrant Mac (winner 1952 Scottish Grand National) and Fortina (winner 1947 Cheltenham Gold Cup). Christopher Beckett, the fourth Baron, was a member of the

Jockey Club The Jockey Club is the largest commercial horse racing organisation in the United Kingdom. It owns 15 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree Racecourse, Aintree, Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom ...

and director of

Thirsk Racecourse Thirsk Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, England. The course is a left handed oval of about 1 mile 2 furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customar ...

, and the current Baron Grimthorpe, Teddy Beckett, has been chairman of

York Racecourse York Racecourse is a horse racing venue in York, North Yorkshire, England. It is the third biggest racecourse in Britain in terms of total prize money offered, and second behind Ascot Racecourse, Ascot in prize money offered per meeting. It att ...

and racing manager to Khalid Abdullah.

Winners since 1985

References

Racing Post ''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting publisher published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 60,629 ...

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External links

* Race Recordings (1994-2014
youtube.com
National Hunt races in Great Britain National Hunt chases Doncaster Racecourse

Winners since 1985

See also

References

External links