Chepstow Racing Today: Racecards, Results and Fixtures

Today

Tomorrow

This page has today's Chepstow race card, live racing results, upcoming fixtures and our general racing tips, plus an in-depth guide to one of the stiffest tracks in Britain.

Set in parkland above the Wye Valley in Monmouthshire, just over the Severn Bridge from England, the course stages flat racing in the summer and jump racing through the winter. It celebrates its centenary in 2026, and its biggest day is the Coral Welsh Grand National over the Christmas period.

Chepstow Racecards for Today

The Chepstow race card today lists every runner and rider along with recent form, the latest odds, and the trainer and jockey bookings.

It updates from final declarations right up to the off, so non-runners and going changes show as soon as they're announced. Chepstow race results are added as each race is settled, and tomorrow's Chepstow race card appears once declarations close.

Chepstow Racing Fixtures 2026

There are 29 fixtures in its 2026 centenary year. The jumps season starts with the three-day Welsh Racing Festival in October. Here are the remaining Chepstow race meetings for 2026:

Note that the Welsh Grand National has moved from its usual 27 December slot to Bank Holiday Monday, 28 December, in 2026. This is part of a new four-day Christmas racing programme.

Chepstow Racing Tips

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

• Stamina comes first: Chepstow is a left-handed, undulating circuit of nearly two miles with a five-furlong home straight. Even at shorter trips, horses need to see out a testing finish. Non-stayers often look like winners at the top of the straight before fading late.
• Respect the ground in winter: Chepstow can get very heavy from November to February, and races on soft ground often finish well strung out. Proven form on soft or heavy going is one of the most reliable guides at the winter meetings.
• Watch the downhill run-in over jumps: The first part of the straight runs downhill, and the 250-yard run-in after the last is steeply downhill as well. Horses can arrive at the final fences going too fast, so a fluent, accurate jumper has a real advantage.
• Five fences in the straight: There are 11 fences per circuit, five of them in the home straight. Races are often decided by jumping late on, so look for clean jumping in a horse's recent runs.
• Ask whether the jockey can wait: The straight is long enough to tempt riders into going too early. Jockeys who know the track and are patient often pick off tiring leaders in the last furlong.
• Follow the Chepstow specialists: Horses that have already won at Chepstow often return to score again, and the same is true of trainers and jockeys who know how to ride the track. Paul Nicholls, Dan Skelton and Philip Hobbs & Johnson White all have strong recent hurdle records here, while Harry Cobden and Sam Twiston-Davies are among the most successful riders.
• Check summer flat form on the straight mile: Races up to a mile on the flat are run on the straight course, which suits long-striding horses. Its undulations still catch out horses that pull hard or don't fully stay, so look for runners with a proven finishing effort.
• Check the going and weather on race day: Chepstow is close to the Severn Estuary, and the going can change quickly after heavy rain. Course inspections are common in mid-winter, so check the latest going update before you bet.

Chepstow Racecourse Guide

The Chepstow race track is one of the most distinctive in Britain. It's built on rolling parkland, and the undulations give it the feel of a test of stamina at every distance, from five-furlong sprints to the marathon Welsh Grand National.

The Jumps Course

Over jumps, Chepstow is a left-handed oval of just under two miles with 11 fences per circuit. The home straight is about five furlongs long and contains five fences, finishing with a 250-yard run-in. The early part of the straight is downhill, which helps front-runners keep up the gallop. The steep run down to the line can then cause late mistakes.

The time records at Chepstow are quick on good ground, but the course changes completely when the going turns soft. On heavy ground, horses with stamina limitations struggle, and the finishing order often looks more like a staying chase than a sprint.

The Flat Course

During the summer flat season, races up to a mile are run on the straight course, while longer races use the round course and join the five-furlong straight. Like the jumps track, the flat course rewards horses that settle and finish well. The changing gradients make it hard for free-going front-runners to last home.

Draw and Ground

Draw bias on the straight course can change from meeting to meeting, depending on where the ground is quickest and where the pace develops. In bigger fields, runners can split into two groups, so it's worth watching the early races on the card to see if one side has the advantage before you bet on later races.

Over jumps, the draw doesn't apply, so positioning comes down to tactics. On quicker ground, prominent runners make the most of the downhill run into the straight. On soft ground, that early speed counts for much less, and staying power becomes the deciding factor.

The going at Chepstow follows the seasons closely. The summer flat meetings usually race on good or good to firm ground, while the autumn festival starts the jumps season on good or good to soft. From November onwards, soft and heavy ground are common. Racing is sometimes abandoned if heavy rain or frost leaves the course unraceable.

The Coral Welsh Grand National

The Coral Welsh Grand National is the richest race in Wales and one of the toughest staying handicap chases of the British season. It's run over about 3 miles 6½ furlongs with 23 fences and has Premier Handicap status. Coral has sponsored the race since 1973, which is the longest-running sponsorship in jump racing.

The race was first run in 1895 at Ely Racecourse in Cardiff and later moved to Newport, before settling at Chepstow in 1949. It has been run over the festive period since 1979. Several winners have gone on to even bigger things. Corbiere, Bindaree and Silver Birch all won the Aintree Grand National as well, while Burrough Hill Lad, Synchronised and Native River all went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Recent renewals have produced some memorable stories. Val Dancer won the race in thick fog in 2024 for trainer Mel Rowley. In 2025, Haiti Couleurs, trained in Wales by Rebecca Curtis and ridden by Sean Bowen, added the Welsh National to his Irish Grand National win. The Grade 2 Finale Juvenile Hurdle, won in the past by Bristol De Mai and Defi Du Seuil, adds further quality to the card.

