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
G Hanmer	21	6	7	£44,350	28.57%	£12.13
B Pauling	13	6	3	£27,936	46.15%	£12.48
Dan Skelton	18	5	9	£29,418	27.78%	£3.28
W Greatrex	17	5	7	£20,728	29.41%	-£2.50
Evan Williams	13	4	6	£16,424	30.77%	£17.50
P F Nicholls	9	4	3	£36,316	44.44%	£3.98
A King	8	3	4	£16,530	37.5%	£1.25
Miss E C Lavelle	8	3	3	£22,329	37.5%	£5.20
M Keighley	8	3	3	£13,801	37.5%	£6.50
Francesca Poste	6	3	1	£8,521	50%	£9.75

Trainer	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
O Murphy	41	11	11	£47,478	26.83%	-£6.45
Dan Skelton	56	10	21	£42,793	17.86%	-£34.04
F O'Brien	43	9	20	£44,559	20.93%	-£5.68
James Owen	32	8	14	£28,344	25%	-£5.98
Jamie Snowden	33	7	15	£38,545	21.21%	-£3.13
A King	18	7	7	£34,977	38.89%	£23.73
Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	22	6	10	£24,090	27.27%	-£0.82
M F Harris	16	6	4	£27,515	37.5%	£14.58
D McCain Jnr	35	5	14	£24,105	14.29%	-£18.68
G Hanmer	31	5	11	£18,933	16.13%	£28.29

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
A J Honeyball	3	2	1	£7,216	66.67%	£11.00
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
M F Harris	3	1	1	£2,451	33.33%	-£1.00

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	14	8	3	£44,456	57.14%	£12.08
S Bowen	30	6	18	£36,799	20%	-£3.88
James Bowen	17	6	10	£35,065	35.29%	£10.00
R T Dunne	18	4	9	£25,920	22.22%	£1.38
Harry Skelton	10	4	5	£26,338	40%	£0.28
Mr Huw Edwards	6	4	2	£27,361	66.67%	£6.71
Sam Twiston-Davies	19	3	10	£18,642	15.79%	-£12.55
Harry Reed	16	3	7	£14,375	18.75%	-£3.38
B S Hughes	15	3	7	£12,912	20%	-£1.00
Adam Wedge	18	3	6	£11,856	16.67%	-£5.50

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
S Bowen	58	16	19	£71,731	27.59%	-£11.80
G Sheehan	53	11	22	£56,436	20.75%	£12.75
Harry Skelton	37	11	14	£48,784	29.73%	-£10.51
Sam Twiston-Davies	38	7	18	£26,519	18.42%	£29.56
Tom Cannon	16	6	5	£28,442	37.5%	£18.73
Kielan Woods	36	5	12	£20,966	13.89%	-£12.22
H Cobden	21	5	10	£25,197	23.81%	-£6.25
Alex Chadwick	9	5	3	£16,435	55.56%	£7.77
Liam Harrison	19	4	9	£17,322	21.05%	-£10.12
Harry Reed	20	4	4	£17,666	20%	£47.50

Jockey	Runners	Wins	Places	Prize Money	Strike-Rate	P/L
Sam Twiston-Davies	6	3	1	£9,667	50%	£11.50
Ben Sutton	3	3	0	£8,170	100%	£2.94
G Sheehan	8	2	4	£4,629	25%	£7.00
S Bowen	7	2	3	£5,719	28.57%	-£4.71
Kielan Woods	6	2	3	£6,535	33.33%	£20.50
Bradley Harris	4	2	2	£4,902	50%	£8.00
Thomas Bellamy	3	1	2	£2,451	33.33%	£7.00
Nick Slatter	2	1	1	£3,812	50%	£4.00
B S Hughes	2	1	1	£2,451	50%	-£0.38
Mr James King	3	1	0	£2,451	33.33%	£0.50