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55-509: The Coral Welsh Grand National is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Chepstow , Wales , over a distance of about 3 miles and 6½ furlongs (3 miles 6 furlongs and 130 yards, or 6,154 metres), and during its running there are twenty-three fences to be jumped. It is a handicap race , and it is scheduled to take place each year on 27 December. The race

110-417: A boost to the value of the stallion that sired the gelding. Sometimes a stallion used for breeding is castrated later in life, possibly due to sterility , or because the offspring of the stallion are not up to expectations, or simply because the horse is not used much for breeding, due to shifting fashion in pedigree or phenotype . Castration may allow a stallion to live peacefully with other horses, allowing

165-495: A careful check is made for signs of haemorrhage . Assuming that bleeding is at a minimum, the other side is castrated in the same manner. Most veterinarians remove the testis held most "tightly" (or close to the body) by the cremaster muscle first, so as to minimize the risk of the horse withdrawing it to the point where it is inaccessible. The horse, now a gelding, is allowed to recover. Standing castration can be performed in more complicated cases. Some authorities have described

220-408: A different track each year. The 'National Hunt Meeting' established itself in the racing calendar, in turn moving around such courses as Sandown, New market, Derby, Liverpool, Hurst Park, Lincoln, Leicester and many others. In 1904 and 1905, Cheltenham hosted the meeting, and although Warwick was awarded it for five years after that, it then returned to Cheltenham which became the permanent home of

275-443: A less restricted and isolated life than was allowed for a stallion. Owners of male horses, both geldings and stallions, need to occasionally check the horse's sheath , the pocket of skin that protects the penis of the horse when it is not in use for urination (or, in the case of stallions, breeding). Geldings tend to accumulate smegma and other debris at a higher rate than stallions, probably because geldings rarely fully extrude

330-438: A male animal to be more calm, better-behaved, less sexually aggressive, and more responsive to training efforts. Additionally, it is known for making the animal quieter, gentler and generally more suitable as an everyday working animal , or even as a pet (in the case of companion animals). The gerund and participle "gelding" and the infinitive "to geld" refer to the castration procedure itself. The verb "to geld" comes from

385-920: A more social and comfortable existence. Under British National Hunt racing (i.e. Steeplechase ) rules, to minimize health and safety risks, nearly all participating horses are gelded. On the other hand, in other parts of Europe, geldings are excluded from many of the most prestigious flat races including the Classics and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (with an exception being the French classic Prix Royal-Oak , open to geldings since 1986). In North American Thoroughbred racing, geldings, if otherwise qualified by age, winnings, or experience, are allowed in races open to intact males. The same applies in Australia. Some cultures historically did not and still seldom geld male horses, most notably

440-619: A relatively high overall mortality rate. To minimize these concerns, the British Equine Veterinary Association guidelines recommend two veterinary surgeons should be present when an equine general anaesthesia is being performed. With both castration techniques, the wound should be kept clean and allowed to drain freely to reduce the risk of hematoma formation, or development of an abscess . The use of tetanus antitoxin and analgesics (painkillers) are necessary and antibiotics are also commonly administered. The horse

495-402: A stallion-like manner, some because of a cryptorchid testicle retained in the horse, some due to previously learned behavior, but some for no clear reason. Training to eliminate these behaviors is generally effective. Another risk is to the veterinarian, if a standing castration is performed, it is possible for the horse to injure the veterinarian during the procedure, and if complications arise,

550-404: A successful racehorse trainer, rode three successive Welsh National winners in 1959, 1960 and 1961. Originally run on Easter Tuesday, it was moved to February in 1969 with the aim of attracting better horses, albeit with the increased risk of bad weather forcing its cancellation. It has been sponsored by bookmakers Coral from 1973 and is now the longest running sponsorship in jump racing. The race

605-432: A technique for the removal of abdominally retained testes from cryptorchid animals, but most surgeons still advocate a recumbent technique, as described below. The primary drawback to standing castration is the risk that, even with sedation and restraint, the horse may object to the procedure and kick or otherwise injure the individual performing the operation. Putting a horse under general anaesthesia for castration

