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.
Grade 1 race | |
Standort | Kempton Park, Sunbury, England |
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Race type | Hurdle race |
Sponsor | Ladbrokes |
Website | Kempton Park |
Race information | |
Distance | 2 miles (3,219 metres) |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Right-handed |
Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
Weight | 11 st 10 lb Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares |
Purse | £130,000 (2023) 1st: £74,035 |
2023 | ||
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Constitution Hill | Rubaud | First Street |
Previous years | ||
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2022 | ||
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Constitution Hill | Epatante | Highway One O Two |
2021 | ||
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Epatante | Glory And Fortune | Soaring Glory |
1990-1987 | ||
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1990 | ||
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Fidway | Sybillin | Deep Sensation |
1989 | ||
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Kribensis | Osric | Floyd |
1988 | ||
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Kribensis | Floyd | Wishlon |
1987 | ||
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Osric | Aldino | Nohalmdun |
History
editDuring 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
editMost successful horse since 1969 (2 wins):
- Coral Diver – 1969, 1971
- Lanzarote – 1973, 1975
- Kribensis – 1988, 1989
- Intersky Falcon – 2002, 2003
- Harchibald – 2004, 2008
- Binocular – 2010, 2011
- Faugheen – 2014, 2015
- Epatante - 2019, 2021
- Constitution Hill – 2022, 2023
Leading jockey since 1969 (5 wins):
- Tony McCoy – Straw Bear (2007), Binocular (2010, 2011), Darlan (2012), My Tent Or Yours (2013)
Leading trainer since 1969 (12 wins):
- Nicky Henderson – Geos (2000), Landing Light (2001), Binocular (2010, 2011), Darlan (2012), My Tent Or Yours (2013), Buveur d'Air (2017), Verdana Blue (2018), Epatante (2019,2021), Constitution Hill (2022,2023)
Winners since 1969
edit- ^ The 1970 race was abandoned because of snow
- ^ Celtic Ryde finished first in 1979 but he was relegated to second place after a stewards' enquiry
- ^ The race was abandoned in 1981 because of frost
- ^ It was cancelled in 1995 due to snow and frost, and in 1996 due to frost
- ^ The race was switched to Sandown Park in 2005 as Kempton was closed for redevelopment.
- ^ 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
editReferences
edit- pedigreequery.com – Christmas Hurdle – Kempton.
- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 47. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
External links
edit- Race Recordings 1983–2003 [1]