Welsh Champion Hurdle

Last updated

Welsh Champion Hurdle
2024
Owner Walters Plant Hire Ltd.svg Owner Walters Plant Hire Ltd red cap.svg Owner The Eagles.svg
Lump SumSteel AllyBlack Hawk Eagle
Previous years
2023
Owner Mr Will Roseff.svg Owner Mrs Gay Smith.svg Owner Salvo Giannini.svg
Nemean LionAnyharminaskingFiveonefive
2022
Owner Mr T B Sheridan.svg Owner Ms J Bridel.svg Owner The Megsons.svg
Effernock FizzMilkwoodSeverance
2021
Owner Galloping On The South Downs Partnership.svg Owner Mr R J Gambarini.svg Owner Valueracingclub Co Uk.svg
Glory And FortuneDans Le VentLeoncavallo
2020-2011
2019
Owner Mrs Jane Williams.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Bradley Partnership.svg
Monsieur LecoqLe PrezienColonel Custard
2018
Owner Mr L Fell.svg Owner Mr John P McManus.svg Owner Bradley Partnership.svg
Silver StreakLe PrezienOzzie The Oscar
2017
Owner Mrs S Such.svg Owner Mr David M Williams.svg Owner The Preston Family and Friends Ltd.svg
The New OneClyneSire De Grugy
2016
Owner Mrs Diana Whateley.svg Owner Walters Plant Hire Ltd.svg Owner Mr Carl Pyne.svg
Garde La VictoireWelsh ShadowCurious Carlos
2015
Owner Dan Macdonald.svg Owner Mr L H and Mrs T Evans.svg Owner Mr Carl Hinchy.svg
SilsolKayf MossForyourinformation
2014
Owner The Stewart Family.svg Owner Walters Plant Hire Ltd.svg Owner Mr Terry Warner.svg
Saphir Du RheuWhisperGrand Vision
2013
Owner Mr and Mrs F D Bell.svg Owner Mr C R Trembath.svg Owner Walters Plant Hire Ltd.svg
MedinasPeckhamechoTanerko Emery
2011
Owner Walters Plant Hire Ltd.svg Owner Mr Peter Neary.svg Owner Clive Cook and Irving Struel.svg
Oscar WhiskyBlack Jack BluesTarkari
2002–1995
2002
Owner B C Marshall.svg Owner Professor D B A Silk.svg Owner Exterior Profiles Ltd.svg
Vol SolitaireCopelandAchilles Wings
2000
Owner Mr H R Mould.svg Owner Thurloe Thoroughbreds.svg Owner Jim Weeden.svg
Mister MoroseGeosPotentate
1999
Owner Jim Weeden.svg Owner The Liars Poker Partnership.svg Owner Mrs R F Key and Mrs V C Ward.svg
PotentateTiutchevCity Hall
1998
Owner Jim Weeden.svg Owner Mr D A Johnson.svg Owner Brigadier C B Harvey.svg
PotentateCadougoldRelkeel
1997
Owner Jim Weeden.svg Owner Mr D A Johnson.svg Owner Mr John Duggan.svg
PotentateDaraydanMistinguett
1996
Owner Whitcombe Manor Racing Stables Limited.svg Owner Mr W E Sturt.svg Owner Lone Star Racing Partnership.svg
Absalom's LadyBackgammonRubhahunish
1995
Owner Turf City Racing.svg Owner Jones, Berstock and Fleet Partnership.svg Owner M and N Plant Ltd.svg
NemuroPridwellOlympian
 

The Welsh Champion Hurdle is a National Hunt Limited handicap hurdle race in Wales which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ffos Las over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres) and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.

Contents

The race was first run in 1969 at Chepstow over 2 miles and continued there until 2002, holding Listed status during the 1980s. The race was usually run on Easter Monday and prior to the 1990s was usually contested by horses that had performed well in the Champion Hurdle. However field sizes were consistently small even in its heyday.

The standard of the race declined in the 1990s, and it was run as a handicap in 1993 and from 2000 until 2002. Unfortunately this change did not result in increased fields and the race was dropped from the calendar in 2003.

In 2010 the race was revived, as a Limited Handicap, scheduled to be run at Ffos Las in February, over 2 miles. However the race was lost to the weather.

