Imperial Cup

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Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle
2023
Owner Mr Chris Giles.svg Owner Chelsea Thoroughbreds.svg Owner Mr J D Cotton.svg
IceoKnickerbockergloryPlayful Saint
Previous years
2022
Owner Mr Paul D Leech.svg Owner Mark E Smith,Brake Horse Power Syndicate.svg Owner Owners Group 068.svg
Surprise PackageLively CitizenHacker Des Places
2021
Owner Donlon and Macdonald.svg Owner Miss Heritage Partnership.svg Owner Mr and Mrs William Rucker.svg
Langer DanMiss HeritageMack The Man
2020-2011
2019
Owner Mrs Johnny De La Hey.svg Owner Mrs Jane Williams.svg Owner Mr S Munir.svg
MalayaMonsieur LecoqCall Me Lord
2018
Owner Mr Alan Coney.svg Owner Mr S Munir.svg Owner 5 Hertford Street Racing Club.svg
Mr AntoliniCall Me LordWhatswrongwithyou
2017
Owner Mrs Margaret Forsyth.svg Owner Mr S Munir.svg Owner Mr C E Stedman.svg
London PrizeFixe Le KapDarebin
2016
Owner Mr R J Rexton.svg Owner E and G Racing Ltd.svg Owner Saxon House Racing.svg
Flying AngelSolstice StarSpice Fair
2015
Owner Valueracingclub Co Uk.svg Owner Mr V J Walsh.svg Owner Mr Will Roseff.svg
Ebony ExpressRayvin BlackGassin Golf
2014
Owner Mr R S Brookhouse.svg Owner Mr Will Roseff.svg Owner Axom.svg
Baltimore RockGassin GolfVibrato Valtat
2013
Owner Mrs L J Mongan.svg Owner Walters Plant Hire Ltd.svg Owner Twelve Pipers Piping.svg
First AvenueTanerko EmeryKazlian
2012
Owner Mr Alan Halsall.svg Owner Mr Terry Warner.svg Owner The Preston Family and Friends Ltd.svg
PaintballNampourSire De Grugy
2011
Owner Mr Johnny Eddis.svg Owner Mr C E Stedman.svg Owner Mr M G St Quinton.svg
AlaraziVia GalileiPateese
2010-2001
2010
Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mr D J Jones.svg Owner Mrs Mette Campbell-Andenaes.svg
QaspalOldrikPepe Simo
2009
Owner Mr David Murdoch.svg Owner Mr D A Johnson.svg Owner Mrs Diana Whateley.svg
Dave's DreamSeven Is My NumberPrince Taime
2008
Owner Mr D A Johnson.svg Owner Sir R. Ogden.svg Owner Kingsclere Racing Club.svg
AshkazarFredensborgAlbinus
2007
Owner Mr M C Pipe.svg Owner Burnt Toast.svg Owner Mr Con Harrington.svg
GasparaFlying FalconMagnesium
2006
Owner Pinheads Pizza Syndicate.svg Owner Mike Charlton and Rodger Sargent.svg Owner F Ledger J Bateman.svg
VictramDusky WarblerVerasi
2005
Owner Mr D A Johnson.svg Owner Mr P A Philipps.svg Owner Mrs Monica Hackett.svg
MedisonFenixMonte Cinto
2004
Owner Kingsclere Racing Club.svg Owner Mrs G Smith.svg Owner Mr P A Philipps.svg
ScornedBold BishopFenix
2003
Owner Mr D A Johnson.svg Owner Mrs H McParland.svg Owner Mr A L R Morton.svg
KoreloNewhallLawz
2002
Owner Sir Stanley Clarke.svg Owner Mr Jim Lewis.svg Owner Mr W H Ponsonby.svg
Polar RedImpekScots Grey
2001
Owner Mr Tony Hayward.svg Owner Jim Weeden.svg Owner Mr Terry Warner.svg
IbalValiramixRooster Booster
2000-1991
2000
Owner Mrs B J Curley.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Mr John P McManus star on cap.svg
Magic CombinationThe GathererBrigade Charge
1999
Owner Mrs J J McGettigan.svg Owner R Brazier.svg Owner Mr P A Deal.svg
Regency RakeCoulthardDr Jazz
1998
Owner Mr P A Deal.svg Owner B D Racing.svg Owner C F Sparrowhawk.svg
Blowing WindSadler's RealmNahrawali
1997
Owner Lady Bamford.svg Owner Alfred Walls.svg Owner M W Horner, H Young And D S Arnold.svg
Carlito BriganteDoctoorExpress Gift
1996
Owner Mr John H W Finch.svg Owner The Silver Darling Partnership.svg Owner Mrs Anne Devine.svg
AmancioSilver GroomChief's Song
1995
Owner Mr W E Sturt.svg Owner Paul K Smith.svg Owner G E Nye.svg
Collier BayStar PlayerKingsfold Pet
1994
Owner M R Johnson.svg Owner Ahmed A Hussein.svg Owner Christopher Heath.svg
Precious BoyRivaLeotard
1993
Owner M and N Plant Ltd.svg Owner Gymcrak Thoroughbred Racing Iii Plc.svg Owner Kingsclere Racing Club.svg
OlympianGymcrak StardomSpinning
1992
Owner G Gornall.svg Owner J C Bradbury.svg Owner Kingsclere Racing Club.svg
King CredoRodeo StarSpinning
1991
Owner M R Johnson.svg Owner S R W Houghton.svg Owner W A Fagan.svg
Precious BoyKettiBadrakhani
1990-1988
1990
Owner James Burley.svg Owner R J Surridge.svg Owner Spencer Wood.svg
Moody ManPenny ForumJoyful Noise
1989
Owner Mrs J H Johnson.svg Owner J Bishop.svg Owner H Kaye.svg
Travel MysteryLittle ToroAfaristoun
1988
Owner Geoff Whiting.svg Owner M Davies.svg Owner George Joseph Keary.svg
Sprowston BoyJimbalouCapa
 

