The National Hunt season primarily occurs during the winter months when softer ground conditions make jumping safer for horses.
These involved long trips across country where horses were required to jump whatever obstacles the landscape threw in their way.
[6] The first recorded race of this nature is traditionally said to have taken place between the towns of Buttevant and Doneraile in the north of County Cork in 1752.
The 'official' first running of the Grand National, held annually at Aintree in England, took place in 1839 and was won by an Irish horse, Lottery.
Organizing steeple chasing in Britain, began with annual events being staged cross country over a number of fields, hedges and brooks, the earliest most notable of these being the St Albans Steeplechase (first run in 1830).
The 'National Hunt Meeting' established itself in the racing calendar, in turn moving around such courses as Sandown, New market, Derby, Liverpool, Hurst Park, Lincoln, Leicester and many others.
As steeple chasing entered its modern era, the Cheltenham Festival became a major part of the season, providing a series of championship races.
Best Mate who captured the Cheltenham Gold Cup three successive times between 2002 and 2004, was Irish-bred, but trained and owned in England.
Famous winners of the Gold Cup include Dawn Run (mare, ridden by Jonjo O'Neill), Arkle, Golden Miller, Best Mate, Desert Orchid & Kauto Star.
The race is a different sort of contest from the Gold Cup: it is a Grade 3 race, it is run over a distance of more than 4 miles (6.4 km), there are up to 40 runners, the course at Aintree is essentially flat, and the horses are handicapped (the best horses carry the most weight).
Winners of the Grand National include Red Rum (won 3 times:1973, 1974, 1977), runner up twice (1975, 1976)); Mr Frisk (1990, the last winner to date to be ridden by an amateur jockey and still holds the record for the fastest time); Aldaniti (1981, ridden by Bob Champion shortly after he had recovered from cancer.
His story was made into a film); and Foinavon (1967, won at odds of 100/1 after a mêlée at the 23rd fence resulted in the majority of the field falling or refusing.
Hunter certificates are issued to horses that have hunted for at least four days in the season before racing starts in January.
New rules which took effect in 2009, will prevent horses which have finished in the first 3 of a Grade 1 or 2 chase in the previous season from taking part.