The new race did take place in 2011, being won easily by Oscar Whisky, owned by track owner, Dai Walters. [1]

The distance was increased to a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs in 2013. The race was moved to a new date in mid-October in 2016 and reverted to 2 miles. [2] From October 2025 the race will return to Chepstow as part of a new three-day Welsh Racing Festival. [3]

Winners

YearWinnerAgeWeightJockeyTrainer
1969 Persian War 612-00Jimmy UttleyColin Davies
1970Frozen Alive410–12 Stan Mellor Harry Thomson Jones
1971 Bula 612-00Paul Kelleway Fred Winter
1972Canasta Lad611-08Jeff KingPeter Bailey
1973 Comedy of Errors 612-00Bill Smith Fred Rimell
1974Canasta Lad811-04Jeff KingPeter Bailey
1975Lanzarote711-04 Richard Pitman Fred Winter
1976 Night Nurse 511-11 Paddy Broderick Peter Easterby
1977 Night Nurse 611–12 Paddy Broderick Peter Easterby
1978Abandoned because course waterlogged
1979 Monksfield 712-00 Dessie Hughes Des McDonogh (Ir)
1980 Sea Pigeon 1012-00 Jonjo O'Neill Peter Easterby
1981Pollardstown611-09 Philip Blacker Stan Mellor
1982Ekbalco611-09 Jonjo O'Neill Roger Fisher
1983Royal Vulcan511–13David GouldingNeville Callaghan
1984Ra Nova511-08Mark PerrettNan Kennedy
1985Browne's Gazette711–13Dermot BrowneMonica Dickinson
1986Abandoned because course waterlogged
1987High Knowl411-00Jonothon Lower Martin Pipe
1988Past Glories511-06Patrick Farrell Charles Elsey
1989Celtic Shot711-06 Peter Scudamore Charlie Brooks
1990Beech Road812-01Richard Guest Toby Balding
1991Wonder Man611-10Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman
1992Don Valentino711-10Mark Pitman Jenny Pitman
1993Dextra Dove610-04Simon Earle Philip Hobbs
1994 Abandoned due to waterlogging
1995Nemuro711-06Alan McCabe David Elsworth
1996Absalom's Lady811-09A Procter David Elsworth
1997Potentate611-06Jamie Evans Martin Pipe
1998Potentate711-10Jamie Evans Martin Pipe
1999Potentate811–12 Tony McCoy Martin Pipe
2000Mister Morose1011-10 Carl Llewellyn Nigel Twiston-Davies
2001 Abandoned due to Foot and Mouth outbreak
2002Vol Solitaire410-00 Timmy Murphy Paul Nicholls
2003–2009 No Race
2010 Abandoned due to Snow and Frost
2011 Oscar Whisky 611-07 Barry Geraghty Nicky Henderson
2012 Abandoned due to Frost
2013Medinas610-10 Wayne Hutchinson Alan King
2014Saphir Du Rheu511-10Harry Derham Paul Nicholls
2015Silsol611-10Jack Sherwood Paul Nicholls
no race Feb 2016 [a]
2016Garde La Victoire711-10 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs
2017 The New One 911-05Zac Baker [b] Nigel Twiston-Davies
2018Silver Streak510-04Adam WedgeEvan Williams
2019Monsieur Lecoq510-05Chester WilliamsJane Williams
2020Sceau Royal811-06 Daryl Jacob Alan King
2021Glory And Fortune610-07Stan SheppardTom Lacey
2022Effernock Fizz710-07Sam EwingCian Michael Collins
2023Nemean Lion611-04Richard PatrickKerry Lee
2024Lump Sum611-06Dylan Johnston Sam Thomas
  1. The February 2016 race was abandoned because of waterlogging. [4]
  2. amateur jockey

See also

References

  1. "Dai Walters' one-track mind points way forward for competitive racing". The Guardian. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  2. Scully, Mark. "Welsh Champion Hurdle moved to October slot". Racing Post . Retrieved 14 September 2016.[ dead link ]
  3. Jones, Dafydd (23 July 2025). "Chepstow to launch three-day Welsh racing festival". BBC Sport.
  4. "Ffos Las: Welsh Champion trainers to be compensated". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 February 2016.