Horse Racing - National Hunt Courses - Cartmel

Cartmel hosts racing throughout the summer months with the majority of its meetings taking place over bank holiday weekends. The showpiece race of the season is the three mile and six furlong Grand Veterans’ Chase, which is staged on the second May Bank Holiday each year.

Situated in the south of the Lake District, Cartmel is unashamedly a holiday track and the relaxed atmosphere adds to its character. As a consequence the course remains extremely popular with racegoers regularly attracting crowds in excess of 10,000 spectators.

Characteristics

Left handed, very tight 1 mile course. Only six fences to a circuit places little emphasis on jumping, though they are fairly stiff for a minor course and result in a disproportionate number of unseats to falls, particularly over the last few fences which come in quick succession as the field are quickening. Run-in of half a mile from the last fence is longest in the country and, unsurprisingly, the lead changes hands from the last more than would normally be expected, be it due to idling or tiring after being sent for home too soon.

Left handed
Tight
Flat

Aintree (Mildmay)
Bangor
Fontwell
Newton Abbott
Stratford