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660-497: A whole host of other important races have been added to the National Hunt racing season, although many of these are geared towards generating betting turnover in the form of competitive handicaps that attract large numbers of runners. Given the sport's origins, Irish-bred and trained horses remain a dominant force in national hunt racing today. In 2005 and 2006, Irish-trained horses captured the three main prizes at Cheltenham and won

715-406: A young horse was well over a year old, even two, this was a holdover from the days when castration was performed without anesthesia and was thus far more stressful on the animal. Modern veterinary techniques can now accomplish castration with relatively little stress and minimal discomfort, so long as appropriate analgesics are employed. A few horse owners delay gelding a horse on the grounds that

770-411: Is preferred by some veterinarians because "surgical exposure is improved and it carries less (overall) risk for surgeon and patient". For simple castration of normal animals, the advantages to recumbent castration are that the horse is prone, better asepsis (sterile environment) can be maintained, and better haemostasis (control of bleeding) is possible. In addition, there is significantly less risk of

825-591: Is run after the Gold Cup over the same distance and is often referred to as the amateur Gold Cup. "Point to Point" racing is steeplechase racing for amateurs. Gelding A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine , such as a pony , donkey or a mule . The term is also used with certain other animals and livestock , such as domesticated camels . By comparison, the equivalent term for castrated male cattle would be steer (or bullock ), and wether for sheep and goats . Castration allows

880-456: Is run over 4.3 miles (6.9 km). Notably, the 'Liverpool Grand Steeplechase' (to give its original name) was actually initiated in 1836, although the three earliest runnings have been overlooked in many historical chronicles. Organising steeplechasing in Britain, began with annual events being staged cross country over a number of fields, hedges and brooks, the earliest most notable of these being

935-561: Is said to have mentioned gelding as early as 350 BC. A male horse is often gelded to make him better-behaved and easier to control. Gelding can also remove lower-quality animals from the gene pool . To allow only the finest animals to breed on, while preserving adequate genetic diversity , only a small percentage of all male horses should remain stallions. Mainstream sources place the percentage of stallions that should be kept as breeding stock at about 10%, while an extreme view states that only 0.5% of all males should be bred. In wild herds,

990-653: Is the Grand National , run at Aintree in April each year. The race is a different sort of contest from the Gold Cup: it is a Grade 3 race, it is run over a distance of more than 4 miles (6.4 km), there are up to 40 runners, the course at Aintree is essentially flat, and the horses are handicapped (the best horses carry the most weight). Perhaps the most fundamental difference is that the Grand National fences are far bigger than

1045-499: The Arabs , who usually used mares for everyday work and for war. In these cultures, most stallions are still not used for breeding, only those of the best quality. When used as ordinary riding animals, they are kept only with or near other male horses in a "bachelor" setting, which tends to produce calmer, less stallion-like behavior . Sometimes religious reasons for these practices exist; for example, castration of both animals and humans

1100-562: The Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup . The race distance was extended from 3 miles 5 furlongs and 110 yards to its present distance in 2019, to allow a longer run to the first bend; this also meant that field now jumps 23 fences rather than the previous 22. Among the winners were Burrough Hill Lad in 1983, who went on to land the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup less than three months later. Trainer Jenny Pitman had

1155-516: The Old Norse gelda , from the adjective geldr ' barren ' . The noun "gelding" is from the Old Norse geldingr . The Scythians are thought to have been among the first to geld their horses, as they valued war horses that were quiet and less defensive, as well as easier to keep in groups and less likely to be territorial, without the temptation of reproductive/mating urges. Aristotle

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1210-793: The Scottish Grand National at Ayr Racecourse ; the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse ; the Welsh National at Chepstow Racecourse ; and the Irish National at Fairyhouse Racecourse . National Hunt racing originated in Ireland , particularly in the southern counties. Early races were mainly two-horse contests known as "pounding races" that became popular in the early 18th century. These involved long trips across country where horses were required to jump whatever obstacles

