Great Northern Steeplechase
Prestige jumping race | |
Location | Ellerslie Racecourse Auckland, New Zealand |
---|---|
Race type | Thoroughbred - Jump Racing |
Website | www |
Race information | |
Distance | 6400 m |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Right-handed |
Qualification | Open |
Weight | Handicap |
Purse | NZ$125,000 |
The Great Northern Steeplechase is New Zealand's richest steeplechase. It is run over 6,400 metres (21,000 ft) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, making it Australasia's longest horse race, and usually takes between eight and eight and a half minutes to complete. The race has been run in early September since 2005, after previously being held in early June.
The contestants must clear 25 jumps during the 6400m race, making it one of the great tests of stamina and fitness in thoroughbred racing, for both horse and rider. A notable feature of the track is the Ellerslie Hill, on the eastern side of the steeplechase course, which the horses must climb three times during the race.
The inaugural race was won by Macaroni, who carried a weight of 12 stone (76 kg). The record weight carried to victory was 12 stone 13 lb (82.5 kg) by Kiatere in 1907. One of the most notable winners of the race was Hunterville, who won the race three times in 1983, 1984 and 1985. In 2010 Hypnotize doubled the number of horses to succeed three times, his victory following wins in 2007 and 2008.
The fastest winning time was 7:39.35 by Ballycastle in 1978, and the slowest was 9:31.50 by Wise Men Say in 2017. There was a dead-heat in 2001 between Smart Hunter, which had won the Great Northern Hurdles two days earlier, and Sir Avion, which had won the Great Northern Hurdles in 1998. It was the first dead-heat in a major New Zealand jumping race since the Otago Steeplechase in 1918.
Recent winners
Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Time |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Magic Wonder | |||
2019 | Wise Men Say | Shaun Fannin | Raymond Connors | 8:48.79 |
2018 | Chocolate Fish | Shaun Phelan | S L Brown | 8:08.47 |
2017 | Wise Men Say | Isaac Lupton | Raymond Connors | 9.31.50 |
2016 | Kick Back | Shaun Fannin | Kevin Myers | 8.08.65 |
2015 | Jack Romanov | Richard Cully | Mark Brooks | 8.50.20 |
2014 | Amanood Lad | Craig Thornton | Ben Foote | 9.04.82 |
2013 | Rangatira | Isaac Lupton | Steve Gulliver | 8.23.85 |
2012 | Tom's Myth | Shaun Phelan | Ann Browne | 8.25.07 |
2011 | Ima Heroine | Mathew Gillies | Ann Browne | 8.37.55 |
2010 | Hypnotize | Isaac Lupton | Raymond Connors | 8.45.50 |
2009 | Fair King | James Gillies | Ann Browne | 8:02.66 |
2008 | Hypnotize | Isaac Lupton | Raymond Connors | 8:15.71 |
2007 | Hypnotize | Isaac Lupton | Raymond Connors | 8:24.25 |
2006 | Real Tonic | Brett Scott | John Wheeler | 8:50.48 |
2005 | Just The Man | Joanne Rathbone | Davina Waddell | 7:41.44 |
2004 | Wanderlust | Michelle Hopkins | Ann & Ken Browne | 8:18.30 |
2003 | Golden Flare | Clayton Chipperfield | Raylene Whiteside | 8:05.98 |
2002 | Golden Flare | Clayton Chipperfield | Raylene Whiteside | 8:06.02 |
