Christmas Hurdle

Last updated

Christmas Hurdle
Grade 1 race
Location Kempton Park,
Sunbury, England
Race type Hurdle race
Sponsor Ladbrokes
Website Kempton Park
Race information
Distance2 miles (3,219 metres)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationFour-years-old and up
Weight11 st 10 lb
Allowances
7 lb for fillies and mares
Purse£130,000 (2023)
1st: £74,035
Christmas Hurdle
2023
Owner Mr Michael Buckley.svg Owner Mr Chris Giles.svg Owner Lady Bamford.svg
Constitution HillRubaudFirst Street
Previous years
2022
Owner Mr Michael Buckley.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner M Ward-Thomas.svg
Constitution HillEpatanteHighway One O Two
2021
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Galloping On The South Downs Partnership.svg Owner Mr P Hickey.svg
EpatanteGlory And FortuneSoaring Glory
2020-2011
2020
Owner Mr L Fell.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Options O Syndicate.svg
Silver StreakEpatanteBallyandy
2019
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mr L Fell.svg Owner Options O Syndicate.svg
EpatanteSilver StreakBallyandy
2018
Owner Sir Eric Parker white.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mr and Mrs Paul Rooney.svg
Verdana BlueBuveur D'AirIf The Cap Fits
2017
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mrs S Such.svg Owner Mrs June Watts.svg
Buveur D'airThe New OneMohaayed
2016
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mrs S Such.svg Owner Win Only Sp Only Partnership.svg
YanworthThe New OneCh'tibello
2015
Owner Mrs S Ricci.svg Owner Mrs S Such.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg
FaugheenThe New OneHargam
2014
Owner Mrs S Ricci.svg Owner Mr John P Ferguson.svg Owner Horwood Harriers Partnership.svg
FaugheenPurple BayBlue Heron
2013
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mrs S Such.svg Owner Mr J D Cotton.svg
My Tent Or YoursThe New OneSametegal
2012
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mr S Munir.svg Owner Mr Martin Broughton.svg
DarlanRaya StarDodging Bullets
2011
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner The Festival Goers.svg Owner Mr T G Leslie.svg
BinocularRock on RubyOverturn
2010-2001
2010
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mr T G Leslie.svg Owner Mr A T A Wates.svg
BinocularOverturnStarluck
2009
Owner Docado Syndicate.svg Owner Mr A T A Wates.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg
Go NativeStarluckBinocular
2008
Owner Mr D P Sharkey.svg Owner Mrs Diana Whateley.svg Owner Doctor John Hollowood.svg
HarchibaldSnap TieBlue Bajan
2007
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mr D P Sharkey.svg Owner Elite Racing Club.svg
Straw BearHarchibaldPenzance
2006
Owner R S T Syndicate.svg Owner Mrs Karola Vann.svg Owner Mrs M Findlay.svg
Jazz MessengerNoble RequestDesert Quest
2005
Owner Lord Of The Ring Syndicate.svg Owner Fraser Miller Racing.svg Owner J B Webb.svg
Feathard LadySelf DefenseRoyal Shakespeare
2004
Owner Mr D P Sharkey.svg Owner Mr Terry Warner.svg Owner J Dickson.svg
HarchibaldRooster BoosterPerouse
2003
Owner Interskyracing.svg Owner Mr Terry Warner.svg Owner Mr Ged Mason.svg
Intersky FalconRooster BoosterSporazene
2002
Owner Interskyracing.svg Owner The Hon Mrs Townshend.svg Owner Mrs N O'Callaghan.svg
Intersky FalconSantenayDavenport Milenium
2001
Owner Mr and Mrs John Poynton.svg Owner Mr Jorg Vasicek.svg Owner Mr Paul Green.svg
Landing LightBilboaHors La Loi III
2000-1991
2000
Owner Thurloe Thoroughbreds.svg Owner Mrs T Brown.svg Owner The Macca and Growler Partnershi.svg
GeosAshley ParkSeebald
1999
Owner Mrs Kath Riley.svg Owner Mr D A Johnson.svg Owner Thurloe Thoroughbreds.svg
Dato StarWahiba SandsSharpical
1998
Owner K Flood.svg Owner Mrs E J Williams.svg Owner Mrs Kath Riley.svg
French HollyMaster BeveledDato Star
1997
Owner Matt Archer and the Late Miss J Broadhurs.svg Owner James Blackshaw.svg Owner Mr K Abdulla.svg
KerawiShadow LeaderSanmartino
1994
Owner Whitcombe Manor Racing Stables Limited.svg Owner Oh So Rosie Partnership.svg Owner S Aitken.svg
Absalom's LadyAtoursJazilah
1993
Owner White Horse Racing Ltd.svg Owner Miss C A James.svg Owner Whitcombe Manor Racing Stables Limited.svg
MuseHigh BaronAbsalom's Lady
1992
Owner Mrs Shirley Robins.svg Owner Edward P Winfield.svg Owner The Scarth Racing Partnership.svg
Mighty MogulFlownGranville Again
1991
Owner David Thompson.svg Owner Michael Tabor.svg Owner Iain MacDonald.svg
Gran AlbaRoyal DerbiRuling
1990-1987
1990
Owner A R Coley.svg Owner Marquesa de Moratalla.svg Owner R F Eliot.svg
FidwaySybillinDeep Sensation
1989
Owner Sheikh Mohammed.svg Owner Richard Scott.svg Owner M V Walsh.svg
KribensisOsricFloyd
1988
Owner Sheikh Mohammed.svg Owner M V Walsh.svg Owner Miss Dian Smyth.svg
KribensisFloydWishlon
1987
Owner Richard Scott.svg Owner A Boyd-Rochfort.svg Owner Ulceby Farms Ltd.svg
OsricAldinoNohalmdun
 

The Christmas 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 Kempton Park over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is the second leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling and is scheduled to take place each year during the King George VI Chase meeting on Boxing Day.

