Aintree Hurdle

The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Aintree over a distance of about 2 miles and 4 furlongs (4,023 metres), and during its running there are eleven hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in early April.

Aintree Hurdle
Grade 1 race
LocationAintree Racecourse
Merseyside, England
Inaugurated1976
Race typeHurdle race
SponsorBetway
WebsiteAintree
Race information
Distance2m 4f (4,023 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFour-years-old and up
Weight11 st 0 lb (4yo);
11 st 7 lb (5yo+)
Allowances
7 lb for fillies and mares
Purse£250,000 (2019)
1st: £140,325
Aintree Hurdle
2019
Supasundae Buveur D'Air Ch'tibello

The event was established in 1976, and it was originally run over 2 miles and 5½ furlongs. It was shortened to its present length in 1988. The race is staged during the three-day Grand National meeting, and was traditionally contested on the final day, Saturday. In 2013 it was moved to the opening day of the meeting, Thursday.

The Aintree Hurdle often features horses which ran previously over a shorter distance in the Champion Hurdle, and the last to win both events in the same year was Buveur d'Air in 2017.

The 2010 running was named in memory of Dick Francis (1920–2010), a former jockey who was closely associated with Aintree. He famously rode Devon Loch in the Grand National, and he was leading the race on the run-in when the horse jumped and was overtaken.[1] Since 2017 the race has been sponsored by Betway.

Records

Most successful horse (4 wins):

  • Morley Street – 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993

Leading jockey (5 wins):

  • Ruby Walsh – Ilnamar (2002), Sacundai (2003), Asian Maze (2006), Zarkandar (2013), Annie Power (2016)

Leading trainer (5 wins):

  • Toby Balding – Beech Road (1989), Morley Street (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)

Winners
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
1976 Comedy of Errors 9 Ken White Fred Rimell
1977 Night Nurse (DH) 6 Paddy Broderick Peter Easterby
1977 Monksfield (DH) 5 Dessie Hughes Des McDonogh
1978 Monksfield 6 Dessie Hughes Des McDonogh
1979 Monksfield 7 Dessie Hughes Des McDonogh
1980 Pollardstown 5 Philip Blacker Stan Mellor
1981 Daring Run 6 Ted Walsh[lower-alpha 1] Peter McCreery
1982 Daring Run 7 Ted Walsh[lower-alpha 1] Peter McCreery
1983 Gaye Brief 6 Richard Linley Mercy Rimell
1984 Dawn Run 6 Tony Mullins Paddy Mullins
1985 Bajan Sunshine 6 Peter Scudamore Martin Tate
1986 Aonoch 7 Jimmy Duggan Sally Oliver
1987 Aonoch 8 Jacqui Oliver Sally Oliver
1988 Celtic Chief 5 Richard Dunwoody Mercy Rimell
1989 Beech Road 7 Richard Guest Toby Balding
1990 Morley Street 6 Jimmy Frost Toby Balding
1991 Morley Street 7 Jimmy Frost Toby Balding
1992 Morley Street 8 Richard Dunwoody Toby Balding
1993 Morley Street 9 Graham Bradley Toby Balding
1994 Danoli 6 Charlie Swan Tom Foley
1995 Danoli 7 Charlie Swan Tom Foley
1996 Urubande 6 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
1997 Bimsey 7 Mick Fitzgerald Reg Akehurst
1998 Pridwell 8 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
1999 Istabraq 7 Charlie Swan Aidan O'Brien
2000 Mister Morose 10 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies
2001 Barton 8 Tony Dobbin Tim Easterby
2002 Ilnamar 6 Ruby Walsh Martin Pipe
2003 Sacundai 6 Ruby Walsh Edward O'Grady
2004 Rhinestone Cowboy 8 J. P. Magnier[lower-alpha 1] Jonjo O'Neill
2005 Al Eile 5 Timmy Murphy John Queally
2006 Asian Maze 7 Ruby Walsh Tom Mullins
2007 Al Eile 7 Timmy Murphy John Queally
2008 Al Eile 8 Timmy Murphy John Queally
2009 Solwhit 5 Davy Russell Charles Byrnes
2010 Khyber Kim 8 Paddy Brennan Nigel Twiston-Davies
2011 Oscar Whisky 6 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2012 Oscar Whisky 7 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2013 Zarkandar 6 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls
2014 The New One 6 Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies
2015 Jezki 7 Tony McCoy Jessica Harrington
2016 Annie Power 8 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2017 Buveur d'Air 6 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2018 L'Ami Serge 8 Daryl Jacob Nicky Henderson
2019 Supasundae 9 Robbie Power Jessica Harrington
no race 2020 [lower-alpha 2]
  1. amateur jockey
  2. The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[2]

See also

References
  1. Walker, Tim (17 February 2010). "Aintree finally gives Dick Francis his due". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  2. "Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020.
  • aintree.co.uk – 2010 John Smith's Grand National Media Guide.
  • pedigreequery.com – Aintree Hurdle – Aintree.
  • Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 68. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
  • Race Recordings (1982–2003)
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