1265-449: The colt or stallion is sedated , typically with detomidine with or without butorphanol , and often physically restrained. Local anaesthetic is injected into the parenchyma of both testes . An incision is made through the scrotum and the testes are removed, then the spermatic cord is crushed, most commonly with either ligatures or emasculators , or both. The emasculators are applied for two to three minutes, then removed, and

1320-422: The testosterone gained from being allowed to reach sexual maturity will make him larger. However, recent studies have shown that this is not so: any apparent muscle mass gained solely from the presence of hormones will be lost over time after the horse is gelded, and in the meantime, the energy spent developing muscle mass may actually take away from the energy a young horse might otherwise put into skeletal growth;

1375-401: The 10% ratio is largely maintained naturally, as a single dominant stallion usually protects and breeds with a herd which is seldom larger than 10 or 12 mares, though he may permit a less dominant junior stallion to live at the fringes of the herd. There are more males than just herd stallions, so unattached male horses group together for protection in small all-male " bachelor herds ", where, in

1430-457: The 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup . The 2016 winner Native River , ridden by champion jockey Richard Johnson, went on to win the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup. National Hunt racing In the UK , national hunt racing is divided into two major distinct branches, hurdling and steeplechase , as well as flat races called " bumpers ". Hurdling involves horses jumping over hurdles , while steeplechase involves

1485-676: The Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup . All races run at Cheltenham finish with a long uphill run-in in front of the stands. The Gold Cup is a Grade 1 race, run over a distance of 3 miles 2 + 1 ⁄ 2  furlongs (5.3 km). All horses carry the same weight in the Gold Cup. On numerous occasions the hill at the finish has found out the brave. Famous winners of the Gold Cup include Dawn Run (mare, ridden by Jonjo O'Neill), Arkle , Golden Miller, Best Mate, Desert Orchid & Kauto Star . The highest profile National Hunt race

1540-534: The Grand National. Best Mate who captured the Cheltenham Gold Cup three successive times between 2002 and 2004, was Irish-bred, but trained and owned in England . In recent years, French-bred horses have also come to the forefront with horses such as Master Minded becoming the highest rated horse in Britain after winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Kauto Star who won the Gold Cup in 2007, 2009 and

1595-486: The National Hunt calendar are the Cheltenham Festival meeting and the Grand National meeting. The Cheltenham Festival is held at Cheltenham Racecourse over four days in the second week of March. On Friday, it features eleven grade one races, culminating in the Cheltenham Gold Cup , the most prestigious Chase race in the world. The Grand National meeting is held at Aintree over three days every April. Many of

1650-627: The St Albans Steeplechase (first run in 1830). For some years, there was no regulation of steeplechasing . The sport gained a reputation as being a bastard relation of flat-racing and consequently fell into decline. A breakthrough came in the 1860s with the formation of the National Hunt Committee, and the running of the National Hunt Steeplechase. This steeplechase would form part of an annual race-meeting staged at

1705-557: The absence of mares, they tend to behave much like geldings. Geldings are preferred over stallions for working purposes because they are calmer, easier to handle, and more tractable. Geldings are therefore a favorite for many equestrians . In some horse shows , due to the dangers inherent in handling stallions, which require experienced handlers, youth exhibitors are not permitted to show stallions in classes limited to just those riders. Geldings are often preferred over mares , because some mares become temperamental when in heat and

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1760-563: The best horses come to these festivals, which are watched by a huge television audience worldwide. Hundreds of millions of pounds are gambled on these festivals . Other important festivals are: the Galway Races – a hugely popular mixed (NH and flat) meeting in Ireland; Punchestown Festival – the Irish equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival; The Tingle Creek at Sandown Park Racecourse ;

1815-471: The fences at Cheltenham and a number of fences incorporate significant drops. The best known fence is Becher's Brook which is 5 ft (1.5 m) high, but has a 7 ft (2 m) drop on landing and is often regarded as the biggest challenge on the course. Winners of the Grand National include Red Rum (won 3 times:1973, 1974, 1977), runner up twice (1975, 1976)); Mr Frisk (1990, the last winner to date to be ridden by an amateur jockey and still holds

