Scottish Champion Hurdle
Grade 2 race | |
Location | Ayr Racecourse Ayr, Scotland |
---|---|
Inaugurated | 1966 |
Race type | Hurdle race |
Sponsor | Coral |
Website | Ayr |
Race information | |
Distance | 2 miles (3,219 metres) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Left-handed |
Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
Weight | Limited Handicap |
Purse | £40,000 (2021) 1st: £22,780 |
2021 | ||
Milkwood | Anna Bunina | Tommy's Oscar |
Previous years | ||
---|---|---|
2019 | ||
Verdana Blue | Dino Velvet | Equus Amadeus |
2018 | ||
Midnight Shadow | Claimantakinforgan | Chesterfield |
2017 | ||
Chesterfield | Zubayr | Mohaayed |
2016 | ||
Ch'tibello | Cloudy Dream | Clondaw Warrior |
2015 | ||
Cheltenian | Sign of a Victory | Ifandbutwhynot |
2014 | ||
Cockney Sparrow | Court Minstrel | My Tent Or Yours |
2013 | ||
Court Minstrel | Sametegal | Silk Hall |
2012 | ||
Raya Star | Local Hero | Clerk's Choice |
2011 | ||
Sanctuaire | Bygones of Brid | Overturn |
2010-2001 | ||
---|---|---|
2010 | ||
Overturn | Gloucester | Arcalis |
2009 | ||
Noble Alan | Secret Tune | Harper Valley |
2008 | ||
Border Castle | Takeroc | Kalahari King |
2007 | ||
Emmpat | Ouninpohja | Premier Dane |
2006 | ||
Noble Request | Faasel | Phar Bleu |
2005 | ||
Genghis | Royal Shakespeare | Dalaram |
2004 | ||
Copeland | Benbyas | Saintsaire |
2003 | ||
In Contrast | Thisthatandtother | Westender |
2002 | ||
Milligan | Vol Solitaire | Dibea Times |
2001 | ||
Ulundi | Bring Sweets | Copeland |
2000-1990 | ||
---|---|---|
2000 | ||
Mister Morose | Ballinclay King | Heart |
1999 | ||
Fadalko | Potentate | Crazy Horse |
1998 | ||
Blowing Wind | Kerawi | Large Action |
1997 | ||
Shadow Leader | Zabadi | Edelweis Du Moulin |
1996 | ||
Alderbrook | Escartefigue | Land Afar |
1995 | ||
Home Counties | Simple Arithmetic | Batabanoo |
1994 | ||
Corrouge | Atours | Court Master |
1993 | ||
Staunch Friend | Native Mission | Ruling |
1992 | ||
Granville Again | Jinxy Jack | Fidway |
1991 | ||
Precious Boy | Reve De Valse | Jungle Knife |
1990 | ||
Sayparee | Don Valentino | Aldino |
The Scottish Champion Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ayr, South Ayrshire, over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. It is a limited handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.
The event was established in 1966, and the inaugural winner was Blue Venom. For a period it was classed at Listed level, and it was promoted to Grade 2 status in 1991. The race used to be held on the day before the Scottish Grand National, but both events have taken place on the same day since 1994. Its present sponsor, CPMS, has backed the race since 2019.
Several winners of the Scottish Champion Hurdle have also achieved victory in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The most recent was Alderbrook, the winner of the latter contest in 1995. Captain Christy won the race in 1973, the year before winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup as a novice. Another Irish-trained horse, Golden Cygnet, suffered fatal injuries when he fell in the 1978 running.
