International Hurdle Explained

Class:Grade 2
Horse Race:International Hurdle
Location:Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham, England
Inaugurated:1963
Race Type:Hurdle race
Sponsor:Unibet
Website:Cheltenham
Distance:2m 179y (3,382 metres)
Surface:Turf
Track:Left-handed
Qualification:Four-years-old and up
Weight:11 st 0 lb
Purse:£112,000 (2020)
1st: £63,784

|}The International Hurdle is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles and 1 furlong (2 miles and 179 yards, or 3,382 metres), and during its running there are eight hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in January.

History

The event was established in 1963, and it was originally called the Cheltenham Trial Hurdle. The inaugural running was won by Scottish Memories, and in the following two years it was won by the Champion Hurdle winners Magic Court and Salmon Spray. Its title was changed to the Bula Hurdle in 1977, in honour of Bula, a dual-winner of the Champion Hurdle who was successful in this contest in 1972.

The first triple-winner of the Bula Hurdle was Bird's Nest, whose third victory came in 1980. This feat was matched in the late 1990s by Relkeel, a horse subsequently honoured by the naming of different race on the same card, the Relkeel Hurdle.

The online sportsbook StanJames.com sponsored the event for the first time in 2010. The International Hurdle is the second leg in the Road to Cheltenham, a Stan James sponsored series of top-class hurdles races culminating in the 2011 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The other two races are the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle Trial. The race is now sponsored by Stan James's parent company, Unibet.

The last horse to win both the International Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle in the same season was Rooster Booster in 2002–03.

Until 2022 the race was run at Cheltenham's International meeting in December. In April 2023 the British Horseracing Authority announced that the race would be run in future at the Festival Trials meeting in January.[1]

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

Leading jockey (6 wins):

Leading trainer (6 wins):

Winners

border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:90%"
YearWinnerAgeJockeyTrainer
1963width=160px Scottish Memories9width=180px Cathal Finneganwidth=180px Arthur Thomas
1964Magic Court6Pat McCarronTommy Robson
1965Salmon Spray7Johnny HaineBob Turnell
1966Sempervivum8Willie RobinsonFulke Walwyn
1967Abandoned due to foot and mouth outbreak
1968Solway Sands4Brian FletcherJohn McMurchie
1969Celtic Gold7Stan MurphyArthur Stephenson
19705Paul KellewayFred Winter
1971Canasta Lad5Jeff KingPeter Bailey
1972Bula7Paul KellewayFred Winter
1973Comedy of Errors6Bill SmithFred Rimell
1974Comedy of Errors7Ken WhiteFred Rimell
1975Sea Pigeon5Jonjo O'NeillGordon W. Richards
1976Abandoned due to frost
1977Birds Nest7Andrew TurnellBob Turnell
1978Birds Nest8Andrew TurnellBob Turnell
1979Celtic Ryde4Martin O'HalloranPeter Cundell
1980Birds Nest10Andrew TurnellBob Turnell
1981no race 1981
1982Ekbalco6Jonjo O'NeillRoger Fisher
1983Amarach5Jimmy DugganRoger Fisher
1984Browne's Gazette6Ronnie BegganMonica Dickinson
1985Corporal Clinger6Paul LeachMartin Pipe
1986Floyd6Colin BrownDavid Elsworth
1987Pat's Jester4Peter NivenDick Allan
1988Condor Pan5Charlie SwanJim Bolger
1989Cruising Altitude6Jamie OsborneOliver Sherwood
1990no race 1990
1991Royal Derbi6Declan MurphyNeville Callaghan
1992Halkopous6Adrian MaguireMark Tompkins
1993Staunch Friend5Declan MurphyMark Tompkins
1994Large Action6Jamie OsborneOliver Sherwood
1995no race 1995
1996Large Action8Jamie OsborneOliver Sherwood
1997Relkeel8Richard JohnsonDavid Nicholson
1998Relkeel9Adrian MaguireDavid Nicholson
1999Relkeel10Richard JohnsonAlan King
2000Geos5Mick FitzgeraldNicky Henderson
20015Tony McCoyMartin Pipe
2002Rooster Booster8Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2003Rigmarole5Robert ThorntonPaul Nicholls
2004Back in Front7Davy RussellEdward O'Grady
2005Harchibald6Paul CarberryNoel Meade
2006Detroit City4Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2007Osana5Paddy BrennanDavid Pipe
20084Tony McCoyNicky Henderson
2009Khyber Kim7Paddy BrennanNigel Twiston-Davies
2010Menorah5Richard JohnsonPhilip Hobbs
2011Grandouet4Barry GeraghtyNicky Henderson
2012Zarkandar5Ruby WalshPaul Nicholls
2013The New One5Sam Twiston-DaviesNigel Twiston-Davies
2014The New One6Sam Twiston-DaviesNigel Twiston-Davies
2015Old Guard4Sam Twiston-DaviesPaul Nicholls
2016The New One8Richard JohnsonNigel Twiston-Davies
2017My Tent Or Yours10Barry GeraghtyNicky Henderson
2018Brain Power7Nico de BoinvilleNicky Henderson
2019Call Me Lord6James BowenNicky Henderson
2020Song For Someone5Aidan ColemanTom Symonds
2021Guard Your Dreams5Sam Twiston-DaviesNigel Twiston-Davies
2022no race 2022
2024Lossiemouth5Paul TownendWillie Mullins

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Package of changes agreed to help strengthen performance of British Jump racing . British Horseracing Authority . 21 May 2023 . 27 April 2023.