2001 (Dead-heat) | Smart Hunter | Michelle Hopkins | Ann & Ken Browne | 8:21.45 |
2001 (Dead-heat) | Sir Avion | Wayne Hillis | Kevin O'Connor | 8:21.45 |
2000 | Royal Ways | Joseph Douglas | Tony Cole | 8:23.17 |
1999 | Royal Ways | Joseph Douglas | Tony Cole | 8:09.17 |
1998 | Our Jonty | Raymond Connors | Raymond Connors | 7:51.25 |
1997 | Sydney Jones 66.5 | Brett McDonald | Ann & Ken Browne MBE, Cambridge | 8:38.73 |
1996 | Classic Heights | Paul Fitzgerald | Tim Douglas | 8:18.05 |
1995 | Sydney Jones | Tina Egan | Ann & Ken Browne | 8:39.16 |
1994 | Ellivani | Brian Constable | John Twomey | 7:47.18 |
1993 | Sir Barton | Chad Northcott | Max Northcott | 8:06.56 |
1992 | Lord Tennyson | Brett McDonald | Ann & Ken Browne | 8:07.38 |
1991 | Brother Bart | Craig Thornton | Ann & Ken Browne | 8:16.60 |
1990 | Ardri | Ken Browne | Ann & Ken Browne | 8:33.53 |
1989 | Tumblin’ Down | Toby Autridge | Michael Moroney | 8:20.29 |
1988 | Heddawin | Wayne Hillis | John Bullock | 8:10.41 |
1987 | Deductable | Paul Hillis | Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill | 8:22.40 |
a Race run at Te Aroha Racecourse due to track upgrade at Ellerslie
Previous winners[1]
- 1986 - Rock Crystal
- 1985 - Hunterville
- 1984 - Hunterville
- 1983 - Hunterville
- 1982 - Mountain Gold
- 1981 - Bean's Beau
- 1980 - Guess Who
- 1979 - Ascona
- 1978 - Ballycastle
- 1977 - Ascona
- 1976 - Loch Linnhe
- 1975 - Loch Linnhe
- 1974 - Specialist
- 1973 - Bob's Luck
- 1972 - Brockton
- 1971 - Brockton
- 1970 - Spray Doone
- 1969 - Falada
- 1968 - Royal Polo
- 1967 - Eiffel Tower
- 1966 - Confer
- 1965 - Smoke Ring
- 1964 - Johnny Dee
- 1963 - Blue Rock
- 1962 - Sabre
- 1961 - Patrick Molloy
- 1960 - Patrick Molloy
- 1959 - Ben Vola
- 1958 - Irish Ace
- 1957 - Knight's Star
- 1956 - Hit Parade
- 1955 - Every Time
- 1954 - Dunwold
- 1953 - Dunwold
- 1952 - Dural
- 1951 - Redingote
- 1950 - Jon Rosa
- 1949 - Golden Reign
- 1948 - Brookby Song
- 1947 - Brookby Song
- 1946 - Our Nation
- 1945 - Dauber
- 1944 - Dozie Boy
- 1943 - Chat
- 1942 - Dozie Boy
- 1941 - Streamline
- 1940 - All Irish
- 1939 - Survey
- 1938 - Valpeen
- 1937 - Irish Comet
- 1936 - Billy Boy
- 1935 - Royal Limond
- 1934 - Valpeen
- 1933 - Callamart
- 1932 - Copey
- 1931 - Master Lu
- 1930 - Aurora Borealis
- 1929 - Uralia
- 1928 - Glendowie
- 1927 - Beau Cavalier
- 1926 - Dick
- 1925 - Sir Rosebery
- 1924 - Sir Rosebery
- 1923 - Mary Bruce
- 1922 - Sea De'il
- 1921 - Coalition
- 1920 - Lochella
- 1919 - Master Lupin
- 1918 - Waimai
- 1917 - Gluepot
- 1916 - El Gallo
- 1915 - El Gallo
- 1914 - Peary
- 1913 - Bercola
- 1912 - Hautere
- 1911 - Corazon
- 1910 - Red McGregor
- 1909 - Capitol
- 1908 - Loch Fyne
- 1907 - Kiatere
- 1906 - Sol
- 1905 - Kiatere
- 1904 - Moccasin
- 1903 - Haydn
- 1902 - The Guard
- 1901 - Moifaa
- 1900 - Voltigeur II
- 1899 - Dummy
- 1898 - Muscatel
- 1897 - Levanter
- 1896 - Levanter
- 1895 - Liberator
- 1894 - Bombardier
- 1893 - Despised
- 1892 - Shillelagh
- 1891 - Parnell
- 1890 - Jenny
- 1889 - Don
- 1888 - Allegro
- 1887 - Silvio
- 1886 - Belle
- 1885 - Macaroni
See also
References
- ^ Costello, John and Finnegan, Pat (1988). Tapestry of Turf. Moa Publications.