Stratford Course Guide

Racing has taken place Stratford since 1769 and it hosts action over jumps throughout the summer months. Two of the highlights of Strafford’s calendar are the Stratford Foxhunters’ Champion Chase and the Stratford Summer Cup.

Run over three and a half miles during an evening meeting in May, the Stratford Foxhunters’ Champion Chase is, after the Cheltenham and Aintree Foxhunters, traditionally seen as the third jewel in the Hunter Chase crown and run towards the end of the Hunter Chase season, having been first staged in 1958. The Stratford Summer Cup ran over an extended two miles and one furlong, takes place in July.

Jumps Racing

Left handed, sharp; the high number of falls/unseats in recent years is due to the size of the fences and the fact that so many races are well run. A water jump was introduced near the winning post in March 2008, although this is not jumped on the final circuit. The hurdles track also has more than the normal number of well-run races, jockeys often opting to strike for home sooner than normal because of the relatively short straight.

Stratford is a speed track, so you need a horse that jumps quickly and accurately. The fences are not difficult in themselves, but they can catch one out, purely because of the pace element. They really do whiz round there and, because of that, you often see ex-Flat horses winning. That type, with plenty of racing experience, can be ideal, just as long as it jumps. It feels as if you’re turning for most of the hurdles track and, with that long, sweeping bend into the straight, it can be hard to make up ground.

View from the saddle: Mick Fitzgerald

Stratford Top Times
Last 5 years

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
2m 213y	Elios D'or (Good)	03 Jun 2023	3m 59.7s
2m 3f 98y	Geromino (Good)	03 Sep 2022	4m 32.49s
2m 4f 205y	Begin The Luck (Good)	03 Jun 2023	5m 4.8s
2m 6f 125y	Glynn (Good to Firm)	27 Aug 2024	5m 27.19s
3m 3f 119y	Tommie Beau (Good)	03 Jun 2023	6m 47.8s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
2m 70y	Jamacho (Good)	10 Jul 2022	3m 44.93s
2m 3f	Six And Out (Good-Good to Firm in places)	14 Jul 2024	4m 17.9s
2m 6f 7y	Bravewhenineedtobe (Good to Firm)	27 Aug 2024	5m 14.07s
3m 2f 83y	Porter In The Park (Good)	01 Jun 2024	6m 28.5s

Distance	Horse (Going)	Date	Winning time
2m 70y	Babs (Good)	06 Oct 2025	3m 40.21s

Stratford Top Trainers
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Dan Skelton	19	6	9	£33,986	31.58%	£8.78
G Hanmer	20	6	7	£44,350	30%	£13.13
W Greatrex	16	5	6	£20,728	31.25%	-£1.50
B Pauling	13	5	3	£23,368	38.46%	£10.23
Evan Williams	13	4	6	£16,424	30.77%	£16.50
A King	9	4	4	£21,098	44.44%	£2.63
P F Nicholls	9	4	3	£36,316	44.44%	£3.98
J J O'Shea	4	4	0	£19,944	100%	£5.81
M Keighley	8	3	3	£13,801	37.5%	£6.50
Francesca Poste	7	3	1	£8,521	42.86%	£8.75

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
O Murphy	40	11	12	£47,206	27.5%	-£4.95
Dan Skelton	52	9	21	£37,169	17.31%	-£33.54
F O'Brien	44	9	20	£44,559	20.45%	-£7.68
James Owen	31	8	13	£28,344	25.81%	-£4.98
Jamie Snowden	32	7	14	£38,545	21.88%	-£2.13
A King	19	7	7	£34,977	36.84%	£22.73
M F Harris	17	6	5	£27,515	35.29%	£12.58
D McCain Jnr	37	5	15	£24,105	13.51%	-£20.68
G Hanmer	30	5	11	£18,933	16.67%	£27.29
A Ralph	28	4	13	£15,896	14.29%	-£15.76

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Dan Skelton	7	3	1	£8,170	42.86%	-£2.06
Jamie Snowden	5	2	2	£4,629	40%	£11.00
M F Harris	5	2	1	£4,902	40%	£1.50
Mickey Bowen	2	2	0	£4,902	100%	£2.79
B Pauling	5	1	2	£2,451	20%	-£1.50
Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	5	1	2	£2,451	20%	-£1.50
D Killahena & G McPherson	4	1	2	£3,812	25%	£2.00
G Hanmer	4	1	2	£3,268	25%	-£1.00
A King	3	1	2	£2,451	33.33%	£7.00
A J Honeyball	2	1	1	£3,812	50%	£0.00

Stratford Top Jockeys
Last 3 years (ordered by number of winners)

Chase
Hurdle
National Hunt Flat

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Ben Jones	13	7	3	£39,888	53.85%	£10.83
S Bowen	30	6	18	£36,799	20%	-£4.88
James Bowen	15	5	9	£30,286	33.33%	£5.50
Mr Huw Edwards	7	5	2	£29,722	71.43%	£7.81
R T Dunne	18	4	9	£25,920	22.22%	£1.38
Tom Cannon	16	4	5	£21,098	25%	-£3.38
Harry Skelton	10	4	5	£26,338	40%	£0.28
Sam Twiston-Davies	17	3	9	£18,642	17.65%	-£10.55
Harry Reed	16	3	7	£14,375	18.75%	-£3.38
B S Hughes	15	3	7	£12,912	20%	-£1.00

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
S Bowen	57	16	19	£71,731	28.07%	-£10.80
G Sheehan	51	11	20	£56,436	21.57%	£14.75
Harry Skelton	37	10	15	£43,160	27.03%	-£14.01
Tom Cannon	17	6	5	£28,442	35.29%	£17.73
Sam Twiston-Davies	34	5	16	£20,023	14.71%	£27.23
Alex Chadwick	9	5	3	£16,435	55.56%	£7.77
Kielan Woods	35	4	12	£16,926	11.43%	-£14.97
H Cobden	19	4	10	£19,751	21.05%	-£5.42
Liam Harrison	18	4	9	£17,322	22.22%	-£9.12
Harry Reed	18	4	3	£17,666	22.22%	£49.50

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
S Bowen	7	3	2	£7,897	42.86%	£0.29
Bradley Harris	6	3	2	£7,353	50%	£10.50
Ben Sutton	3	3	0	£8,170	100%	£2.94
G Sheehan	8	2	4	£4,629	25%	£7.00
Kielan Woods	7	2	3	£6,535	28.57%	£19.50
Sam Twiston-Davies	5	2	1	£6,263	40%	£0.50
Thomas Bellamy	4	1	2	£2,451	25%	£6.00
B S Hughes	2	1	1	£2,451	50%	-£0.38
Nick Slatter	2	1	1	£3,812	50%	£4.00
Mr James King	3	1	0	£2,451	33.33%	£0.50