The Imperial Cup is a National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles (1 mile, 7 furlongs and 216 yards, or 3,215 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. It is a handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in March.

The Imperial Cup was first run in 1907, and in its early years it was considered to be the most important hurdle race of the season. A notable winner during this period was Trespasser, who recorded three successive victories in the race from 1920 to 1922. It continued to be the most prestigious hurdling event until the launch of the Champion Hurdle in 1927.

The race is run on a Saturday in March, three days before the start of the Cheltenham Festival. The sponsors of the Imperial Cup have offered a financial bonus prize to the owner of the winning horse since 1992, awarded if the horse goes on to win any race at the following week's Festival. Winners of this bonus have included Olympian (who won the Coral Cup at Cheltenham), Blowing Wind (County Hurdle) and Gaspara (Fred Winter Hurdle). . The 2016 running was unsponsored and no bonus was offered. [1] The bonus returned in 2017 when new sponsors Matchbook offered a £50,000 prize, [2] which they increased to £100,000 for the 2018 running. [3] The race was upgraded from Listed to Grade Three status by the British Horseracing Board from its 2014 running. [4] It was re-classified as a Premier Handicap from the 2023 running when Grade 3 status was renamed by the British Horseracing Authority. [5] Since 2024 it has been run as a Class 2 handicap.

Records

Most successful horse since 1947 (2 wins):

Leading jockey since 1947 (5 wins):

Leading trainer since 1947 (6 wins):

