What is a handicap? A brief guide to horseracing jargon for Cheltenham Festival

Independent

11-03-2025

The Cheltenham Festival is a rare occasion when the world of horseracing breaks into the collective consciousness of the general public.
It starts with Champion Day on March 11 before Style Wednesday, St Patrick's Thursday, and Gold Cup Day bringing the event to a close on Friday 14.
Along with the Grand National in April, Cheltenham attracts the eyes of many people who would otherwise be disengaged by the regular horseracing meetings up and down the country. It is a festival that all can enjoy but the terminology can be a bit confusing for those who only tune in once or twice a year.
Below we break down everything we think you'll need to know to get the most out of the Cheltenham Festival this year:
What is a handicap race?
A handicap is a race where each horse is allocated a weight according to its ability and winning record. This aims to create a more level playing field.
The idea behind handicaps is that the weight a horse carries affects the speed at which it will gallop. Handicap weights are calculated on the official ratings published by the British Horse Racing Authority.
Horses that carry heavier weight tend to have more ability to win races. Horses with less ability will carry less weight which aims to give them a better chance of winning. The Grand National is the most famous handicap race in the world.
What is jump racing?
The first thing you should know is that the Cheltenham Festival is the culmination of the National Hunt jump racing season. Jump races are races that include obstacles for the horse and jockey to jump over.
These obstacles are known as hurdles or fences and the season usually takes place across autumn, winter and spring.
Jump races test stamina and jumping ability and horses that take part tend to be older than those who run flat races (races without jumps). The courses are a variety of distances from 2 to 4½ miles.
Within jump racing there are different designations of races and Cheltenham will showcase most, if not all, types of them.
What is a bumper race?
The first type is called a bumper, which is a flat race run under the rules of jump racing. It is for horses who have not previously run on the flat to get experience of racing. Despite being run on the flat (meaning no jumps), bumpers do not use starting stalls.
The Champion Bumper (Wednesday 12 at 5.20pm) at the Cheltenham Festival is the most prestigious bumper in jump racing.
What is a hurdle race?
The first 'big' race at the festival is the Champion Hurdle (Tuesday 11 at 4pm). A Hurdle race is where the horses jump over small obstacles called hurdles. These are a minimum of 3½ feet high and typically made of a series of flexible brush panels.
Hurdle races have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles but can be longer. The longer races are known as stayers' hurdles.
What is a steeplechase race?
The other main type of jump race is called a steeplechase, or more commonly just a chase. Cheltenham's Gold Cup (Friday 14 at 4pm) is a steeplechase event.
Chases are run over distances that range between 2 and 4½ miles with obstacles including plain fences, water jumps or open ditches. The fences are taller than hurdles being a minimum of 4½ feet high and are made of a mixture of birch and spruce.
Horses that run in steeplechases are called chasers and tend to be older having previously run in hurdle races to gain experience and learn how to jump.
The horses start behind tapes that stretch across the racecourse and when the tape drops the race begins.
What do trainers do?
Trainers of the horses you'll see at Cheltenham make the day-to-day decisions on how a horse is cared for. They plan its exercise schedule, what it eats, and how it is schooled (taught to race) in order to achieve peak physical condition for racedays.
They are also responsible for deciding which races a horse enters to give it the best chance of success. There is a Champion Trainer title for jump racing that is decided by the amount of prize money won at the end of each season.
What do jockeys do?
Jockeys are the riders of racehorses. On a daily basis they ride and school horses in the morning and compete in races in the afternoon and evenings.
Jump racing jockeys tend to be taller and weigh more than flat jockeys because they require strength and stamina for the longer races. The majority of jockeys are male but female jockeys compete equally with the likes of Rachael Blackmore and Bryony Frost excelling on the biggest stage.
What about betting?
Betting on horseracing is common and can make a day at the races even more exciting. The different types of bets you can make and what all the technical jargon means needs its own explainer which can be found here.
Always remember betting is not a way to make money and should only be considered as a form of entertainment. If you sign up to any betting sites for Cheltenham week, set budgets and remain in control, even if you're using free bets.