Grade 2 Horse Races (National Hunt) - Full List

Gold Number 2 with Laurel Wreath As their label would suggest, Grade 1 races are the cream of the crop when it comes to British National Hunt racing. Not far below them though – when it comes to both quality of performer and prestige – are the Grade 2 events. Together with Grade 1s, Grade 3s and Listed races, Grade 2s make up the category of Class 1 contests. No need to be confused about your Classes and your Grades. Class refers to the broader category, whereas the Grade represents a smaller section within that category.

There are currently 71 Grade 2 events on the British racing calendar, 35 over hurdles, 33 over fences and three National Hunt flat races or “Bumpers” (see table below for the full list). Here we take a closer look at the make-up and purpose of these Grade 2 events, and pick out some of the very best races which fall into the category.

Race	Racecourse	Distance	Age
October
Persian War Novices’ Hurdle	Chepstow	2m 3½f	4yo +
Old Roan Chase	Aintree	2m 4f	4yo +
West Yorkshire Hurdle	Wetherby	3m 1f	4yo +
Charlie Hall Chase	Wetherby	3m 1f	5yo +
Haldon Gold Cup	Exeter	2m 1½f	4yo +
November
Rising Stars Novices’ Chase	Wincanton	2m 5f	4yo +
Elite Hurdle	Wincanton	2m	4yo +
Hyde Novices’ Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m 5f	4yo +
Prestbury Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m ½f	3yo
November Novices’ Chase	Cheltenham	2m	4yo +
Shloer Chase	Cheltenham	2m	5yo +
Sharp Novices’ Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m ½f	4yo +
1965 Chase	Ascot	2m 5f	4yo +
Ascot Hurdle	Ascot	2m 3½f	4yo +
Berkshire Novices’ Chase	Newbury	2m 4f	4yo +
Long Distance Hurdle	Newbury	3m	4yo +
December
John Francome Novices’ Chase	Newbury	3m	4yo +
Winter Novices’ Hurdle	Sandown	2m 4f	4yo +
Many Clouds Chase	Aintree	3m 1f	4yo +
Peterborough Chase	Huntingdon	2m 4½f	4yo +
Bristol Novices’ Hurdle	Cheltenham	3m	4yo +
December Novices’ Chase	Doncaster	3m	4yo +
Summit Juvenile Hurdle	Doncaster	2m ½f	3yo
International Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m 1f	4yo +
Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle	Ascot	2m	4yo +
Noel Novices’ Chase	Ascot	2m 5f	4yo +
Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase	Kempton	2m	4yo +
Desert Orchid Chase	Kempton	2m	4yo +
January
Dipper Novices’ Chase	Cheltenham	2m 5f	5yo +
Relkeel Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m 4½f	4yo +
Hampton Novices’ Chase	Warwick	3m	5yo +
Leamington Novices’ Hurdle	Warwick	2m 5f	4yo +
Silviniaco Conti Chase	Kempton	2m 4½f	5yo +
Warfield Mares’ Hurdle	Ascot	3m	4yo + m
Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle	Haydock	2m ½f	4yo +
Altcar Novices’ Chase	Haydock	2m 4f	5yo +
Champion Hurdle Trial	Haydock	2m ½f	4yo +
Peter Marsh Chase	Haydock	3m	5yo +
Finesse Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m 1f	4yo
Cotswold Chase	Cheltenham	3m 1½f	5yo +
Classic Novices’ Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m 4½f	4yo +
Cleeve Hurdle	Cheltenham	3m	5yo +
River Don Novices’ Hurdle	Doncaster	3m ½f	4yo +
Lightning Novices’ Chase	Doncaster	2m ½f	5yo +
Doncaster Mares’ Hurdle	Doncaster	2m ½f	4yo + m
Towton Novices’ Chase	Wetherby	3m 1f	5yo +
February
Kingmaker Novices’ Chase	Warwick	2m	5yo +
Denman Chase	Newbury	3m	5yo +
Game Spirit Chase	Newbury	2m 1f	5yo +
Winter Bumper	Newbury	2m ½f	4–6yo
Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle	Sandown	2m 4f	4yo + m
Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase	Ascot	3m	5yo +
Rendlesham Hurdle	Haydock	3m 1f	4yo +
Prestige Novices’ Hurdle	Haydock	3m 1f	4yo +
Kingwell Hurdle	Wincanton	2m	4yo +
Adonis Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle	Kempton	2m	4yo
Pendil Novices’ Chase	Kempton	2m 4½f	5yo +
Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle	Kempton	2m	4yo+
National Spirit Hurdle	Fontwell	2m 3f	4yo +
Premier Kelso Hurdle	Kelso	2m 2f	4yo +
March
National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup	Cheltenham	4m	5yo +
Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle	Cheltenham	2m 1f	4yo + m
Liberthine Mares’ Chase	Cheltenham	2m 4f	4yo + m
Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle Finale	Newbury	2m 4½f	4yo + m
April
Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat Race	Aintree	2m 1f	4–6yo m
Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race	Aintree	2m 1f	4–6yo
Silver Trophy Chase	Cheltenham	2m 5f	5yo +
Future Champion Novices’ Chase	Ayr	2m 4f	5yo +
Scottish Champion Hurdle	Ayr	2m	4yo +
Oaksey Chase	Sandown	2m 7f	5yo +
Bet365 Select Hurdle	Sandown	2m 5½f	4yo +

