/ ˈstiːpltʃeɪs; NAmE / (also chase ) noun
1.
a long race in which horses have to jump over fences, water, etc.
—compare flat racing
2.
a long race in which people run and jump over gates and water, etc. around a track
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WORD ORIGIN
late 18th cent.: from steeple (because originally a steeple marked the finishing point across country) + the verb chase .