Supreme Novices' Hurdle
| Location | Cheltenham Racecourse Cheltenham, England |
|---|---|
| Race type | Hurdle race |
| Sponsor | Spinal Research |
| Website | Cheltenham |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2m ½f (3,319 metres) |
| Track | Turf, left-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up |
| Weight | 11 st 0 lb (4yo); 11 st 7 lb (5yo+) Allowances 7 lb for fillies and mares |
| Purse | £100,000 (2010) 1st: £57,010 |
The Supreme Novices' 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 on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 110 yards (3,319 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is for novice hurdlers, and it is scheduled to take place each year during the Cheltenham Festival in March.
It is the first event on the opening day of the Festival, and its start is traditionally greeted by the "Cheltenham Roar", a loud cheer generated by the crowds of onlookers.
Contents |
[edit] History
The race was originally called the Gloucestershire Hurdle, and it used to be split into two or three separate divisions. The Irish trainer Vincent O'Brien recorded ten victories in the race during an eight-year spell in the 1950s.
It became known as the Lloyds Bank Champion Novices' Hurdle in 1974, when Lloyds Bank began a brief period of sponsorship. Its present title was introduced when Waterford Crystal started to back the race in 1978. This association continued until 1990, and since then the event has had several different sponsors. The current sponsor is the bookmaking company Stan James.
[edit] Records
Leading jockey since 1972 (2 wins):
- Niall Madden – Golden Cygnet (1978), Hartstown (1981)
- Tommy Carmody – Slaney Idol (1980), Buck House (1983)
- Jamie Osborne – Flown (1992), Shadow Leader (1997)
- Charlie Swan – Montelado (1993), Like-a-Butterfly (2002)
- Paul Carberry – Sausalito Bay (2002), Go Native (2009)
- Ruby Walsh - Noland (2006), Al Ferof (2011)
Leading trainer since 1972 (2 wins):
- Mick O'Toole – Mac's Chariot (1977), Hartstown (1981)
- Edward O'Grady – Golden Cygnet (1978), Back in Front (2003)
- Nicky Henderson – River Ceiriog (1986), Flown (1992)
- Martin Pipe – Sondrio (1989), Hors La Loi III (1999)
- Pat Flynn – Montelado (1993), French Ballerina (1998)
- Willie Mullins – Tourist Attraction (1995), Ebaziyan (2007)
- Noel Meade – Sausalito Bay (2002), Go Native (2009)
- Paul Nicholls - Noland (2006), Al Ferof (2011)
[edit] Winners since 1946
- Amateur jockeys indicated by "Mr".
- Separate divisions of the race indicated by (1), (2) and (3).
1 The 1947 edition was abandoned due to snow and frost.
2 The 2001 running was cancelled because of a foot-and-mouth crisis.
[edit] References
- cheltenham.co.uk – Media information pack (2010).
- pedigreequery.com – Supreme Novices' Hurdle – Cheltenham.
- Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 56. ISBN 1-871093-21-X.
[edit] See also
|
|||||||||||||||||
