The Fergus O'Toole Memorial Novice Hurdle is a Listed
National Hunt
National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, Great Britain and Ireland. Jump Racing requires horses to jump over fences and ditches.
In ...
novice
A novice is a person who has entered a religious order and is under probation, before taking vows. A ''novice'' can also refer to a person (or animal e.g. racehorse) who is entering a profession with no prior experience.
Religion Buddhism
...
hurdle race in Ireland which is open to
horses
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 milli ...
aged four years or older.
It is run at
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
over a distance of about 2 miles and 5 furlongs (4,224 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.
The race was first run in 2001 and was awarded Grade 3 status in 2011. It was downgraded to Listed status from 2016.
The race was sponsored by Newenham Mulligan Architects from 2001 to 2009. It was later named in memory of a local businessman, Fergus O'Toole, who died in 2010. In 2017 and 2018 the race was run as the Dunraven Arms Hotel Novice Hurdle and it was 2019 it was named the Ladbrokes Where The Nation Plays Novice Hurdle. Since 2020 it has been run as the Bluegrass Horse Feed Novice Hurdle.
Records
Most successful
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...
(4 wins):
*
Ruby Walsh
Rupert "Ruby" Walsh (born 14 May 1979) is an Irish former jockey. He is the second child, and eldest son, of former champion amateur jockey Ted Walsh and his wife Helen. Widely regarded as one of the greatest National Hunt racing, National Hunt ...
- '' Royal Reveille (2011), Zuzka (2012), Indevan (2013), Long Dog (2015) ''
Most successful
trainer (5 wins):
*
Willie Mullins
William Peter Mullins (born 15 September 1956) is an Irish racehorse horse trainer, trainer and former jockey. He is a nineteen-time List of Irish National Hunt races, Irish National Hunt Champion trainer. Mullins is the most successful traine ...
– '' Zuzka (2012), Indevan (2013), Long Dog (2015), Robin Des Foret (2017), High Class Hero (2023) ''
Winners
See also
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Horse racing in Ireland
Horse racing in Ireland is intricately linked with Culture of Ireland, Irish culture and society. The racing of horses has a long history on the island, being mentioned in some of the Irish mythology, earliest texts. Domestically, racing is on ...
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List of Irish National Hunt races
A list of notable National Hunt racing, National Hunt Horse racing, horse races which take place annually in Ireland, under the authority of Horse Racing Ireland, including all races which currently hold Grade 1 or Grade 2 status.
Grade 1
Grade ...
References
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Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting publisher published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 60,629 ...
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National Hunt hurdle races
National Hunt races in Ireland
Limerick Racecourse
Horse races established in 2001
2001 establishments in Ireland