1870-505: The first 3 of a Grade 1 or 2 chase in the previous season from taking part. The two biggest Hunter Chases are the Aintree Fox Hunters' Chase and Cheltenham Foxhunter Chase . The Aintree Fox Hunters' is run as the feature race on the first day of the Grand National meeting over one circuit of the Grand National course. This gives amateur riders the chance to jump these famous fences before the professionals. The Cheltenham Foxhunter

1925-543: The fixture. Further prestigious races were added to the card during the 1920s, such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle. As steeplechasing entered its modern era, the Cheltenham Festival became the pinnacle of the season, providing a series of championship races at which virtually all top horses would be targeted. With the introduction of sponsorship (starting with the Whitbread Gold Cup in 1957),

1980-414: The ground or putting him completely "under". It has the benefit that general anaesthesia (GA) is not required. This method is advocated for simple procedures because the estimated mortality for GA in horses at a modern clinic is low, approximately one or two in 1000. Mortality in the field (where most horse castrations are performed) is probably higher, due to poorer facilities. For standing castration,

2035-422: The horse must be immediately anesthetized. Castration does not automatically change bad habits and poor manners. This must be accomplished by proper training. A horse may be gelded at any age; however, if an owner intends to geld a particular foal, it is now considered best to geld the horse prior to becoming a yearling, and definitely before he reaches sexual maturity. While it was once recommended to wait until

2090-519: The horses jumping over a variety of different obstacles that includes plain fences , water jump or an open ditch. Some of the biggest National Hunt events of the year in the UK are the Grand National and the Cheltenham Gold Cup . The National Hunt season primarily occurs during the winter months when softer ground conditions make jumping safer for horses. The horses are significantly cheaper compared to sport horses for other equestrian sports, reason being

2145-458: The landscape threw in their way. The first recorded race of this nature is traditionally said to have taken place between the towns of Buttevant and Doneraile in the north of County Cork in 1752. The distance of the race was 4.5 miles (7.2 km). The start and finish were marked by the church steeple in each town, hence the term " steeplechase ". Point-to-point races, amateur steeplechases normally run on farmland, remain hugely popular in

2200-654: The list of Grade 1-3 National Hunt races and the list of Group 1-3 Flat races . The capital of National Hunt racing in the UK is Cheltenham Racecourse , in the Cotswolds , which hosts the Cheltenham Festival in the third week of March each year, as well as other important fixtures during the NH calendar. There are numerous well-known trainers operating in the Cotswolds including Jonjo O'Neill , Richard Phillips, Tom George, Nigel Twiston-Davies, and latterly Kim Bailey. The highlight of

2255-628: The majority are geldings and have no breeding value. Jump Racing primarily takes place in France , Great Britain and Ireland , with some events also taking place in Australia , Canada and the United States . In Ireland, National Hunt racing receives much higher attendances than flat racing, while in Great Britain, it is more balanced, but the different seasons (there is little top-class flat racing in Britain from November to March) mean that most fans of

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2310-471: The mêlée occurred is now named "Foinavon Fence"). Other NH races of note include the King George VI Chase , run at Kempton Park on 26 December and the Hennessy Gold Cup run at Newbury at the end of November. Hunter chases take place at national hunt racecourses but are only open to horses that have hunter certificates. Hunter certificates are issued to horses that have hunted for at least four days in

2365-450: The net effect is that castration has no effect on rate of growth (although it may increase the amount of fat the horse carries). Many older stallions, no longer used at stud due to age or sterility, can benefit from being gelded. Modern veterinary techniques make gelding an even somewhat elderly stallion a fairly low-risk procedure, and the horse then has the benefit of being able to be turned out safely with other horses and allowed to live

2420-405: The penis, and thus dirt and smegma build up in the folds of skin. There are two major techniques commonly used in castrating a horse, one requiring only local anaesthesia and the other requiring general anaesthesia . Each technique has advantages and disadvantages. Standing castration is a technique where a horse is sedated and local anaesthesia is administered, without throwing the horse to

