- The season opener begins in Carlisle on October 16.
- Watch the jumping season starting Saturday ITVX (Restricted in the UK)
- Traveling outside the UK? Wear NordVPN to unlock your ITVX account
The curtain on the National Hunt rises again this week as the showjumping season opener begins in Carlisle this Thursday. The season runs from mid-October to late April/early May with an annual narrative arc revolving around Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown; We are looking forward to this season starting.
Be sure to check out your favorite horses, as Jonbon, Constitution Hill, Galopin des Champs and Inothewayurthinkin return in 2025/26.
So how can you watch the National Hunt season on ITVX from anywhere in the world? Is ITVX available as an app?
Here’s our guide on how to watch the National Hunt free season.
How to watch the National Hunt for free on ITVX
ITV’s online streaming service, ITVX, will broadcast select jump racing throughout the season, including major jump racing festivals such as Cheltenham and the Grand National, as well as its live racing coverage on Saturdays.
The good thing about ITVX coverage is that you don’t even need an ITVX subscription To watch live racing, you just need a valid TV license and an email account and you’re good to go.
First time using ITVX? Can sign up for a free account or download the application on your mobile device.
Outside the UK for any races? you can use NordVPN to reliably unblock your ITVX broadcast of major racing festivals from anywhere in the world.
How to watch ITVX racing coverage from anywhere
ITVX will only broadcast live racing this season to UK residents.
Racing fans traveling or working outside the UK for this season’s National Chase will need a VPN to access ITVX coverage.
There are many great VPNs on the market, but NordVPN is who you can trust to unlock ITVX’s coverage of this season’s National Hunt.
It’s really easy to use a VPN to unblock your ITVX live racing stream this season.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we have said, NordVPN It’s our favorite.
2. Choose the location you want to connect to in the VPN app. For example, if you’re visiting Australia and want to watch your free ITVX stream, you’ll need to select “United Kingdom.”
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to ITVX, log in and watch all the races live this season.
What does ITVX coverage include?
ITV Racing’s broadcast covers both flat and jump racing (National Hunt). ITVX features live racing, highlights and a full program so viewers can watch live online or catch up.
ITV’s racing coverage includes the build-up to all its covered events, post-race analysis offering excellent insights, as well as feature segments and track reports which will be available most Saturdays and some weekdays for the big festivals.
ITV’s jump racing team includes a mix of journalists, former jockeys, racing experts and pundits. Ed Chamberlin leads the presentation team alongside Francesca Cumani, with Mick Fitzgerald, Alice Plunkett and Luke Harvey contributing to the analysis.
What devices is ITVX available on?
You can use ITVX on all of the following devices and platforms:
amazon fire (Tablets, Cube, Stick, Televisions)
android tv (please note: some models are not supported)
Android (Mobile and tablet) – Android 7.0 and higher
Apple TV (tvOS 14 or later)
Google TV (Chromecast with Google TV and NVIDIA Shield)
Freely
free satellite (please note: some models are not supported)
DTT playback (TV and set-top boxes) (please note: some models are not supported)
iOS (iPhone and iPad) – iOS 14 and above
LG Smart TVs (2016-2024)
NOW smart sticks and boxes (minimum firmware v11.5.0)
Playstation (PS4 and PS5)
roku (TVs with Stick and Roku OS, minimum firmware v11.5.0)
Samsung smart TVs (2017 and later: 2016 models only offer TV on demand)
Sky Q, Sky Glass and Sky Stream Disc
Virgin media (360, stream, TiVo)
TuSee (BT, Humax, Sony, TalkTalk)
xbox (One, X Series, S Series)
What to expect from Carlisle’s first game of the season?
It’s that time of year again when paddocks across the country come to life as the National Hunt begins on October 16 in Carlisle. The season opener is more than just a local meet, it is the official start of the jumping campaign where hopes are renewed, strategies are implemented and many new faces come to the fore.
For racing fans, Carlisle marks the beginning of all the drama that is yet to unfold across hurdles, steeplechases, National Hunt Flat, as well as beginner and handicap races. However, at this stage of the season, we rarely see big stars enter the fold, leaving the door open for rising stars to emerge on the big stage.
What to watch in Carlisle:
Olly Murphy He is a coach who likes to take advantage of the first meetings and with a strong team this year, things look exciting.
Donald McCain He is very dominant in the north of England and is usually well equipped for Carlisle racing.
Pablo Nicolls It seems likely that he will line up a runner or two on a revival mission, testing his young hunters on the big stage.
Harry Atkins is a rider to watch out for as he looks to gain invaluable experience in Cumbria this week.
National Hunting Meeting Calendar
Cheltenham November Meeting
📅 Friday the 14th – Sunday November 16, 2025
📍 Cheltenham Racecourse
⬩ The first major match of the season: includes the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
Coral Gold Cup Meeting (formerly Hennessy)
📅 Friday 28 – Saturday November 29, 2025
📍 Newbury
⬩ Coral Gold Cup (Saturday) is one of the main handicap competitions to stay at the beginning of the season.
Tingle Creek Festival
📅 Friday 5 – Saturday December 6, 2025
📍 Sandown Park
⬩Features the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase.
christmas festival
📅 Friday 26 – Saturday December 27, 2025
📍 Kempton Park
⬩ King George VI Chase (Boxing Day) is the highlight.
Wales Grand National Meeting
📅 Friday December 27, 2025
📍 Chepstow
⬩ Important handicap chase on heavy terrain.
Festival testing day
📅 Saturday January 24, 2026
📍 Cheltenham
⬩ Final preparation for many Cheltenham Festival hopefuls.
Dublin Racing Festival
📅 Saturday 1 – Sunday February 2, 2026
📍 leopardostown
⬩ Grade 1 across the board; strong indications from Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Festival
📅 Tuesday 10 – Friday March 13, 2026
📍 Cheltenham
⬩ The jewel in the crown: 4 days of Grade 1 action including Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup, etc.
Aintree Grand National Festival
📅 Thursday 9 – Saturday April 11, 2026
📍 aintree
⬩ 3-day meeting with multiple Grade 1s, ending with the Grand National.
Scottish National Grand Gathering
📅 Friday 17 – Saturday April 18, 2026
📍 Ayr
⬩ Scotland’s largest jumps race.
bet365 Jumps Final
📅 Saturday April 25, 2026
📍 Sandown Park
⬩ End of Season Reunion: Introduces Celebration Chase.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Access a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protect your online security and strengthen your online privacy when you are abroad. We do not support or tolerate illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Future Publishing does not endorse or approve the consumption of paid pirated content.
