Great Northern Steeplechase

The Great Northern Steeplechase is New Zealand's richest steeplechase. It is run over 6,400 metres (21,000 ft) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, making it Australasia's longest horse race, and usually takes between eight and eight and a half minutes to complete. The race has been run in early September since 2005, after previously being held in early June.

Great Northern Steeplechase
Prestige jumping race
LocationEllerslie Racecourse
Auckland, New Zealand
Race typeThoroughbred - Jump Racing
Websitewww.ellerslie.co.nz/Home.aspx
Race information
Distance6400 m
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationOpen
WeightHandicap
PurseNZ$125,000

The contestants must clear 25 jumps during the 6400m race, making it one of the great tests of stamina and fitness in thoroughbred racing, for both horse and rider. A notable feature of the track is the Ellerslie Hill, on the eastern side of the steeplechase course, which the horses must climb three times during the race.

The inaugural race was won by Macaroni, who carried a weight of 12 stone (76 kg). The record weight carried to victory was 12 stone 13 lb (82.5 kg) by Kiatere in 1907. One of the most notable winners of the race was Hunterville, who won the race three times in 1983, 1984 and 1985. In 2010 Hypnotize doubled the number of horses to succeed three times, his victory following wins in 2007 and 2008.

The fastest winning time was 7:39.35 by Ballycastle in 1978, and the slowest was 9:31.50 by Wise Men Say in 2017. There was a dead-heat in 2001 between Smart Hunter, which had won the Great Northern Hurdles two days earlier, and Sir Avion, which had won the Great Northern Hurdles in 1998. It was the first dead-heat in a major New Zealand jumping race since the Otago Steeplechase in 1918.

Recent winners

Year
Winner
Jockey
Trainer
Time
2020 Magic Wonder
2019 Wise Men Say Shaun Fannin Raymond Connors 8:48.79
2018 Chocolate Fish Shaun Phelan S L Brown 8:08.47
2017 Wise Men Say Isaac Lupton Raymond Connors 9.31.50
2016 Kick Back Shaun Fannin Kevin Myers 8.08.65
2015 Jack Romanov Richard Cully Mark Brooks 8.50.20
2014 Amanood Lad Craig Thornton Ben Foote 9.04.82
2013 Rangatira Isaac Lupton Steve Gulliver 8.23.85
2012 Tom's Myth Shaun Phelan Ann Browne 8.25.07
2011 Ima Heroine Mathew Gillies Ann Browne 8.37.55
2010 Hypnotize Isaac Lupton Raymond Connors 8.45.50
2009 Fair King James Gillies Ann Browne 8:02.66
2008 Hypnotize Isaac Lupton Raymond Connors 8:15.71
2007 Hypnotize Isaac Lupton Raymond Connors 8:24.25
2006 Real Tonic Brett Scott John Wheeler 8:50.48
2005 Just The Man Joanne Rathbone Davina Waddell 7:41.44
2004 Wanderlust Michelle Hopkins Ann & Ken Browne 8:18.30
2003 Golden Flare Clayton Chipperfield Raylene Whiteside 8:05.98
2002 Golden Flare Clayton Chipperfield Raylene Whiteside 8:06.02
2001 (Dead-heat) Smart Hunter Michelle Hopkins Ann & Ken Browne 8:21.45
2001 (Dead-heat) Sir Avion Wayne Hillis Kevin O'Connor 8:21.45
2000 Royal Ways Joseph Douglas Tony Cole 8:23.17
1999 Royal Ways Joseph Douglas Tony Cole 8:09.17
1998 Our Jonty Raymond Connors Raymond Connors 7:51.25
1997 Sydney Jones 66.5 Brett McDonald Ann & Ken Browne MBE, Cambridge 8:38.73
1996 Classic Heights Paul Fitzgerald Tim Douglas 8:18.05
1995 Sydney Jones Tina Egan Ann & Ken Browne 8:39.16
1994 Ellivani Brian Constable John Twomey 7:47.18
1993 Sir Barton Chad Northcott Max Northcott 8:06.56
1992 Lord Tennyson Brett McDonald Ann & Ken Browne 8:07.38
1991 Brother Bart Craig Thornton Ann & Ken Browne 8:16.60
1990 Ardri Ken Browne Ann & Ken Browne 8:33.53
1989 Tumblin’ Down Toby Autridge Michael Moroney 8:20.29
1988 Heddawin Wayne Hillis John Bullock 8:10.41
1987 Deductable Paul Hillis Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill 8:22.40

a Race run at Te Aroha Racecourse due to track upgrade at Ellerslie

Previous winners[1]