Contents

History

During the 1960s Kempton staged a 2-mile handicap race on Boxing Day called the Kempton Park Handicap Hurdle. Its winners included Salmon Spray and Saucy Kit – both subsequent winners of the Champion Hurdle. The race was abandoned in 1967 and 1968, and it returned in the guise of the Christmas Hurdle in 1969.

Six winners of the race in its present format have gone on to victory in the Champion Hurdle. The first was Lanzarote, the winner of the latter event in 1974, and the others are Dawn Run (1983–84), Kribensis (1989–90), Faugheen (2014–15), Epatante (2019–20) and Constitution Hill (2022–23).

Records

Most successful horse since 1969 (2 wins):

Leading jockey since 1969 (5 wins):

Leading trainer since 1969 (12 wins):

Winners since 1969

YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainer
1969 Coral Diver 4 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell
no race 1970 [lower-alpha 1]
1971 Coral Diver 6 Terry Biddlecombe Fred Rimell
1972 Canasta Lad 6 Jeff King Peter Bailey
1973 Lanzarote 5 Richard Pitman Fred Winter
1974 Tree Tangle 5 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell
1975 Lanzarote 7 John Francome Fred Winter
1976 Dramatist 5 Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn
1977 Beacon Light 6 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell
1978 Kybo 5 Bob Champion Josh Gifford
1979 Birds Nest [lower-alpha 2] 9 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell
1980 Celtic Ryde 5 John Francome Peter Cundell
no race 1981 [lower-alpha 3]
1982 Ekbalco 6 Jonjo O'Neill Roger Fisher
1983 Dawn Run 5 Jonjo O'Neill Paddy Mullins
1984 Browne's Gazette 6 Dermot Browne Monica Dickinson
1985 Aonoch 6 Jimmy Duggan Sally Oliver
1986 Nohalmdun 5 Peter Scudamore Peter Easterby
1987 Osric 5 Graham McCourt Mick Ryan
1988 Kribensis 4 Richard Dunwoody Michael Stoute
1989 Kribensis 5 Richard Dunwoody Michael Stoute
1990 Fidway 5 Steve Smith Eccles Tim Thomson Jones
1991 Gran Alba 5 Graham McCourt Richard Hannon Sr.
1992 Mighty Mogul 5 Richard Dunwoody David Nicholson
1993 Muse 6 Mark Richards David Elsworth
1994 Absalom's Lady 6 Paul Holley David Elsworth
no race 1995–96 [lower-alpha 4]
1997 Kerawi 4 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies
1998 French Holly 7 Andrew Thornton Ferdy Murphy
1999 Dato Star 8 Lorcan Wyer Malcolm Jefferson
2000 Geos 5 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
2001 Landing Light 6 Mick Fitzgerald Nicky Henderson
2002 Intersky Falcon 5 Charlie Swan Jonjo O'Neill
2003 Intersky Falcon 6 Liam Cooper Jonjo O'Neill
2004 Harchibald 5 Paul Carberry Noel Meade
2005 Feathard Lady [lower-alpha 5] 5 Ruby Walsh Colm Murphy
2006 Jazz Messenger 6 Niall Madden Noel Meade
2007 Straw Bear 6 Tony McCoy Nick Gifford
2008 Harchibald 9 Paul Carberry Noel Meade
2009 Go Native 6 Davy Condon Noel Meade
2010 Binocular [lower-alpha 6] 7 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson
2011 Binocular 7 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson
2012 Darlan 5 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson
2013 My Tent Or Yours 6 Tony McCoy Nicky Henderson
2014 Faugheen 6 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2015 Faugheen 7 Ruby Walsh Willie Mullins
2016 Yanworth 6 Barry Geraghty Alan King
2017 Buveur d'Air 6 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2018Verdana Blue6 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
2019 Epatante 5 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2020Silver Streak7Adam WedgeEvan Williams
2021 Epatante 7 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
2022 Constitution Hill 5 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
2023 Constitution Hill 6 Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson
  1. The 1970 race was abandoned because of snow
  2. Celtic Ryde finished first in 1979 but he was relegated to second place after a stewards' enquiry
  3. The race was abandoned in 1981 because of frost
  4. It was cancelled in 1995 due to snow and frost, and in 1996 due to frost
  5. The race was switched to Sandown Park in 2005 as Kempton was closed for redevelopment.
  6. The "2010" race was run on 15 January 2011, after Kempton Park's 2010 Boxing Day meeting was cancelled due to snow and frost

See also

Related Research Articles

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References