The ways to successful jump racing betting

Horse racing over hurdles has been happening for a long time. What exactly is it, and how do you make money betting on it? Discover the best approach to jump racing betting with a discussion of the pluses and minuses of placing wagers on this particular code of the sport, and what should influence your thinking. When does the jump racing season start? There are various types of jump racing events and hurdles you need to be familiar with. Learn where value bets on these horse races lie and how to take full advantage.

Best jump racing betting sites

The following shortlist contains the top 3 bookmakers to engage in hurdle betting. These bookies have competitive odds, a wide variety of horse races to choose from and offer horse racing promotions regularly. 

What is jump racing

Jumps events involve racehorses clearing obstacles. Hurdle races are a type of horse jumping race run under National Hunt Rules most popular in the British Isles. They are also held elsewhere in the world, including France and the USA. Traditionally they range in distance from about two miles up to about three miles. Horses must clear a set number of hurdles on their way around the racetrack. These obstacles may be fixed in place and need clearing depending on the type of jumps on the course.

What sort of hurdle racing events are there

You will find that a wide variety of hurdle races take place within this particular sphere of horse racing. These may be restricted by age, gender, rating, or status of the horses. It all depends on the type and terms of the event in question. Before betting, you should know the difference between each of the following hurdle races:

⏩ Juvenile hurdle – restricted to horses with juvenile status over jumps, i.e., three-year-olds in the summer, autumn, and early winter that become four-year-olds the following January for the rest of winter and spring.

⏩ Novices’ hurdle – restricted to horses that hold novice status over obstacles. Entrants may not have won a hurdle race before, but those who have only stay novices until a specific date, usually the end of the jumps season.

⏩ Mares’ hurdle – restricted to fillies and mares only. A filly becomes a mare aged five whether she has had foals or not. There are even more specific mares’ novices’ and juvenile fillies’ hurdle races in the program.

⏩ Handicap hurdle – may or may not have a rating cap, age, or gender as restrictions. The highest-rated horse entered carries top weight. Those with lower ratings carry less weight relative to the difference between their marks and the horse forming the handicap.

⏩ Weight for age hurdle – open to horses of all ages, genders, ratings, and statuses where their age determines how much weight their carry. Younger horses are allotted less weight than their elders.

What types of jumps are there in horse racing

As well as standard hurdles, there are also a limited number of fixed brush hurdle races. These obstacles are less pliant and, as their name suggests, set in place. The other primary type of horse jumps in this code of racing are steeplechase fences. These, too, are in specific locations on racecourses but are taller obstacles than a hurdle. There are also Cross Country tracks that contain obstacles found in nature such as banks, ditches, and hedges for horses to clear.

When is the jump racing season on

The horse racing jumps season is traditionally held from mid-autumn to mid-spring, from October to April. While there is a summer jump racing season, the best National Hunt racehorses rarely compete in May until September. This is because they take a break from training and racing in late spring. Later, they need strength and conditioning during late summer and early autumn to get back to full fitness.

Why should I engage in jump racing betting

One of the benefits of betting on races over hurdles is that it is easier for horses to recover from making mistakes. Hurdle panels can be knocked flat to the ground by horses because they are more pliant than other obstacles. The jumps program also has more hurdle races over distances that range from two miles up to two-and-a-half miles, compared to chases.

This means it is less about stamina, and the horses won’t get as tired, because the obstacles are smaller. It can be easy to identify the path that racehorses who win will take through the campaign. That is why you can place ante post bets for their next outing. You can also quickly determine the type of obstacles that a horse is better at clearing and make wiser betting decisions accordingly.

Are there any downsides to jump racing betting

In recent years, the elite hurdling divisions have been pretty weak. It is easier to spot and pick out talented horses to bet. While that might seem like an advantage at first, the drawback is that bookmakers rarely miss a big performance. They may cut the odds on hurdle horses for future jump racing betting targets. There will come a point where placing a bet on such horses no longer shows value.

Another obvious downside to betting on hurdle races is that horses fall, unseat their rider, or pull up. Unless you have fallers’ insurance and factoring this into any bet you place will see you take a shorter price, then you can lose your stake if your fancy doesn’t complete the event. As jumping obstacles are involved, there is greater scope for something to go wrong compared to betting on a Flat race.

What else should I consider when jump racing betting

If you think a racehorse has the potential to stay a new trip, it is trying for the first time, then check its pedigree. This will tell you what its sire and dam achieved when running on the Flat. You can see what its siblings have done on the track too. To be successful National Hunt sires, stallions need to win over at least a mile-and-a-quarter. Otherwise, they aren’t bringing sufficient stamina to the table for breeding purposes.

Finding out who the jump trainers in form are should help you when jump racing betting. With handicaps, some horses are carrying more or less weight than others. This can lead to them tiring quickly, especially if they are jumping steeplechase fences. Consider the number of days since a horse last run over jumps before betting on it. The races take more out of them than their Flat counterparts and, thus, they need longer to recover.

How can the course determine which horse in a jump race I bet on

Not every jumps racetrack is the same. Some courses have cross hurdles or fences on the turn, which can catch some novices out. It is a similar story with obstacles taken on the descent from a hill, which horses will naturally meet running with downward momentum. If you find that a horse has a certain history of being caught out by a hurdle or fence at a particular course, then avoid betting on them.

You may also find that some horses perform betting racing clockwise than anti-clockwise. If there is a tendency to hang or jump right on a left-handed track, then such a horse gives ground away to their rivals. What they say about horses for courses is true: if a horse jumps better a certain way round, then it only makes sense to bet on them when the track plays to their strengths. 

How does the distance of horse racing jumps events influence betting

As almost all jumps races are run between trips of two miles and four miles, the precise distance is essential. The further in terms of distance events are, then the more stamina required to win. Soft or heavy ground can make races into extreme tests. You need to find racehorses that stay to succeed in such circumstances. Younger jumps horses are less likely to last in long-distance hurdle races. Proven form at the distance is what you are looking for when betting. If there are any stamina doubts surrounding a horse, then it is best to avoid it.

How should I bet on hurdle races

If you are thinking of placing a bet on a horse hurdles race, then consider those entered from the jumps trainers in form. Look for fluent hurdlers that make few, if any, mistakes at their obstacles. To get better value, you may need to bet ante post and sit on your wager for a while. Going each-way with your bet is wise as you can still turn a profit even if the horse doesn’t win. Be wary of favorites, as statistics show the market leader only wins about a third of races.

How should I bet steeplechases

With steeplechases, you need to find a horse that has an aptitude for jumping fences. Their past hurdle form is not directly relevant but can be an indicator. Not all hurdlers make the transition to steeplechasers. Again, betting ante post and each-way see you get a better price on those tackling fences. Weighing that risk, especially when steeplechases possess the greater scope for your horse not to complete the race, lies at the heart of horse racing wagers.

Book Spy: Is there value in jump racing betting

Of course, value exists, but finding it isn’t always easy. Whether you are betting on hurdles or in chases, you want to put your money on a fluent jumper. With a hurdler, the best technique is a slick action that brushes through the top of the obstacles without slowing down. For steeplechases, you are looking for horses with prodigious leaps that don’t take chances at fences and meet them on the right stride.

While there are higher risks attached to betting on horse racing jumps events, it can be just as thrilling as the Flat. Regardless of the type of horse jumps involved, identifying course specialists, and getting your bets on ante post and playing them each-way is one way to ensure value remains when betting. Make sure you leave yourself in no doubts about the stamina of any racehorses that you back in this sphere.