2475-645: The previous season saddled Corbière to win the Welsh and Aintree Nationals. In the late 80s and early 90s, the race was dominated by Somerset trainer Martin Pipe . Bonanza Boy achieved consecutive successes in 1988 and 1989, and in 1991 the giant Carvill's Hill became one of the easiest winners in the history of the race. More recent winners of both the Welsh and the Aintree Grand National are Bindaree and Silver Birch . The 2010 winner, Synchronised , went on to win

2530-405: The record for the fastest time); Aldaniti (1981, ridden by Bob Champion shortly after he had recovered from cancer. His story was made into a film); and Foinavon (1967, won at odds of 100/1 after a mêlée at the 23rd fence resulted in the majority of the field falling or refusing. Foinavon was far enough behind at that point to avoid the confusion and ran on to win by 20 lengths. The fence where

2585-479: The same region and in many parts of rural Ireland and Great Britain , today. The first use of the term steeplechase on an official racecard was in Ireland in the early 19th century. The 'official' first running of the Grand National , held annually at Aintree in England, took place in 1839 and was won by an Irish horse, Lottery . The "National", as it is known, was run over 4.5 miles (7.2 km), but since 2013

2640-586: The season before racing starts in January. In addition, the jockey must be an amateur who has obtained a certificate from the hunt secretary. Unlike point-to-points , licensed trainers as well as amateur trainers may have runners in Hunter Chases. This often causes controversy when big name trainers run former Grade 1 horses in Hunter Chases as amateur trainers feel they are unable to compete. New rules which took effect in 2009, will prevent horses which have finished in

2695-421: The sport can enjoy both forms of racing at their pleasure. National Hunt horses are often bred for jumping, while others are former flat horses but they do not have to be Thoroughbreds : many French-bred jumpers are Selle Français or AQPS . Many horses begin their racing careers in amateur point-to-pointing where they compete over steeplechase races of three miles (4.8 km). The two main highlights of

2750-575: The surgeon or assistants being kicked. In a more complex situation such as castration of cryptorchid animals, the inguinal canal is more easily accessed. There are several different techniques (such as "open", "closed", and "semi-closed") that may be employed, but the basic surgery is similar. However, general anaesthesia is not without risks, including post-anaesthetic myopathy (muscle damage) and neuropathy (nerve damage), respiratory dysfunction (V/Q mismatch), and cardiac depression. These complications occur with sufficient frequency that castration has

2805-416: The use of mares may be limited during the later months of pregnancy and while caring for a young foal . In horse racing , castrating a stallion may be considered worthwhile if the animal is easily distracted by other horses, difficult to handle, or otherwise not running to his full potential due to behavioral issues. While this means the horse loses any breeding value, a successful track career can often be

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2860-626: Was categorically forbidden in the Hebrew Bible and is prohibited in Jewish law . Although castrations generally have few complications, there are risks. Castration can have complications, such as swelling, hemorrhage or post-operative bleeding, infections , and eventration . It can take up to six weeks for residual testosterone to clear from the new gelding's system and he may continue to exhibit stallion-like behaviors in that period. For reasons not always clear, about 30% of all geldings may still display

2915-458: Was first run in 1895, and it originally took place at Ely Racecourse in Cardiff . It remained at this venue until the closure of the course in 1939. After World War II it was transferred to Newport Racecourse in 1948, and it was then moved to its present venue in 1949. Dick Francis , the famous jockey turned author, rode the first Chepstow winner of the race, Fighting Line. David Nicholson, later

2970-613: Was given Grade 3 status when the National Hunt Pattern was revised in 1989 and was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2022 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority . It was moved to late December in 1979, after that year's original fixture was abandoned due to snow. The meeting is now held the day after Boxing Day and since then the class of runners has improved further, making it an informative guide to future races such as

3025-486: Was second in 2008 is also French bred. Races are graded depending on their health and mental status. The most prestigious are Grade 1, then Grade 2, Grade 3, Listed, Handicaps, to Bumpers the least prestigious. The more highly graded races attract more prize money and better horses. (In flat racing the more prestigious races are Group 1, 2, and 3, then Listed). All National Hunt races are also classified in classes 1-7 (class 1 best). Graded and listed races are class 1. See

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