Five big Welsh hopes for the National Hunt season
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The National Hunt season is under way after Chepstow's Welsh Racing Festival kicked off another exciting campaign.
Welsh racing continues to go from strength to strength, with leading jockeys, trainers and owners making their mark on the national stage.
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Two-time champion jockey Sean Bowen believes the quality within Wales is higher than ever, meaning plenty of attention will be on the country as the season unfolds.
Let there be rain
Chepstow and fellow Welsh racecourse Fos Llas have both moved racing this year because of dry weather [Getty Images]Prolonged dry weather has already caused significant disruption to the start of the programme.
The Welsh Racing Festival in Chepstow had to switch to an all-hurdle format, and further meetings at Kempton and Exeter were cancelled.
Chepstow's chase races were transferred to Worcester and Ffos Las after officials concluded that the course would not be safe for racing.
The three-day festival, which ran from October 9 to 11, retained its hurdle races, while Worcester and Ffos Las were converted into all-chase meetings.
Hereford's Wednesday fixture also changed to an all-hurdle card. The British Horseracing Authority confirmed the changes after concerns about ground conditions following a prolonged period of dry weather.
"The racecourses team have been working incredibly hard over the course of the summer, and into the autumn, to get both of Chepstow's jumps tracks ready for the meeting," said Ben Cook, racing director at Arena Racing Company.
"We were simply beaten by the weather as far as the chase course is concerned."
The dry spell has also forced the cancellation of further fixtures elsewhere in Britain.
The situation remains a significant concern for the sport as the 2026-27 jumps season gets under way.
The Bowen brothers
Sean Bowen is the current Champion Jockey and hoping to make it three titles in a row [Getty Images]Sean Bowen is determined to regain the British jump jockeys' championship lead after a strong start to the 2026-27 campaign from rival Harry Skelton.
The 28-year-old is chasing a third consecutive title after finishing the previous season with 241 winners, but faces an early challenge from Skelton, who has established a 27-winner advantage over the summer months.
Skelton has ridden 96 winners in the championship period, which runs until 24 April, compared with Bowen's 69.
"I'm not used to being second. Harry's had an incredible start, but I want to be champion jockey again," said Bowen.
Bowen's achievements were also recognised at the Welsh Horse Racing Awards as he was named National Hunt jockey of the year for a sixth time.
It was a family affair, with his parents, Peter and Karen, receiving the outstanding contribution award while his brother James received a special recognition honour.
James Bowen enjoyed one of the most memorable seasons of his career in 2025–26, finishing third in the British jump jockeys' championship, riding his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival and finishing with 105 winners.
Away from Sean's championship challenge, the Bowen family is preparing for another significant change, with his brother Mickey relocating his training operation from Pembrokeshire to Worcestershire.
He believes the move to the 96-acre site, which was marketed with a guide price of £2.2m, will provide better access to major racecourses.
Haiti Couleurs
Haiti Couleurs heads the Welsh-trained horses going into the new National Hunt season.
Rebecca Curtis' nine-year-old chaser carries an official rating of 163 after a remarkable campaign that included victory in the Welsh Grand National.
However, with a dry summer affecting ground conditions, Curtis has indicated that she will be patient.
"He definitely wants softer ground, so with the summer we've had we won't get him out straight away," Curtis said.
Haiti Couleurs' bid for Cheltenham Gold Cup glory ended in disappointment when he pulled up before the final fence after weakening in the closing stages.
The horse returned to action in the Grand National at Aintree and finished 14th of 34 runners under Sean Bowen.
Exciting horses to follow
Sam Thomas' horse Steel Ally was partnered to Ascot success with jockey Dylan Johnston [Getty Images]Bande Organisee is one of the most exciting young horses in Curtis's stable. The five-year-old has already shown plenty of promise since joining the Pembrokeshire-based trainer.
He won a Chepstow bumper impressively in February, travelling strongly before pulling clear to score by eight lengths.
The performance suggested he has ability, and his connections are now preparing him for a move into hurdling.
"He's absolutely class to jump. He'll go hurdling this year, but he's a three-mile chaser in the making," said Curtis.
"He's a big tank; he's always been one of my favourites.
"He's the most stunning horse you'll see. He gallops well, and he's the perfect racehorse, if ever you could pick one."
Curtis also has other promising horses to follow, including The Price of Peace and Doujadou.
Steel Ally has attracted plenty of attention, having established himself as an exciting prospect for Welsh trainer Sam Thomas.
The eight-year-old enjoyed a productive 2025-26 campaign, winning three of his four races.
A ten-length victory in the Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Warwick in February brought him firmly into the spotlight, but a fifth-place finish in the Arkle showed there is still progress to be made.
"Steel Ally has an unbelievable will to win, and we're very excited about him. The world is his oyster," said Thomas.
Queensbury Boy enjoyed a major breakthrough in July when landing the £75,000 Summer Plate Handicap Chase at Market Rasen for trainer Mickey Bowen.
Welsh Grand National
Sean Bowen aboard Haiti Couleurs won the 2025 Welsh Grand National by three lengths [Getty Images]The Welsh Grand National takes centre stage at Chepstow on 28 December as part of a revised Christmas racing schedule designed to deliver four consecutive days of racing coverage on terrestrial television.
The prestigious staying chase will move to a new date in the festive calendar, with the changes creating a sequence of major meetings between 26 and 29 December.
Run over approximately three miles and six furlongs at Chepstow, the Welsh Grand National is one of the most demanding contests in the National Hunt calendar.
Its roll of honour includes several horses who went on to achieve even greater success, including Cheltenham Gold Cup winners Burrough Hill Lad, Cool Ground, Master Oats, Synchronised and Native River.
Dream Alliance's victory in 2009 inspired the film Dream Horse, bringing the story of the Welsh-owned racehorse to Hollywood.