Newcastle is to shorten the Eider Chase, one of the longest and toughest staying handicaps in the British jumps calendar. From the 2027 running, the race will be cut from 4m1f to approximately 3m6f. The racecourse is treating it as a trial and will decide on the race’s long-term distance after next February.
What’s changing
- Current distance: 4m1f56y. The race was last run at this trip in February 2026.
- New distance: approximately 3m6f, from the 2027 renewal.
- Status: a trial. Newcastle will review how it goes after the 2027 race, taking feedback from trainers and other participants, before settling on a permanent distance.
Announcing the change on Tuesday, the course said the move is part of an ongoing review of the race and where it fits in the National Hunt programme. It said the Eider has a long history as one of the most demanding staying chases in the calendar, and that the shorter trip should keep the race’s character while potentially making it attractive to a wider pool of staying chasers.
Why the Eider got longer in the first place
The Eider was run over four miles for many years. In January 2020 Newcastle announced it was moving the start back, away from the bend, so horses and jockeys would get a better view of the first fence and more room to jump it. That took the trip up to 4m1f56y. The 2020 race was lost to a waterlogged course, so the longer distance was used for the first time in 2021.
At around 3m6f, the new trip will also be shorter than the four miles the race was run over before 2021.
What it could mean for the race
The Eider has always been a race for out-and-out stayers, and an extreme trip narrows the pool of horses whose connections want to take it on. The racecourse’s stated aim is to open the race up to more staying chasers. If it works, that could mean bigger and more competitive fields. The race has drawn big fields in the past, but this year’s renewal had just 10 runners, and seven of them finished.
A shorter trip may also change the type of horse that wins it. Classy handicappers who are effective at around 3m4f to 3m6f, but have stamina doubts beyond that, could now come into the reckoning. That would make the race less of a stamina-only test.
A proven Grand National trial
First run in 1952, the Eider has long been seen as a trial for the Grand National. Comply Or Die won both races in 2008. More recently, Kitty’s Light followed up his 2023 Eider win by taking the Scottish Grand National. With the National itself now run over around 4m2f, it will be interesting to see whether trainers still use a shorter Eider as a stepping stone to Aintree.
Recent Eider Chase winners
| Year | Winner | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Anglers Crag | Nicky Richards | Danny McMenamin |
| 2025 | Knockanore | Ryan Potter | Freddie Mitchell |
| 2024 | Anglers Crag | Brian Ellison | Henry Brooke |
| 2023 | Kitty’s Light | Christian Williams | Jack Tudor |
| 2022 | Win My Wings | Christian Williams | Ryan Mania |
| 2021 | Sam’s Adventure | Brian Ellison | Henry Brooke |
Anglers Crag is the only dual winner of the race at its current distance. He won it in 2024 for Brian Ellison and again in February 2026 for Nicky Richards, aged 11. Whether he’d be as effective over the shorter trip is one of the many questions the 2027 renewal will answer.
18+. Please gamble responsibly. BeGambleAware.org