| Grade 1 race | |
| Location | Aintree Racecourse Merseyside, England |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1976 |
| Race type | Hurdle race |
| Sponsor | Betway |
| Website | Aintree |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2m 4f (4,023 metres) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 0 lb (4yo); 11 st 7 lb (5yo+) Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | £250,000 (2019) 1st: £140,325 |
| 2019 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Supasundae | Buveur D'Air | Ch'tibello |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ||
) | | ) |
| L'Ami Serge | Supasundae | Clyne |
| 2017 | ||
| | ) | ) |
| Buveur D'air | My Tent Or Yours | The New One |
| 2016 | ||
) | | ) |
| Annie Power | My Tent Or Yours | Nichols Canyon |
| 2015 | ||
| | ) | ) |
| Jezki | Rock on Ruby | Volnay De Thaix |
| 2014 | ||
| | | ) |
| The New One | Rock on Ruby | Diakali |
| 2013 | ||
) | | ) |
| Zarkandar | The New One | Thousand Stars |
| 2012 | ||
) | | |
| Oscar Whisky | Thousand Stars | Rock on Ruby |
| 2011 | ||
| | | ) |
| Oscar Whisky | Thousand Stars | Salden Licht |
| 2010-2001 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Khyber Kim | Muirhead | Zaynar |
| 2009 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Solwhit | Fiveforthree | United |
| 2008 | ||
) | ) | |
| Al Eile | Osana | Straw Bear |
| 2007 | ||
| | ) | ) |
| Al Eile | Gaspara | Afsoun |
| 2006 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Asian Maze | Hardy Eustace | Sky's The Limit |
| 2005 | ||
| | | ) |
| Al Eile | Inglis Drever | Exotic Dancer |
| 2004 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Rhinestone Cowboy | Rooster Booster | Westender |
| 2003 | ||
) | | |
| Sacundai | Rooster Booster | Like-A-Butterfly |
| 2002 | ||
) | | ) |
| Ilnamar | Grimes | It Takes Time |
| 2001 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Barton | Best Mate | Mr Cool |
| 2000-1991 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Mister Morose | Mantles Prince | Effectual |
| 1999 | ||
| | ) | ) |
| Istabraq | French Holly | Midnight Legend |
| 1998 | ||
) | | |
| Pridwell | Istabraq | Kerawi |
| 1997 | ||
) | | ) |
| Bimsey | Pridwell | Make A Stand |
| 1996 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Urubande | Strong Promise | Danoli |
| 1995 | ||
| | ) | ) |
| Danoli | Boro Eight | Large Action |
| 1994 | ||
| | ) | ) |
| Danoli | Mole Board | Fortune And Fame |
| 1993 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Morley Street | Granville Again | Flown |
| 1992 | ||
| | ) | |
| Morley Street | Minorettes Girl | Forest Sun |
| 1991 | ||
| | ) | ) |
| Morley Street | Nomadic Way | Run For Free |
| 1990-1988 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | ||
| | ) | _Ltd.svg.gif')) |
| Morley Street | Joyful Noise | Ikdam |
| 1989 | ||
) | ) | ) |
| Beech Road | Cloughtaney | Celtic Shot |
| 1988 | ||
) | ) | |
| Celtic Chief | Sabin Du Loir | Cloughtaney |
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.
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[a] | Peter McCreery |
| 1982 | Daring Run | 7 | Ted Walsh[a] | 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[a] | 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 [b] |
See also
- Horse racing in Great Britain
- List of British National Hunt races
References
- ^ Walker, Tim (17 February 2010). "Aintree finally gives Dick Francis his due". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
- ^ "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.
External links
- Race Recordings (1982–2003) [1]