Carlisle Racecourse is gearing up for the return of Jump racing next Thursday (October 22nd), with the possibility of a visit from one of the sport’s biggest names adding extra excitement to the opening fixture.
The team at the Durdar Road venue, which brought its Flat season to a close last month, has spent recent weeks preparing the track for the transition to Jump racing, with the first of its 15 meetings featuring a seven-race card.
And there could be a star attraction travelling to Cumbria for the day, with entries including Golden Ace, the 2025 Champion Hurdle winner, alongside a contender from France and horses from some of the biggest yards in the country.
Golden Ace made her name on the biggest stage of all when producing a memorable performance to win the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2025. Sent off at 25-1, the mare capitalised on dramatic late falls from pre-race favourites Constitution Hill and State Man to secure a remarkable nine-length victory under jockey Lorcan Williams for trainer Jeremy Scott.
The result was a landmark moment for the Somerset-based trainer and his team, with Golden Ace delivering the biggest success of their careers and establishing herself among the leading names in UK hurdling.
Speaking about coming to Carlisle, Jeremy Scott said: “It’s slightly ground dependent, but if they get enough rain and it’s on the easy side of good, then I am hoping we would go to Carlisle with Golden Ace.
“I have been very happy with her over the summer and she seems very happy at home, but we have not been able to get her up on the grass. So, we probably are not fully wound up, but I think we have done as much as we can and it’s either going up to Carlisle with her or going for a racecourse gallop. She has come on for her first run in the past couple of seasons.
“It looks a good race at Carlisle with decent prize money and deserves good support.”
Golden Ace is entered to run in the £50,000 Panoramic Hurdle at 4.12pm, a Listed race Carlisle has inherited for this year from sister racecourse Kempton Park.
The racecourse’s General Manager, Helen Willis, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming Jump racing back to Carlisle and getting the new season under way. There’s already plenty to look forward to on the opening card, and the possibility of seeing a Champion Hurdle winner like Golden Ace at Carlisle would be a real treat for racegoers.
“We’re excited to welcome everyone back to the course for what promises to be a fantastic day of racing, and hopefully the start of another memorable season here at Carlisle.”
For more information, including details on how to buy tickets, visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/carlisle
