# Scottish Champion Hurdle

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Hurdle horse race in Britain

Horse race

Scottish Champion Hurdle Class Grade 2 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

Scottish Champion Hurdle 2026 Dedicated Hero Captain Hugo Ooh Betty

Previous years 2025 Cracking Rhapsody Kabral Du Mathan Ooh Betty 2024 Favour And Fortune Bialystok Cracking Rhapsody 2023 Rubaud Colonel Mustard Anna Bunina 2022 Anna Bunina West Cork Onemorefortheroad 2021 Milkwood Anna Bunina Tommy's Oscar

2020-2011 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](/source/National_Hunt_racing) [hurdle race](/source/Hurdling_(horse_race)) in Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at [Ayr](/source/Ayr_Racecourse), [South Ayrshire](/source/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](/source/Handicap_(horse_racing)), 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](/source/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](/source/Champion_Hurdle) at the [Cheltenham Festival](/source/Cheltenham_Festival). The most recent was [Alderbrook](/source/Alderbrook_(horse)), the winner of the latter contest in 1995. [Captain Christy](/source/Captain_Christy) won the race in 1973, the year before winning the [Cheltenham Gold Cup](/source/Cheltenham_Gold_Cup) as a novice. Another Irish-trained horse, [Golden Cygnet](/source/Golden_Cygnet), suffered fatal injuries when he fell in the 1978 running.

## Records

**Most successful horse (2 wins):**

- [Sea Pigeon](/source/Sea_Pigeon) – *1977, 1978*

- [Birds Nest](/source/Birds_Nest_(horse)) – *1979, 1981*

**Leading jockey (3 wins):**

- Andrew Turnell – *Bird's Nest (1979, 1981), Secret Ballot (1980)*

- [Peter Scudamore](/source/Peter_Scudamore) – *Royal Vulcan (1983), Rushmoor (1984), [Granville Again](/source/Granville_Again) (1992)*

- [Richard Dunwoody](/source/Richard_Dunwoody) – *Alderbrook (1996), Blowing Wind (1998), Fadalko (1999)*

- [Richard Johnson](/source/Richard_Johnson_(jockey)) – *In Contrast (2003), Noble Request (2006), Cheltenian (2015)*

**Leading [trainer](/source/Horse_trainer) (4 wins):**

- [Martin Pipe](/source/Martin_Pipe) – *Sayparee (1990), [Granville Again](/source/Granville_Again) (1992), Blowing Wind (1998), Copeland (2004)*

## Winners

- *Weights given in [stones](/source/Stone_(unit)) and [pounds](/source/Pound_(mass)).*

