POPULAR UNIBET MIDDLE DISTANCE VETERANS’ CHASE SERIES RETURNS FOR 2025/26

Article 15th October 2025 Market Rasen

NEWS: POPULAR UNIBET MIDDLE DISTANCE VETERANS’ CHASE SERIES RETURNS FOR 2025/26 WITH FIRST QUALIFIER AT WINCANTON ON SUNDAY 26TH OCTOBER

Tuesday 14th October

For the third year in succession, the Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase Series will return to Jockey Club Racecourses in the 2025/26 season. A unique partnership between Unibet, The Jockey Club and the BHA, the series provides excellent prize money and more opportunities for quality chasers aged 10 and over who might have found winning chances limited in other valuable races.

The series kicks off with the first qualifier at Wincanton on Sunday 26th October. In total, there are seven qualifiers staged over around two and a half miles which lead up to the £100,000 final at Haydock Park on Easter Saturday 2026 (Saturday 4th April).

In order to qualify for the final, a horse must run and finish in the top eight in at least one of the seven qualifying races.

The full list of races in the series is as follows:

Qualifier 1 – Wincanton, 26/10/2025
Qualifier 2 – Carlisle, 10/11/2025
Qualifier 3 – Cheltenham, 12/12/2025
Qualifier 4 – Sandown Park, 03/01/2026
Qualifier 5 – Market Rasen, 16/01/2026
Qualifier 6 – Warwick, 07/02/2026
Qualifier 7 – Market Rasen, 03/03/2026
£100,000 FINAL – Haydock Park, 04/04/2026

The Heather Main-trained Numitor was victorious in the 2024 final and went on to win a further two qualifiers in 2024/25 at Wincanton and Cheltenham.

The 2025 final went to The Flier Begley, trained by Gary Hanmer and successful in the Market Rasen qualifier on his way to victory at Haydock Park.

Ed Nicholson, Head of Racing at Unibet, said: “This is the third season of the pioneering Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase series, part of a multi-million pound five-year deal with The Jockey Club that further underlines Unibet’s commitment to British racing.

“The Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase Series runs from October to April, consisting of eight races across seven racecourses - from Wincanton in the South- West of the country to Carlisle in the North-West, culminating with a £100,000 final at Haydock in April.

“It is a wonderful opportunity for our much-loved older horses to have one more big day in the sun, while providing their owners with the chance to plunder meaningful prize money and simultaneously enabling racing fans to enjoy seeing some of the sport’s enduring stars for another season or two.”

Richard Norris, Group Racing Director at The Jockey Club, added: “The Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase Series has proved to be a valuable addition to the race programme over the past two seasons, and it is fantastic to see it return in 2025/26.

“Our thanks go to Unibet for its ongoing and generous sponsorship of the series, and we look forward to it getting underway at Wincanton later this month.”