The Welsh Racing Festival and Other Big Races

The Dragonbet Welsh Racing Festival is a three-day meeting in October that marks the start of the jumps season at Chepstow. It has become a popular starting point for top-class horses, with the likes of Cue Card and Altior having run at the October meeting:

• Friday: The Welsh Champion Hurdle opens the festival, run alongside the Grade 2 Persian War Novices' Hurdle, which is one of the first significant novice hurdles of the season.
• Saturday: The Wasdell Group Silver Trophy is a competitive handicap hurdle over two and a half miles, first run in 1989, and the day also features live music before and after racing.
• Sunday: The final day has a seven-race jumps card with family entertainment. Three-day passes for the festival start from £35.

Away from the jumps, the summer evening meetings are some of the busiest of the year, often with live music after racing.

History

Chepstow Racecourse opened on 6 August 1926 on the grounds of Piercefield Park, after a group of South Wales businessmen and landowners formed a company to buy the estate. The early years were difficult, and the course nearly closed after its first meeting. Jump racing followed in March 1927.

In 1933, the champion jockey Gordon Richards rode 11 winners in a row at Chepstow across two days, before losing the final race of the meeting by a narrow margin. During the Second World War, the site was used as RAF Chepstow. When racing resumed, the course became the home of the Welsh Grand National after Cardiff and Newport closed.

Chepstow is now owned by Arena Racing Company (ARC) and celebrates its 100th year in 2026, with a Centenary Raceday held in August as the centrepiece of the celebrations.

Top Trainers and Jockeys at Chepstow

Over the last three seasons, Paul Nicholls has been the leading hurdles trainer at Chepstow with 10 winners, ahead of Philip Hobbs & Johnson White on nine. Dan Skelton has also had plenty of winners here. Over fences, Sam Thomas and David Pipe have the best recent records. On the flat, Grace Harris and David Evans have trained the most winners.

Among the jockeys, Harry Cobden is the leading hurdles rider over the same period with 12 winners, while Sam Twiston-Davies leads the way over fences. On the flat, Gina Mangan and Saffie Osborne have both been regular winners. Source: At The Races.

Visiting Chepstow Racecourse

Chepstow Racecourse is on St Lawrence Road, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 6EH, beside the A466 Chepstow to Monmouth road. By car, take the M48 and leave at Junction 2, then follow the brown racecourse signs. Chepstow railway station has direct trains from Cardiff, Newport, Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa and Birmingham. On race days, Newport Transport runs shuttle buses from Chepstow station (£1) and from Newport station.

Tickets are cheapest when bought online in advance, usually saving about £5 compared with paying on the gate. Under-18s go free with a paying adult at most fixtures. The dress code at Chepstow races is smart casual, so avoid sportswear and ripped jeans. Premier and hospitality areas have stricter rules. Outside food and drink aren't allowed, except at designated Family Days, and the bars and food outlets on site are cashless.

Live Music and Events at Chepstow

Chepstow is known for combining racing with live music. UB40 featuring Ali Campbell headlined the Rum & Reggae Caribbean Racenight in July 2026. Other popular race days include the Christmas Party Raceday in December and the Bank Holiday Family Raceday in the summer.

Watching Chepstow Racing Live

Chepstow races are shown live on Sky Sports Racing. The Coral Welsh Grand National is also shown on free-to-air ITV Racing as part of its Christmas coverage. Many bookmakers also offer free live streams of Chepstow races to customers who have placed a bet or have funds in their account.

Bookmakers for Chepstow Races

All the major bookmakers price up every race at Chepstow. Look for Best Odds Guaranteed, which pays the starting price if it's bigger than the odds you took.

Extra place offers are also worth looking out for on the Welsh Grand National, where big fields and long distances often produce some big-priced placed horses. Antepost markets for the Welsh National open weeks in advance, so comparing prices early can make a real difference.

Chepstow Racing FAQs

Is Chepstow racing on today?

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

Are Chepstow races cancelled or abandoned today?

Chepstow can lose meetings to waterlogging or frost in the winter. Any inspection or abandonment is shown on this page as soon as it's announced, and the racecourse automatically refunds tickets if a meeting is abandoned.

Where can I find today's racing results from Chepstow?

Chepstow racing results appear on this page as soon as each race is settled, along with the starting prices. Results from earlier meetings remain available afterwards.

When is the Welsh Grand National 2026?

The 2026 Coral Welsh Grand National is on Monday 28 December, a day later than its traditional 27 December date.

What is the dress code at Chepstow races?

Smart casual is recommended for most areas, so avoid sportswear and ripped jeans. Hospitality and premier areas have stricter dress codes.

Is there flat racing at Chepstow?

Yes. Chepstow stages flat racing in the summer, including races on its straight mile, and jump racing from October to April.

What are the biggest races at Chepstow?

The Coral Welsh Grand National is the biggest. Other highlights include the Persian War Novices' Hurdle, the Welsh Champion Hurdle and the Silver Trophy at the October festival, and the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at the Christmas meeting.

How do I get to Chepstow races by train?

Get the train to Chepstow station, then catch the raceday shuttle bus to the course for £1. There's also a direct shuttle from Newport station.

Can I watch Chepstow races live?

Yes, every Chepstow meeting is shown on Sky Sports Racing, and the Welsh Grand National is also shown on ITV Racing.

Chepstow Racetrack Weather