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In the spring of 2008, a new phenomenon swept the British Isles — Denmania. Not a new super virus, but a rapidly growing anticipation of a match between Jump racing’s newest superstar, the West Country trained Denman, and his stablemate, the reigning totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Kauto Star.

Denmania rose to fever pitch as the Festival approached, even to the extent that the race sponsor’s battle bus toured the country promoting the match. Rarely does racing hit the headlines in such a partisan way.

The story of last season’s Festival only added to the extraordinary nature of the sport, as the second day was lost to high winds, and the abandoned races were hurriedly rescheduled into the remaining two days. A nine race Gold Cup day card, with the Gold Cup as race six, was heralded as one of the best day’s racing in living memory.

Sport relies on its high days. However, the reality of Jump racing is its rural roots deep in the fabric of the countryside. It is 256 years since the first recorded steeplechase between the towns of Doneraile and Buttevant in County Tipperary, and for all its grandeur at courses like Cheltenham, Sandown and Ascot, Jump racing thrives through its local connections in communities like Cartmel in the Lake District, Hexham in Northumberland and Fontwell in Sussex. Here, almost every day of the year, owners, trainers, riders and spectators gather to compete and enjoy horses jumping over hurdles and fences at speeds up to 30mph. Without this backbone of support, the Festival and Grand National would wither on the vine.

Even allowing for the prevailing economic conditions, the sport is in rude health. Horses are being bought and sold to race, there are more trainers than ever before, and the quality of jockeyship is unmatched in the modern era. Prize money is at very high levels, fuelling the bloodstock market across the UK, Ireland and France, whilst interest in the sport is underpinning an ambitious re-packaging of racing media rights after 2009.

This third edition of Jump racing Focus explains the past year for our sport, and illustrates its growing commercial appeal that is bringing British and European companies to become involved with the country’s most enduring sport.

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