Fontwell Racing Today: Racecards, Results and Fixtures

No races today.

This page has today's Fontwell race card, live Fontwell racing results, upcoming fixtures and our Fontwell racing tips, plus a full guide to Britain's only figure-of-eight jumps course.

Set at the foot of the South Downs between Chichester and Arundel in West Sussex, the course stages more than 20 National Hunt meetings a year. They run from the January opener to the traditional Boxing Day card, with a summer break between June and late August.

Fontwell Racecards for Today

The Fontwell race card today shows every runner and rider along with recent form, the latest odds and race times. It updates from final declarations right up to the off, so non-runners, going changes and any inspection news show as soon as they're announced. Fontwell race results are added as each race is settled, and tomorrow's Fontwell race card appears once declarations close.

Fontwell Park Racing Fixtures 2026

The track has 20 fixtures in 2026, and the winter jumps season is now underway. Here are the remaining Fontwell Park race meetings for 2026:

Fontwell Racing Tips

If you're looking for Fontwell racing tips for today, here are some general tips to keep in mind for the track:

• Look for course specialists: Fontwell's figure-of-eight chase course is unlike any other in Britain, and previous course winners often win here again. The layout can suit quirky horses that think their way round.
• Back slick jumpers in chases: The fences are fairly easy, so a fast, accurate novice chaser can build a big lead. On the chase course, the lead rarely changes hands on the run-in.
• Make sure they stay the stiff finish: Fontwell is sharp, but the finish is stiff, especially on heavy ground. Races often develop a long way out, so horses need stamina as well as speed.
• Go wide on soft ground over hurdles: On soft or heavy ground, horses that race wide on the hurdles course often find the better ground. Watch the early races to see which part of the track the riders are using.
• Watch for horses ducking out: The paddock exit is halfway up the hurdles run-in, and some horses idle or try to duck out when they see it, so quirky types can throw races away late.
• Back the favourite in non-handicap chases: Favourites have won around 56% of non-handicap chases at Fontwell and 47% of non-handicap hurdles, which is a very strong record in jump racing.
• Follow the Moores and Paul Nicholls: The Moore family dominate at Fontwell. Gary Moore is the course's leading trainer by a long way, and Jamie and Joshua Moore are among the leading jockeys. Paul Nicholls has a 34% strike rate here, and Anthony Honeyball has an impressive 30%.

Fontwell Race Course Guide

The Fontwell race course has two separate tracks. The chase course is laid out as a figure of eight, which means horses run left-handed and right-handed during the same race. It's the only figure-of-eight jumps course still in use in Britain. The hurdles course is a more conventional left-handed oval.

Both tracks are sharp, but they finish with a stiff, testing run to the line. The fences are among the easier ones in British racing, which suits horses that jump well at speed. On the hurdles course, the paddock exit halfway up the run-in can distract horses at the end of a race.

Position and Going

There are no starting stalls in jump racing, so the draw doesn't apply at Fontwell. Position matters, though. On the chase course, horses that get a good early lead are hard to catch, while on the hurdles course, it often pays to race wide when the ground is soft.

Fontwell races from autumn through to early summer, so the going ranges from good in the spring and early autumn to soft or heavy in midwinter. Heavy rain can lead to inspections and the occasional abandonment, so check the latest going update before racing.

Big Races at Fontwell

• National Spirit Hurdle (February): The National Spirit Hurdle is a Grade 2 race run over about two and a half miles. It's named after the dual Champion Hurdle winner National Spirit, who won five times at Fontwell, and it has been run since 1965. It's often a trial for the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham. Baracouda and My Way De Solzen both won it as well as the Stayers' (World) Hurdle, and Lough Derg won it in 2008 and 2009.
• Southern National (November): The Southern National is a handicap chase over about 3m 3½f and is one of the longest races of the autumn. It's the feature race of the Countryside Raceday in mid-November.
• Boxing Day Racing: Boxing Day is one of Fontwell's biggest crowds of the year and a festive tradition for many families in Sussex.

History

Alfred Day started training racehorses at The Hermitage in Fontwell in 1887, and the name Fontwell comes from a spring near his house. Racing was licensed in 1924, and the first meeting was held on 21 May that year. The opening race was won by Gem, and the original grandstand and weighing room had thatched roofs.

In October 1949, Monaveen gave Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, her first winner as an owner, in the Chichester Handicap Chase. In 1984, John Francome rode his 1,036th winner at Fontwell to break the National Hunt record. The course is now owned by Arena Racing Company, and a £6.5 million grandstand opened in 2010.

Top Trainers and Jockeys at Fontwell

Gary Moore is the most successful trainer at Fontwell, with 193 winners. Chris Gordon (112) and Neil Mulholland (102) are next. Paul Nicholls (34%) and Anthony Honeyball (30%) have the best strike rates among the leading trainers.

Jamie Moore is the leading jockey at Fontwell with 105 winners, just ahead of Tom Cannon on 102. Among current riders, Gavin Sheehan, Sam Twiston-Davies and Sean Bowen all have strong recent records at the course, and Bowen has a strike rate of 30%. Source: IrishRacing.com and At The Races.

Visiting Fontwell Park

Fontwell Park is at the A27/A29 roundabout between Chichester and Arundel in West Sussex. The postcode for the main car park is BN18 0SY, and it's reached from Fontwell Avenue. Parking in the main car park is free. Trackside parking on the Centre Course costs extra, with higher prices on big days such as Boxing Day.

The nearest station is Barnham, about two miles away, which has trains from London Victoria, Brighton, Portsmouth and Southampton. A shuttle bus runs from Barnham to the course on most race days, but not on Boxing Day. Gates open two hours before the first race. The Premier Grandstand and the topiary gardens make Fontwell one of the most attractive small tracks in the south, and there's a hotel on site for anyone staying over.

Watching Fontwell Racing Live

Every Fontwell meeting is shown live on Sky Sports Racing. Many bookmakers also offer free live streams of Fontwell races to customers who have a funded account or have placed a bet on the race.

Bookmakers for Fontwell Races

All the major bookmakers price up every Fontwell race. Look for Best Odds Guaranteed, which pays the starting price if it's bigger than the odds you took, and extra places on bigger handicaps such as the Southern National.

Fontwell Racing FAQs

Is Fontwell racing on today?

Check the fixtures table above. If there's racing at Fontwell today, the race card and race times appear at the top of this page.

Is Fontwell racing abandoned today?

Fontwell occasionally has to inspect or abandon meetings because of heavy rain or frost. Any inspection or abandonment is shown on this page and on the racecourse's social media as soon as it's announced.

Where is Fontwell races?

Fontwell Park is in West Sussex, at the A27/A29 roundabout between Chichester and Arundel. The nearest train station is Barnham, about two miles away.

Is there racing at Fontwell on Boxing Day?

Yes. Fontwell races every year on Boxing Day, and in 2026 the meeting is on Saturday 26 December. The Barnham shuttle bus doesn't run on Boxing Day, so plan your journey in advance.

Is there flat racing at Fontwell?

No. Fontwell stages National Hunt racing only, with hurdles, chases and bumpers.

What makes Fontwell's chase course different?

Fontwell has the only figure-of-eight jumps course still in use in Britain, so horses race both left-handed and right-handed during the same chase.

Is there a Ladies Day at Fontwell?

Yes. Fontwell holds a Ladies Evening in late summer, with live music after racing. In 2026, it was on 28 August.