2026 Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Launch
- Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship to begin Friday 22nd May
- 10% increase in prize money for Champion participant accolades
- Double points races added to enhance excitement
- Sun Racing members to receive exclusive offers to attend
The Racecourse Association (RCA) is delighted to announce Sun Racing as the headline media partner for the 2026 Summer Jumps Championship, and can confirm that the Championship will be named the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship as it begins on Friday 22d May at Worcester Racecourse.
Now in its second year, the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship is the recognised narrative for jump racing across British racecourses during the summer months. The Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship bookends the summer jump racing season (starting at Worcester on Friday 22nd May and culminating at Newton Abbot on Friday 18th September), with all 84 summer jump fixtures hosted by the 16 RCA member racecourses in the period included.
Further excitement is added with four individual ‘Champion’ accolades for leading participants: Jockey, Trainer, Small Trainer and Owner. Prize money for the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Champion accolades is in addition to the existing prize money allocated to the participating fixtures. In 2026, the RCA is pleased to confirm that prize money for the four individual Champion accolades has increased by 10% to £33,000 thanks to the enhanced contributions made by participating racecourses.
As part of feedback received in 2025, the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship will include a series of double points races to further increase the excitement. The designated races cover all grades from Premier Handicap to Class 5, and at a geographic range of racecourses, to allow for as many participants as possible to enter and reap the rewards.
Sun Racing members will receive exclusive offers as part of the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship, including access to complimentary tickets at every fixture. Throughout the duration of the Championship, Sun Racing will offer readers a wide range of additional coverage, including the latest standings, interviews with leading participants plus the build-up to the climax of the Championship at Newton Abbot on Friday 18th September.
Kevin Walsh, Racing Director at the RCA, said: “I am pleased to confirm details of the 2026 Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship, and welcome Sun Racing as our headline media partner. Summer jumps racing is an integral part of British horseracing, and of vital importance to racecourses, racegoers and participants alike.
“We were delighted by how well the inaugural Championship last year was received and the task now is to build on that moving forward. We have achieved a 10% increase to the individual prize values on offer and allocated a series of double points races to add further excitement. With a partner like Sun Racing, a passionate supporter of British horseracing, I am hopeful that we can showcase the excitement of summer jumps racing to a broad audience, and look forward to welcoming racegoers in their thousands to fixtures across the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship.”
Callum Jamieson, Racing Editor at The Sun, said: "We’re chuffed to be backing the Summer Jumps Championship here at the Sun - the home of racing.
"We do all we can to champion the sport with our extensive coverage in our daily Favourite pullouts and across other platforms so it was a no-brainer to team up with the RCA’s great initiative.
"We’ll be keeping our loyal and passionate band of readers up to date with all the latest Championship news and shedding light on the jockeys and trainers vying for the all important prizes at all levels of the great game. And for good measure, our Sun Club members will have access to plenty of free tickets throughout the Championship at tracks up and down the country."
To read the detailed launch guide for the Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship, including details on participating fixtures, scoring mechanics and leading participants, please click here.