Blogs: Horse Racing

Sedgefield's Durham National is a marathon handicap chase on a tight, undulating circuit where jumping accuracy and reserves of stamina in deep midwinter ground both prove absolutely essential. Our trends guide covers the winning profile and the shortlist.

Pontefract's Silver Tankard is a Listed contest for two-year-olds over an extended mile, a stiff, undulating track that asks real questions of stamina late in the season. Our trends guide covers the profile, the draw and the shortlist.

Five furlongs downhill at Catterick produces one of the fastest sprints in the calendar, a headlong dash where the draw and a lightning break count above almost everything else. Our trends guide covers the profile, the draw and the shortlist.

Limerick's Munster National is a competitive staying handicap chase over an extended three miles, where genuine stamina and a workable mark tend to settle matters late on. Our trends guide covers the winning profile and the shortlist.

Randwick's TAB Everest is the world's richest turf sprint, a slot-based contest over 1200 metres that brings Australia's fastest horses together in a spectacular annual clash. Our trends guide covers the profile, the barrier draw and the shortlist.

Far Hills stages the Grand National Hurdle, the richest jumps race in America, run over an extended two and a half miles and regularly drawing raiders from Britain and Ireland. Our trends guide covers the winning profile and the shortlist.

Juvenile fillies meet over a mile at Group 1 level on Arc weekend, a Longchamp championship whose winners and placed horses frequently resurface the following spring in the French and English fillies' classics. Our trends guide covers the profile, the draw and the shortlist.

Two-year-old colts contest a Group 1 mile at Longchamp on Arc weekend, a race named after one of French racing's great owner-breeders and a reliable source of next season's leading classic contenders. Our trends guide covers the profile, the draw and the shortlist.

Fillies and mares contest a Group 1 over a mile and a quarter on Arc day, a race that draws high-class European and occasionally Japanese talent to Longchamp for one of the distaff division's richest autumn prizes. Our trends guide covers the profile, the draw and the shortlist.

A mile and a half at Longchamp settles Europe's middle-distance championship, where classic three-year-olds receive weight from their elders and the going, the draw and a clear run can matter as much as raw ability. Our trends guide covers the profile, the draw and the shortlist.