Wincanton Races Today – Get Wincanton Tips from Somerset Track
As we approach a century of Wincanton races today on their present site, this West Country horse racing venue is worth exploring more. That is precisely what this page is all about.
We look back over 100 years of sport at the Somerset track, the configuration of the course and the key races taking place around it. Oh, and before we get, check out the latest Wincanton tips below:
History of Wincanton Racecourse
Before the opening of the Kingwell Farm race track in 1927, horse racing in this part of the world happened at Hatherleigh until the lease on the land expired. That meant over 12 months of no horse racing at Wincanton after 1925.
Records suggest the sport dated back to the middle of the Victorian Age. By 1893, the Wincanton Hunt Steeplechases was a recognised meeting over the Easter weekend.
Lord Stalbridge, a patron and benefactor revered and remembered to this day, proved influential in securing a new site for racing. Both World Wars impacted Wincanton Racecourse, so they joined The Jockey Club umbrella in 1966, becoming its second member track after Cheltenham races in Gloucestershire.
That followed the founding of the Badger Beers Chase in 1963, the feature race of all Wincanton races today. Within five years of becoming a Jockey Club Racecourse, the Kingwell Hurdle had its inaugural edition in 1971.
That too is one of the main events for Wincanton racing tips, alongside the Elite Hurdle that moved to the track in 1991. We’ll have more on these contests below.
Is Wincanton Races Today Jumps or Flat?
Although there a few National Hunt Flat races, the horse racing action from Wincanton is exclusively from the jumps code. It’s a right-handed fairly level and this sharp track of between a mile-and-a-quarter and a mile-and-a-half round for a complete circuit.
Hurdle races at Wincanton have five flights for the horses to jump a full lap. Three of these come in the back straight with two more after turning for home before the winning post. In two-and-a-half-mile hurdle races, there is an additional obstacle set on a spur that joins the round course down the back.
When it comes to steeplechases at Wincanton races today, there are nine fences in total. Of these, the first is a water jump down the side of the course after the line. After that, horses tackle four more fences in the back straight.
The second and last of those are open ditches that require bigger jumps. Following a cross fence approaching the home turn, there are three plain fences left before the finish. It’s a fair test of jumping, then, as the field in the Badger Beers Chase race passes the winning post three times.
Key Wincanton Racecourse Events & Fixtures
Punters should look out for Wincanton tips on 17 race meetings between October and April. i.e. during the core National Hunt season from autumn until spring. The track isn’t in use during the summer months with the likes of Salisbury and Taunton races other nearby courses.
Three fixtures in the annual calendar at Wincanton should be of particular interest. There are the aforementioned Badger Chase Raceday in November, Boxing Day races and Kingwell Hurdle Day in February.
Each contains plenty of Wincanton horse racing tips on quality action. That is because the card contains at least a Class 2 race or better.
On Boxing Day, for example, there is a Series Qualifier for the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival. Wincanton races today are known for two things: staying handicap chases and hurdles, and shorter distance hurdle races.
Badger Beers Chase Day, meanwhile, doesn’t contain just the feature handicap of the season at the track, but Grade 2 action in the Elite Hurdle and Rising Stars Novices’ Chase. The Kingwell Hurdle later in the campaign, meanwhile, stands alone from the rest of the card.
The Biggest Races We Provide Wincanton Tips For
While there aren’t any top-tier races for Wincanton betting tips, they come close. The track hosts two Grade 2 hurdle races, a novice chase of the same level, and a Premier Handicap over fences during the season.
These four are the best events at Wincanton races today and what’s on offer for the sport at any track for a radius that extends to Exeter down in Devon. Let’s take a look at this quartet of major races in more detail.
Badger Beer Handicap Chase
Formerly the Badger Ales Trophy and run over 2m 5f until 1990, this is a 3m 1f Premier Handicap Chase in November. It’s also the big betting race when it comes to tips for Wincanton today.
