The Grand National is the UK’s biggest horse race, held each April just an hour up the motorway in Aintree. For some horses, though, the journey starts much closer to Stone.
Less than 15 miles away is Uttoxeter, which is where the path to the Grand National starts for those looking to qualify for the big race.
The Staffordshire track is home to one of the premier summer jumps races, the Summer Cup. For trainers looking to get a new horse qualified to run in the National, this is traditionally where they’ll first get the chance to prove themselves. Race fans, meanwhile, love getting an early look at a field that could well include some energetic new Grand National outsiders.
The Summer Cup, run this year on the 28th June, is often overshadowed by flat season highlights, sitting in an awkward spot between Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood. It’s worth paying attention to, though, and this is why local horse racing aficionados should take notice.
Uttoxeter first stop on the route to Aintree
There are three main criteria that a horse has to meet in order to be entered into the Grand National. The first is simple, with each horse needing to be at least seven years old. The other two are trickier.
Every horse must have a British Horseracing Authority (BHA) handicap rating of at least 125, and also been a placed finisher in a recognised chase longer than two miles and seven and a half furlongs. This is where the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter comes in.
The race is contested over three miles and two furlongs, more than enough to meet the Grand National’s distance requirement. This means that any horse who finishes in the top four at the Summer Cup has successfully ticked that box. The race is also a Class 2 Handicap chase, meaning the winner will get a healthy rating boost by the BHA.
With so much on the line, the field for the Summer Cup is always highly competitive. This also makes it a favourite of punters, with the race always prominently listed across the top horse racing betting sites.
Although winning at Uttoxeter alone won’t be enough to get the necessary 125+ rating needed to enter the Grand National, it can certainly give a healthy boost. Come winter, there’ll be less work to do to earn the required rating.
This is where the other major summer jump race comes into play.
Other chances for horses to prove their worth
For anyone who enjoys the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter, the next major summer jumps race to keep an eye on comes from Market Rasen in mid-July. This is the Summer Plate, and is another important step for horses trying to qualify for the Grand National.
The Summer Plate can’t satisfy the distance criteria, as it’s only run over two miles and five and a half furlongs. However, a win can still give a horse a big ratings boost heading into the full winter handicap chase season.
Running a horse in the Summer Plate is also a huge test of its temperament. No matter how well a horse runs in its yard or at training, the sensory overload can sometimes be too much once it steps out onto the track.
Nothing will ever compare to the noise and crowds of Aintree on Grand National day. However, if a horse is unfazed by the atmosphere at Market Rasen, it’s generally considered able to handle the one found at Aintree.
It’s a long road to the Grand National. Even horses with good results at Uttoxeter and Market Rasen will need to pick up some more results once the full jump season begins. Still, running in the race is the dream of all owners, trainers and jockeys alike. And it starts just a few miles from Stone.
