The Swinton Handicap Hurdle is a Grade 3
National Hunt
In horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Republic of Ireland, National Hunt racing requires horses to jump fences and ditches. National Hunt racing in the UK is informally known as "jumps" and is divided into two major distinct branches: ...
hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at
Haydock Park
Haydock Park Racecourse is a racecourse in Merseyside, North West England. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, the racecourse is set in an area of parkland bounded by the towns of Haydock to the west, Ashton-in-Makerfield ...
over a distance of about 1 mile 7½ furlongs (1 miles, 7 furlongs and 144 yards or ), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. It is a
handicap race, and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.
The event was established in 1978, and it was initially sponsored by
Royal Doulton
Royal Doulton is an English ceramic and home accessories manufacturer that was founded in 1815. Operating originally in Vauxhall, London, and later moving to Lambeth, in 1882 it opened a factory in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, in the centre of Engl ...
. The winner of the inaugural race collected just over £20,000, making it the fourth most lucrative prize behind the
Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap ...
,
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlongs ( ...
and
Champion Hurdle
The Champion 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 ...
.
toteswinger Swinton Hurdle
haydock-park.co.uk, accessed 4 December 2009. Subsequent sponsors have included Swinton Insurance (1985–93), Crowther and Merewood Homes (1994–2003), Betfred
Betfred is a bookmaker based in the United Kingdom, founded by Fred Done.Pronounced to rhyme with "bone". It was first established as a single betting shop in Ordsall, Greater Manchester, Ordsall, County Borough of Salford, Salford, in 1967. Its ...
(2006–07) and Totesport
The Tote is a British gambling company which is the largest pool betting operator in the United Kingdom. Headquartered in Wigan, England, its main products are sports betting and online casino. Founded in 1928, the company was owned by the U ...
(2008–11). The present sponsors, Pertemps, began supporting the race in 2012. The Swinton Handicap Hurdle takes place at a meeting which features both jump and flat racing, and outside of the main National Hunt season (October-April), is the highest graded race in the calendar.
Records
Most successful horses (2 wins):
* Dreams End – ''1994, 1997''
* Eradicate – ''2010, 2011''
Leading jockeys (2 wins):
* Andy Turnell – ''Beacon Light (1979), Secret Ballot (1982)''
* David Bridgwater – ''Winnie the Witch (1991), Tragic Hero (1996)''
* Graham Lee – ''Coat of Honour (2005), Blue Bajan (2008)''
* Paul Moloney – ''Barizan (2013), Ballyglasheen (2014)''
Leading trainers
Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used f ...
(4 wins):
* Martin Pipe
Martin Charles Pipe (born 29 May 1945), is an English former racehorse trainer credited with professionalising the British racehorse training industry, and as of 2021 the most successful trainer in British jump racing.
The son of a West-Count ...
– ''Corporal Clinger (1985), Tragic Hero (1996), Rainbow Frontier (1998), Acambo (2006)''
* Evan Williams - ''Barizan (2013), Ballyglasheen (2014), John Constable (2017), Silver Streak (2018)''
Winners
* ''Weights given in stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
s and pounds.''
See also
* Horse racing in Great Britain
Horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in Great Britain, and one of the longest established, with a history dating back many centuries. According to a report by the British Horseracing Authority it generates £3.39 billion total di ...
* List of British National Hunt races
A list of notable National Hunt horse races which take place annually in Great Britain, under the authority of the British Horseracing Authority, including all races which currently hold Grade 1, 2 or 3 status.
History of the National Hunt Patter ...
References
* Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 6 ...
:
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pedigreequery.com
– ''Swinton Handicap Hurdle – Haydock.''
– ''Swinton Handicap Hurdle (2007).''
* {{cite book, title=Ladbrokes Pocket Companion 1990/91, year=1990, publisher=Aesculus Press, isbn=1-871093-21-X, page=72
External links
* Race Recording
National Hunt races in Great Britain
Haydock Park Racecourse
National Hunt hurdle races
Recurring sporting events established in 1978
1978 establishments in England