The Badger Beers is perhaps best known as the race that helped launch the career of Teeton Mill. Prior to winning it in 1998, trainer Venetia Williams campaigned him as a hunter chase.
Teeton Mill turned out to be a lot better than that, following-up on Wincanton victory with Hennessy Gold Cup success at Newbury and then King George VI Chase glory around Kempton races on Boxing Day. It’s an incredible story.
Local handler Paul Nicholls holds the record with 11 victories in the Badger Beer / Badger Ales. The most famous winner among those trained at Ditcheat was Frodon, another King George hero, who defied topweight of 12st when successful in 2022.
Being realistic, Wincanton tips today probably won’t feature equine superstars like these, but you never know what successful horses can go on to achieve. In 2024, first place had prize money of £47,550 that went to Sam Thomas veteran Al Dancer.
Rising Stars Novices’ Chase
Up next is one of the Grade 2s we have Wincanton race tips for. Transferred from Chepstow races in 2004, this novice chase at two-and-a-half miles is the chief supporting race over fences on the Badger Chase Raceday.
Prior to becoming one of the Wincanton races today, the Rising Stars had See More Business and Bindaree on its roll of honour. The former went on to Cheltenham Gold Cup glory, while the latter won the big one at Aintree.
Another subsequent Grand National winner, Comply Or Die, landed the inaugural edition at Wincanton. Silviniaco Conti and Frodon also delivered en route to greater things too.
Boombawn was the shock winner of the Rising Stars in 2024 when favourite Handstands fell. He profited from that, picking up first prize of £44,580.
Elite Hurdle
At different times in its history, this Grade 2 hurdle race over 1m 7f has either been a limited handicap or conditions race. It’s currently the latter and enjoys pride of place on the second Saturday in November card alongside the Badger Beer and Rising Stars.
Moving to Wincanton from Cheltenham in 1994, it is supposed to act as an early core jumps season race for the better quality hurdlers. Often attracting a small field, Sceau Royal has a record three wins in the Elite Hurdle.
Rubaud won the race in consecutive seasons in 2023 and 2024, scooping first prize of £41,600 on the latter occasion. He follows in the hoofprints of horses like Azertyuiop, Well Chief and Zarkandar.
Kingwell Hurdle
Lastly, the other Grade 2 hurdle race we have horse racing tips from Wincanton on. This one is in February and acts as the final trial or prep race for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham the following month.
Jeremy Scott mare Golden Ace went on to land both the Kingwell Hurdle and that championship in 2025 in dramatic fashion. High-profile falls by Constitution Hill and State Man, who had won the last two Champion Hurdles between them, gave the Wincanton winner glory.
This race enjoyed immediate credibility after its introduction in 1971, though, because of a golden age of hurdling greats. Bula and Lanzarote both won the Kingwell Hurdle three times. The roll of honour also includes Desert Orchid, Floyd, Kribensis and Alderbook.
Inglis Drever, Katchit and Binocular are other notable winners in modern times. Golden Ace picked up £41,600 in prize money for taking the Kingwell Hurdle en route to her place in Cheltenham Festival history.
FAQs
Is Wincanton races on today?
A visit to today’s racecards on Racing Tipster shows you which tracks have meetings on. Look through the list of fixtures from the UK and Ireland to see the latest card of Wincanton races today and tips for them.
Where is Wincanton Racecourse?
If you want to visit Wincanton for a day at the race, then enter postcode BA9 8BJ into your car’s satnav. The track is in the county of Somerset outside the town of the same name.
Why give free Wincanton tips?
We provide Wincanton races tips free of charge because AI systems do all the work. Data-driven algorithms fed with information like trainer and horse form, going and race distance produce the selections you’ll see higher up this page.
Where can I find tips and Wincanton races results today?
Racing Tipster doesn’t just provide tips, but a dedicated horse racing fast results service for free. This tells you what happened on the track. Check out the latest Wincanton races today and results from Somerset with our automatically updating racecard.
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