Providing Structure to the Season

Fakenham Handicap Chase — Photo © Richard Humphrey (cc-by-sa/2.0)

From October’s Persian War at Chepstow all the way through to the Select Hurdle at Aintree in April, the fixture list provides a consistent stream of Grade 2 racing contests. The steady drip of these events is certainly no accident, with the British Horseracing Authority having put a lot of time and thought into achieving this result, and therefore providing a recognisable structure to the season.

The overriding aim of this structure – which is known in the racing world as the Pattern – is to provide high quality races over the full range of distances, be it over hurdles or in chase contests, in order to give the owners and trainers of the top talent a route through the season.

The Grade 2 races are really stepping stones along this route, with the ultimate destination being the major Grade 1s, which congregate towards the middle and end of the season. The Shloer Chase and Desert Orchid Chase, for example – both run over 2m – will invariably attract contenders whose major objective is the Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase over the same distance at the Cheltenham Festival.

Grade 2 Conditions

In common with Grade 1 races, the vast majority of Grade 2 contests are weight for age affairs. What that means is that the weight carried by the runners will be determined by the age and sex of the horse rather than said runner’s official handicap rating. Mares will generally carry 7lbs less than male horses, and those runners aged six and older will have to concede weight to their younger rivals.

The handicap contests which do fall under the Grade 2 banner tend to be Limited Handicaps. The weights carried in these events will be determined by official ratings, but restrictions will apply as to the quality of performer eligible to enter, for example some races will only be open to horses rated 140 or above, or limited to runners rated between 140 and 155.

Where Grade 2s do differ markedly from Grade 1s though is that there will usually be penalties in place for previous wins. The exact terms of these penalties will be listed in the conditions of the race, but in general, the higher the class of race previously won, the higher the weight penalty imposed. A recent Grade 1 winner stepping down into a Grade 2 for example can expect to be saddled with an additional burden.

Three of the Best

Horse Passing Kempton Winning Post — Ben, flickr

There are certainly plenty to choose from when it comes to British Grade 2 races, and each of the 69 on offer do have their individual merits. That said, the following three are our personal pick of the bunch.

National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup

As the only Grade 2 race run at the Cheltenham Festival, it’s hard to leave this cracking chase contest off the list. Being the only Grade 2 isn’t the only thing which makes this one stand out at the March meeting – it is also the longest race of the four days. Held over a gruelling four miles, only the toughest will prevail coming up the hill at the end of this marathon. The scene of many a thrilling finish over the years, the race counts 2018 Grand National hero Tiger Roll on its roll of honour.

Desert Orchid Chase

The festive period is certainly a good time to be a racing fan, with the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day being the obvious highlight. Held at the same track just one day later though is one of the very best contests for the speedy chasers of the season. Only brought into being in 2006, the race has already been won by six past or subsequent Champion Chasers including the brilliant Altior, and the incomparable Sprinter Sacre, who came home in front in 2015.

International Hurdle

It’s certainly not all about the chasers when it comes to the stand out Grade 2 events of the season though. A little earlier in December each year, the home of the National Hunt game lays on a real treat for fans of the slickest hurdlers in the game as Cheltenham plays host to the International Hurdle.

Held over a trip of 2m1f this race has paved the way to future Champion Hurdle glory on a number of occasions over the years, with the likes of Bula, Sea Pigeon and the tenacious grey Rooster Booster all backing up a win in this with success in the biggest hurdle of them all.