  • 1986 - Rock Crystal
  • 1985 - Hunterville
  • 1984 - Hunterville
  • 1983 - Hunterville
  • 1982 - Mountain Gold
  • 1981 - Bean's Beau
  • 1980 - Guess Who
  • 1979 - Ascona
  • 1978 - Ballycastle
  • 1977 - Ascona
  • 1976 - Loch Linnhe
  • 1975 - Loch Linnhe
  • 1974 - Specialist
  • 1973 - Bob's Luck
  • 1972 - Brockton
  • 1971 - Brockton
  • 1970 - Spray Doone
  • 1969 - Falada
  • 1968 - Royal Polo
  • 1967 - Eiffel Tower
  • 1966 - Confer
  • 1965 - Smoke Ring
  • 1964 - Johnny Dee
  • 1963 - Blue Rock
  • 1962 - Sabre
  • 1961 - Patrick Molloy
  • 1960 - Patrick Molloy
  • 1959 - Ben Vola
  • 1958 - Irish Ace
  • 1957 - Knight's Star
  • 1956 - Hit Parade
  • 1955 - Every Time
  • 1954 - Dunwold
  • 1953 - Dunwold
  • 1952 - Dural
  • 1951 - Redingote
  • 1950 - Jon Rosa
  • 1949 - Golden Reign
  • 1948 - Brookby Song
  • 1947 - Brookby Song
  • 1946 - Our Nation
  • 1945 - Dauber
  • 1944 - Dozie Boy
  • 1943 - Chat
  • 1942 - Dozie Boy
  • 1941 - Streamline
  • 1940 - All Irish
  • 1939 - Survey
  • 1938 - Valpeen
  • 1937 - Irish Comet
  • 1936 - Billy Boy
  • 1935 - Royal Limond
  • 1934 - Valpeen
  • 1933 - Callamart
  • 1932 - Copey
  • 1931 - Master Lu
  • 1930 - Aurora Borealis
  • 1929 - Uralia
  • 1928 - Glendowie
  • 1927 - Beau Cavalier
  • 1926 - Dick
  • 1925 - Sir Rosebery
  • 1924 - Sir Rosebery
  • 1923 - Mary Bruce
  • 1922 - Sea De'il
  • 1921 - Coalition
  • 1920 - Lochella
  • 1919 - Master Lupin
  • 1918 - Waimai
  • 1917 - Gluepot
  • 1916 - El Gallo
  • 1915 - El Gallo
  • 1914 - Peary
  • 1913 - Bercola
  • 1912 - Hautere
  • 1911 - Corazon
  • 1910 - Red McGregor
  • 1909 - Capitol
  • 1908 - Loch Fyne
  • 1907 - Kiatere
  • 1906 - Sol
  • 1905 - Kiatere
  • 1904 - Moccasin
  • 1903 - Haydn
  • 1902 - The Guard
  • 1901 - Moifaa
  • 1900 - Voltigeur II
  • 1899 - Dummy
  • 1898 - Muscatel
  • 1897 - Levanter
  • 1896 - Levanter
  • 1895 - Liberator
  • 1894 - Bombardier
  • 1893 - Despised
  • 1892 - Shillelagh
  • 1891 - Parnell
  • 1890 - Jenny
  • 1889 - Don
  • 1888 - Allegro
  • 1887 - Silvio
  • 1886 - Belle
  • 1885 - Macaroni

See also

References

  1. Costello, John and Finnegan, Pat (1988). Tapestry of Turf. Moa Publications.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.