Winners since 1947

Year
Winner
Age
Weight
Jockey
Trainer
1947Tant Pis509-10 Frenchie Nicholson J Goldsmith
1948Anglesey611-08J GilbertStaff Ingham
1949Secret Service611–11J Gilbert Fulke Walwyn
1950Secret Service711–10T Cusack Fulke Walwyn
1951Master Bidar610–11R EmeryRon Smyth
1952High Point610-04H SpragueJ Dennistoun
1953High Point710-07H SpragueJ Dennistoun
1954The Pills610-05J DowdeswellP Rice-Stringer
1955Bon Mot II610–11M HaynesStanley Wootton
1956Peggy Jones610–10A OughtonS Palmer
1957Camugliano710–10R EmeryH T Smith
1958Flaming East910-05 John Lawrence [lower-alpha 1] Ricky Vallance
1959Langton Heath510-09R MartinT Griffiths
1960Farmer's Boy711-07 David Nicholson W Stephenson
1961Fidus Achates610-04C ChapmanM James
1962Irish Imp510–12G RamshawRon Smyth
1963Antiar511-02David Mould Peter Cazalet
1964Invader611-04T M JonesL Dale
1965Kildavin710-07Jeff KingJohn Sutcliffe, jnr
1966Royal Sanction710-01 Richard Pitman Fred Winter
1967Sir Thopas611-08Johnny HaineBob Turnell
1968Persian Empire511-04 Brough Scott Colin Davies
1969Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
1970Solomon II611-01Bob Davies David Barons
1971Churchwood711-03Doug BarrottM Goswell
1972Spy Net510-00G LawsonL Dale
1973Lanzarote512-04 Richard Pitman Fred Winter
1974Flash Imp510-09Jeff KingRon Smyth
1975Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
1976Nougat610-06Gerry Enright Josh Gifford
1977Acquaint611-02 Nicky Henderson [lower-alpha 1] Fred Winter
1978Winter Melody711-03Bill SmithJ Hanson
1979Flying Diplomat310-06Tim Thomson Jones [lower-alpha 1] A Smith
1980 Prayukta 511-00 John Francome Fred Winter
1981 Ekbalco 511-03 David Goulding Roger Fisher
1982 Holemoor Star 511-07 Martin O'Halloran Miss S. Morris
1983 Desert Hero 909-08Roger Chapman Fulke Walwyn
1984 Dalbury 609-12P. CorriganPeter Haynes
1985 Floyd 510-03 Colin Brown David Elsworth
1986 Insular 609-10 Eamon Murphy Ian Balding
1987 Inlander 610-03 Steve Smith Eccles Reg Akehurst
1988 Sprowston Boy 510–11Seamus McCrystal Paul Kelleway
1989 Travel Mystery 610-00 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe
1990Moody Man510–13 Peter Hobbs Philip Hobbs
1991 Precious Boy 510-06 Lorcan Wyer Mike O'Neill
1992 King Credo 710-04 Adrian Maguire Steve Woodman
1993 Olympian 610-00 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe
1994 Precious Boy 811-07 Lorcan Wyer Michael Meagher
1995 Collier Bay 510-02 Tom Grantham Jim Old
1996 Amancio 510-08 Mick Fitzgerald Guy Harwood
1997 Carlito Brigante 510-00 Jamie Osborne Paul Webber
1998 Blowing Wind 511–10 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
1999 Regency Rake 710-07 Adrian Maguire Arthur Moore
2000 Magic Combination 710-00 David Casey Barney Curley
2001 Ibal 509-09 Ben Hitchcott [lower-alpha 1] Dina Smith
2002 Polar Red 511-01 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
2003 Korelo 511-06 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
2004Scorned910-03 Barry Fenton Andrew Balding
2005 Medison 510-01 Timmy Murphy Martin Pipe
2006 Victram 609-12 Andrew Lynch Adrian McGuinness
2007 Gaspara 410-05 Tony McCoy David Pipe
2008 Ashkazar 410–12 Timmy Murphy David Pipe
2009Dave's Dream610–13 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2010 Qaspal 610-03 Tony McCoy Philip Hobbs
2011 Alarazi 710-03 Dominic Elsworth Lucy Wadham
2012 Paintball 510-07 Noel Fehily Charlie Longsdon
2013First Avenue810-05Nathan AdamsLaura Mongan
2014Baltimore Rock510–12 Tom Scudamore David Pipe
2015 Ebony Express 610-07 Will Kennedy Dr Richard Newland
2016 Flying Angel 510-07 Ryan Hatch Nigel Twiston-Davies
2017London Prize611-02 Tom O'Brien Ian Williams
2018Mr Antolini810-01Jamie Bargary Nigel Twiston-Davies
2019Malaya510-02Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls
2020Abandoned because of waterlogged state of course
2021Langer Dan510-10 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton
2022Surprise Package511-01James BowenPeter Fahey
2023Iceo511-03Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls
2024Go Dante811-04 Sean Bowen Olly Murphy
  1. 1 2 3 4 amateur jockey

See also

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References

  1. Riley, Stuart. "Festival bonus unlikely for Imperial Cup winner". Racing Post . Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  2. "£50,000 Cheltenham bonus back in play for Imperial Cup winner". Racing UK. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  3. "O'Brien targets Winter Derby with six-strong entry". Racing Post . 24 January 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  4. "British Horseracing Authority Announces Upgrades to Jump Pattern Races for 2013/14". Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  5. "Jump Pattern Committee update 22/23 season". British Horseracing Authority. Retrieved 6 February 2023.