Location | Aintree Racecourse Merseyside, England |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1976 |
Race type | Hurdle race |
Sponsor | John Smith's |
Website | Aintree |
Race information | |
Distance | 2m 4f (4,023 metres) |
Track | Turf, 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 | £160,000 (2010) 1st: £91,216 |
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 it is traditionally contested on the final day, Saturday.
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 Istabraq in 1999.
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]
Contents |
Most successful horse (4 wins):
Leading jockey (4 wins):
Leading trainer (5 wins):
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 | 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 | 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 |