Records[]
Most successful horse (2 wins):
- Sea Pigeon – 1977, 1978
- Birds Nest – 1979, 1981
Leading jockey (3 wins):
- Andrew Turnell – Bird's Nest (1979, 1981), Secret Ballot (1980)
- Peter Scudamore – Royal Vulcan (1983), Rushmoor (1984), Granville Again (1992)
- Richard Dunwoody – Alderbrook (1996), Blowing Wind (1998), Fadalko (1999)
- Richard Johnson – In Contrast (2003), Noble Request (2006), Cheltenian (2015)
Leading trainer (4 wins):
- Martin Pipe – Sayparee (1990), Granville Again (1992), Blowing Wind (1998), Copeland (2004)
Winners[]
Year |
Winner |
Age |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1966 | Blue Venom | 7 | 11-01 | P Adams[a] | P Adams |
1967 | Originator | 6 | 11-01 | E Wilson | J Barclay |
1968 | Al-'Alawi | 5 | 10-08 | P McCarron | T Robson |
1969 | Mugatpura | 6 | 11-03 | T Jennings | Fulke Walwyn |
1970 | Easter Pirate | 6 | 10-00 | S Hayhurst | R Fairbairn |
1971 | Dondieu | 6 | 11–11 | Brian Fletcher | Denys Smith |
1972 | Coral Diver | 7 | 11–11 | Ken White | Fred Rimell |
1973 | Captain Christy | 6 | 12-00 | Bobby Beasley | Pat Taaffe (Ir) |
1974 | Santon Brig | 5 | 11-03 | Michael Dickinson | Tony Dickinson |
1975 | Comedy of Errors | 8 | 12-00 | Fred Rimell | |
1976 | Night Nurse | 5 | 12-00 | Paddy Broderick | Peter Easterby |
1977 | Sea Pigeon | 7 | 11-04 | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby |
1978 | Sea Pigeon | 8 | 12-00 | Jonjo O'Neill | Peter Easterby |
1979 | 9 | 11-08 | |||
1980 | 6 | 10-07 | |||
1981 | 11 | 11-06 | |||
1982 | 6 | 11-07 | Fulke Walwyn | ||
1983 | 5 | 11–13 | Peter Scudamore | ||
1984 | 6 | 10–13 | Peter Scudamore | ||
1985 | 5 | 11-01 | Jimmy Duggan | Fred Winter | |
1986 | 5 | 10-09 | Nicky Henderson | ||
1987 | 5 | 10-08 | |||
1988 | 5 | 11-01 | Brian Storey | Dick Allan | |
1989 | 6 | 12-00 | Oliver Sherwood | ||
1990 | 5 | 10-07 | Martin Pipe | ||
1991 | 5 | 11-02 | |||
1992 | Granville Again | 6 | 11–10 | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe |
1993 | 5 | 11–10 | Adrian Maguire | Mark Tompkins | |
1994 | 5 | 11-02 | Nigel Twiston-Davies | ||
1995 | 6 | 11-02 | |||
1996 | Alderbrook | 7 | 11-07 | Richard Dunwoody | |
1997 | 6 | 10-05 | Jamie Osborne | ||
1998 | 5 | 11–05 | Richard Dunwoody | Martin Pipe | |
1999 | 6 | 10-04 | Richard Dunwoody | Paul Nicholls | |
2000 | 10 | 10–10 | Tony McCoy | Nigel Twiston-Davies | |
2001 | 6 | 10-04 | |||
2002 | 7 | 10-08 | Norman Williamson | Venetia Williams | |
2003 | 7 | 10–13 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | |
2004 | 9 | 10-01 | Jamie Moore | Martin Pipe | |
2005 | 6 | 10–11 | Tony McCoy | ||
2006 | 5 | 10-09 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | |
2007 | 9 | 10-07 | Charlie Swan | ||
2008 | 7 | 09-13 | [a] | ||
2009 | 6 | 10-05 | Davy Condon | Nicky Richards | |
2010 | Overturn | 6 | 10-07 | Timmy Murphy | |
2011 | 5 | 10-08 | Ruby Walsh | Paul Nicholls | |
2012 | 6 | 11-06 | Robert Thornton | Alan King | |
2013 | 6 | 10-09 | |||
2014 | 5 | 09-11 | |||
2015 | 9 | 10–13 | Richard Johnson | Philip Hobbs | |
2016 | Ch'Tibello | 5 | 11-01 | Harry Skelton | Dan Skelton |
2017 | 7 | 10-05 | |||
2018 | Midnight Shadow | 5 | 10-04 | Danny Cook | Sue Smith |
2019 | Verdana Blue | 7 | 11-03 | Connor Brace | Nicky Henderson |
no race 2020 [b] | |||||
2021 | Milkwood | 7 | 11-06 | Sam Twiston-Davies | Neil Mulholland |
- ^ a b amateur jockey
- ^ The 2020 running was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom[1]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April". BBC Sport. 17 March 2020.
- Racing Post:
- Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93. Portway Press. 1993. p. 172.
- pedigreequery.com – Scottish Champion Hurdle – Ayr.
- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 70. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
- 1966 establishments in Scotland
- Recurring sporting events established in 1966
- Ayr Racecourse
- Horse racing in Scotland
- National Hunt hurdle races
- National Hunt races in Great Britain
- Sports competitions in Scotland