In horse racing what is a bumper race?

Question

In horse racing what is a bumper race?

Answer 1

Bumper races are restricted to National Hunt Bred horses and is designed to give them racecourse experience and test their mettle before graduating to the jumping game, mainly steeplechasing.

This is as opposed to thoroughbred flat horses that if not cutting the cake in that sphere go into National Hunt racing mainly via the novice hurdling route.

A top class bumper horse will usually make a top class steeplechaser.

Answer 2

National Hunt Flat races, informally known as Bumper races, are flat races run under National Hunt racing rules in Britain and Ireland. ...

Answer 3

A "bumper" is a flat race run under National Hunt rules.  They are used to allow horses that are destined for a career over hurdles and fences to get used to running over a greater distance than they are able to at home.

Horses that have fun in ordinary flat races are not allowed to take part in bumpers as they have an unfair advantage having had racecourse experience in the past.

There is no limit as to how many times a horse can run in bumpers, but most will run a few times before progressing to hurdles races.

Recently a series of bumpers for 3 year olds has been introduced.  Following research it was suggested that running horses on the flat at a younger age helps their bones develop better than in horses that start their careers later in life.

The two most famous bumpers would be the Cheltenham Champion Bumper, run during teh Cheltenham Festival and the Aintree Bumper run during the Grand National meeting.

Answer 4

Horses run in bumpers and then progress to novice hurdling or not as the case may be