The arrival of autumn has prompted racing’s annual switch of codes, with the Flat turf season drawing to a close and soon to be replaced by the main jumps action.
The two distinct codes are different in so many ways but similar in others with plenty of cross‐over. So what are the differences between Flat and Jumps and what are the similarities?
The big British Flat races are run in the summer, with the main season running between May and October and the all‐weather tracks taking over during the winter months. The jumps runs all year round but the core action takes place from October to April.
Although both, obviously, involve racing horses against each other they have quite differing origins.
Flat racing was championed by royalty when organised meetings started to take place in the 17th century and the term ‘Sport of Kings’ is still used to this day.
Jump racing, often called National Hunt racing, originated in Ireland where riders raced their horses from church steeple to church steeple jumping whatever was in their way. We still refer to races over fences as steeplechases.
Flat races are run over shorter distances than jumps races putting the emphasis more on speed, with stamina coming to the fore in National Hunt contests.
Jump racing