Aintree Hurdle
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The Aintree Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in the United Kingdom for four-year-old and above horses run over a distance of 2 miles 4 furlongs (4,023 metres) at Aintree Racecourse during the Grand National meeting in early April. There are eleven hurdles to be jumped in the race.
It was first run in 1976, and is often contested by horses which ran previously in the Champion Hurdle. Eight horses have won both races in their careers (Comedy of Errors, Night Nurse, Monksfield, Gaye Brief, Dawn Run, Beech Road, Morley Street and Istabraq). This has happened in the same year in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991 and 1999.
The race was originally contested over a distance of 2 miles 5½ furlongs (4,325 metres), before the present distance was introduced in 1988.
[edit] Trivia
The 1998 race was the only time Istabraq lost in his 19 races between 18 Nov 1996 and 28 Nov 1999. The defeat was due to a combination of the longer distance, heavy ground and brilliant riding of Pridwell by Tony McCoy.
[edit] Winners
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
| 1976 | Comedy of Errors | 9 | Fred Rimell | |
| 1977 | = Night Nurse | 6 | Paddy Broderick | Peter Easterby |
| = Monksfield | 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 | Mr Ted Walsh | Peter McCreery |
| 1982 | Daring Run | 7 | Mr Ted Walsh | 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 | Mr J. P. Magnier | Jonjo O'Neill |
| 2005 | Al Eile | 5 | Timmy Murphy | John Queally |
| 2006 | Asian Maze | 7 | Ruby Walsh | Thomas Mullins |