Year Winner Age Weight Jockey Trainer 1966 Blue Venom 7 11-01 Peter Adams[a] Peter Adams 1967 Originator 6 11-01 E Wilson J Barclay 1968 Al-'Alawi 5 10-08 Pat McCarron T Robson 1969 Mugatpura 6 11-03 Tommy Jennings Fulke Walwyn 1970 Easter Pirate 6 10-00 Stan 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 Ken White 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 Bird's Nest 9 11-08 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1980 Secret Ballot 6 10-07 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1981 Bird's Nest 11 11-06 Andrew Turnell Bob Turnell 1982 Gay George 6 11-07 Bill Smith Fulke Walwyn 1983 Royal Vulcan 5 11-13 Peter Scudamore Neville Callaghan 1984 Rushmoor 6 10-13 Peter Scudamore Ray Peacock 1985 Sailor's Dance 5 11-01 Jimmy Duggan Fred Winter 1986 River Ceiriog 5 10-09 Steve Smith Eccles Nicky Henderson 1987 Positive 5 10-08 Paul Croucher Kim Bailey 1988 Pat's Jester 5 11-01 Brian Storey Dick Allan 1989 Aldino 6 12-00 Simon Sherwood Oliver Sherwood 1990 Sayparee 5 10-07 Jonothan Lower Martin Pipe 1991 Precious Boy 5 11-02 Lorcan Wyer Mike O'Neill 1992 Granville Again 6 11-10 Peter Scudamore Martin Pipe 1993 Staunch Friend 5 11-10 Adrian Maguire Mark Tompkins 1994 Corrouge 5 11-02 David Bridgwater Nigel Twiston-Davies 1995 Home Counties 6 11-02 James Moffatt Dudley Moffatt 1996 Alderbrook 7 11-07 Richard Dunwoody Kim Bailey 1997 Shadow Leader 6 10-05 Jamie Osborne Charles Egerton 1998 Blowing Wind 5 11-05 Richard Dunwoody Martin Pipe 1999 Fadalko 6 10-04 Richard Dunwoody Paul Nicholls 2000 Mister Morose 10 10-10 Tony McCoy Nigel Twiston-Davies 2001 Ulundi 6 10-04 Dean Gallagher Paul Webber 2002 Milligan 7 10-08 Norman Williamson Venetia Williams 2003 In Contrast 7 10-13 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2004 Copeland 9 10-01 Jamie Moore Martin Pipe 2005 Genghis 6 10-11 Tony McCoy Peter Bowen 2006 Noble Request 5 10-09 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2007 Emmpat 9 10-07 David Casey Charlie Swan 2008 Border Castle 7 09-13 Nick Scholfield[a] Andrew Haynes 2009 Noble Alan 6 10-05 Davy Condon Nicky Richards 2010 Overturn 6 10-07 Timmy Murphy Donald McCain 2011 Sanctuaire 5 10-08 Ruby Walsh Paul Nicholls 2012 Raya Star 6 11-06 Robert Thornton Alan King 2013 Court Minstrel 6 10-09 Adam Wedge Evan Williams 2014 Cockney Sparrow 5 09-11 Dean Pratt John Quinn 2015 Cheltenian 9 10-13 Richard Johnson Philip Hobbs 2016 Ch'Tibello 5 11-01 Harry Skelton Dan Skelton 2017 Chesterfield 7 10-05 Daniel Sansom Seamus Mullins 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 2022 Anna Bunina 6 10-04 Sean Bowen John McConnell 2023 Rubaud 5 10-11 Harry Cobden Paul Nicholls 2024 Favour And Fortune 6 11-02 Tom Cannon Alan King 2025 Cracking Rhapsody 6 11-05 Craig Nichol Ewan Whillans 2026 Dedicated Hero 7 10-06 Danny McMenamin Sandy Thomson

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-am_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-am_1-1) amateur jockey

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** The 2020 running was cancelled because of the [COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_United_Kingdom)[1]

## See also

- [Horse racing in Scotland](/source/Horse_racing_in_Scotland)

- [List of British National Hunt races](/source/List_of_British_National_Hunt_races)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Coronavirus: Horse racing in Great Britain suspended until end of April"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/51930209). *BBC Sport*. 17 March 2020.

- [Racing Post](/source/Racing_Post): - [1988](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1988-04-15/23901), [1989](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1989-04-14/29425), [1990](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1990-04-20/35229), [1991](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1991-04-19/40691), [1992](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1992-04-10/46064), [1993](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1993-04-16/52201), [1994](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1994-04-16/57703), [1995](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1995-04-22/63515), [1996](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1996-04-20/201148), [1997](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1997-04-19/236313) - [1998](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1998-04-18/249809), [1999](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/1999-04-17/264556), [2000](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2000-04-15/278700), [2001](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2001-04-21/299059), [2002](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2002-04-20/314160), [2003](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2003-04-12/329879), [2004](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2004-04-17/348313), [2005](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2005-04-16/380718), [2006](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2006-04-22/404926), [2007](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2007-04-21/428462) - [2008](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2008-04-19/453394), [2009](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2009-04-18/478346), [2010](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2010-04-17/501838), [2011](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2011-04-16/526564), [2012](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2012-04-21/550655), [2013](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2013-04-20/574840), [2014](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2014-04-12/597426), [2015](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2015-04-18/621304), [2016](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2016-04-16/646066), [2017](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2017-04-22/671146) - [2018](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2018-04-21/696820), [2019](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2019-04-13/724162), [2021](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2021-04-18/779588), [2022](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2022-04-02/805313), [2023](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2023-04-22/835926), [2024](https://www.racingpost.com/results/3/ayr/2024-04-20/863300)

- *Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Statistical Companion 1992–93*. Portway Press. 1993. p. 172.

- [pedigreequery.com](http://www.pedigreequery.com/index.php?search_bar=stakes&query_type=stakes&field=view&id=6341) – *Scottish Champion Hurdle – Ayr.*

- *Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91*. Aesculus Press. 1990. p. 70. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-871093-21-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-871093-21-X).

- [1978 Scottish Champion Hurdle Ayr](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUkf42ZYU-k)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Scottish Champion Hurdle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Champion_Hurdle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Champion_Hurdle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.