Howden Long Walk Hurdle |
||
| Grade 1, Ascot 14:25 £125,000 guaranteed 4yo plus, 3m 102y, Class 1  |
||
|
||
Christmas cheer will be everywhere you look at Ascot on Saturday, and it’s the staying hurdlers who take top billing as the Grade 1 assumes its familiar position at the heart of a typically strong pre-Christmas card.
The race has become something of a personal fiefdom for Fergal O’Brien and Jonathan Burke in recent seasons, their partnership steering Crambo to victory in each of the last two renewals, while the stands still echo to memories of Paisley Park, whose treble between 2018 and 2022 ensured his place among the modern greats of the division.
Crambo does it again in the Howden Long Walk Hurdle at @Ascot! @FOBRacing @JohnnyBurke2 pic.twitter.com/QmWDupKyr3
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 21, 2024
Now eight, Crambo returns once more, bidding to write another line into the history books by becoming the first horse since Reve De Sivola in 2014 to land a hat-trick in the race. His Ascot record, proven stamina and uncomplicated running style make him a formidable standard-setter once again.
He will not have it all his own way, however. Strong Leader continues to represent the Olly Murphy yard with distinction and has already shown he belongs at the top table among stayers, while Altobelli remains a reliable and improving type for Harry Fry, often saving his best for these deeper winter tests. Nicky Henderson is likely to have more than one string to his bow, with seasoned campaigners such as Doddiethegreat and the progressive Impose Toi both featuring prominently among the entries, each bringing solid graded form into the equation.
Elsewhere, Beauport is expected to relish the emphasis on stamina if lining up for Nigel Twiston-Davies, and Irish interest could yet be headed by Honesty Policy, whose staying credentials have been well advertised across the water. Veterans like Botox Has and Colonel Mustard add depth and experience, ensuring this year’s renewal has both quality and intrigue in equal measure.
The Long Walk Hurdle, live on ITV4, sets the tone for an afternoon that also boasts two valuable handicaps over hurdles and fences, rounding off a meeting that has become a festive staple and a crucial staging post on the road to the spring festivals.
Long Walk Hurdle
£125,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 3m 102y, Class 1
13 entries
Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 2118-5 Altobelli 7 - Harry Fry
2 1320-4 Beauport 9 - Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Tom Bellamy
3 8337-F Botox Has 9 - Gary & Josh Moore Caoilin Quinn
4 54-511 Colonel Mustard 10 - Mrs Lorna Fowler
5 15F-78 Crambo 8 - Fergal O'Brien Jonathan Burke
6 21-234 Doddiethegreat 9 - Nicky Henderson
7 5196-7 Gwennie May Boy 7 - Olly Murphy
8 2111-2 Honesty Policy 5 - Gordon Elliott
9 24-211 Impose Toi 7 - Nicky Henderson
10 219-42 Jet Blue 6 - D Cottin
11 111P-3 Nemean Lion 8 - Kerry Lee
12 115-F3 Potters Charm 6 - Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
13 042-12 Strong Leader 8 - Olly Murphy Sean Bowen
LONG WALK HURDLE ROLL OF HONOUR (1965-2021)
Race run as a handicap prior to 1971
(run at Newbury in 2009, Chepstow in 2005 and Windsor in 2004)
Year Winner Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP
2024 CRAMBO
2023 CRAMBO
2022 PAISLEY PARK
2021 CHAMP
2020 PAISLEY PARK
2019 THE WORLDS END
2018 PAISLEY PARK
2017 SAM SPINNER
2016 UNOWHATIMEANHARRY
2015 THISTLECRACK
2014 REVE DE SIVOLA
2013 REVE DE SIVOLA
2012 REVE DE SIVOLA
2011 BIG BUCK’S 8-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls AP McCoy 3/10F
2010 BIG BUCK’S 7-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls AP McCoy 2/13F
2009 BIG BUCK’S 6-11-07 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 1/2F
2008 PUNCHESTOWNS 5-11-07 Judy Wilson Nicky Henderson Barry Geraghty 3/1F
2007 LOUGH DERG 7-11-07 W Frewen David Pipe Tom Scudamore 14/1
2006 MIGHTY MAN 6-11-07 Joss Hanbury Henry Daly Richard Johnson 11/8F
2005 MY WAY DE SOLZEN 5-11-07 B Windfield, A Longman, J Wright, C Fenton; Alan King Robert Thornton 12/1
2004 BARACOUDA 9-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Tony McCoy 8/13F
2003 BARACOUDA 8-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 2/7F
2002 DEANO’S BEENO 10-11-07 Axom Martin Pipe Tony McCoy 14/1
2001 BARACOUDA 6-11-07 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 2/5F
2000 BARACOUDA 5-11-07 Roger Barby Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 11/4
1999 ANZUM 8-11-07 Old Foresters P’ship Alan King Richard Johnson 4/1
1998 PRINCEFUL 7-11-07 Robert Hitchins Jenny Pitman Richard Dunwoody 11/4F
1997 PADDY’S RETURN 5-11-07 Paddy O’Donnell Ferdy Murphy Norman Williamson 8/1
1996 OCEAN HAWK 4-11-07 Matt Archer/Jean Broadhurst Nigel Twiston-Davies Carl Llewellyn 7/1
1995 SILVER WEDGE 4-11-07 Shirley & Bill Robins Oliver Sherwood Jamie Osborne 7/1
1994 HEBRIDEAN 7-11-07 Peter Deal David Nicholson Adrian Maguire 100/30
1993 SWEET DUKE 6-11-07 Andy Mavrou Nigel Twiston-Davies Carl Llewellyn 7/2
1992 VAGOG 7-11-07 M A Swift Martin Pipe Martin Foster 15/2
1991 Abandoned due to frost
1990 FLOYD 10-11-07 Mike Walsh David Elsworth Graham Bradley 10/1
1989 ROYAL ATHLETE 6-10-08 Gary Johnson Jenny Pitman Dean Gallagher 33/1
1988 FRENCH GOBLIN 5-11-01 Maurice Pinto Josh Gifford Peter Hobbs 3/1
1987 BLUFF COVE 5-10-08 Dickins Ltd Reg Hollinshead Richard Dunwoody 14/1
1986 OUT OF THE GLOOM 5-10-08 Paul Green Reg Hollinshead Peter Scudamore 4/1
1985 MISTY DALE 7-10-08 David Rose Jenny Pitman Phil Tuck 9/4F
1984 KRISTENSON 7-10-08 Ursula Fantasia Roger Fisher Michael Williams 7/2
1983 CRIMSON EMBERS 8-10-11 Pam Smart Fulke Walwyn Stuart Shilston 14/1
1982 MAYOTTE 7-10-11 B Davies Richard Holder Paul Richards 15/8F
1981 Abandoned due to snow
1980 DERRING ROSE 5-11-11 Peter Savill Fred Winter John Francome 7/1
1979 JOHN CHERRY 8-10-11 Milton Ritzenberg Tom Jones Steve Smith Eccles 6/1
1978 KELSO CHANT 6-11-07 Mrs M Richardson Jumbo Wilkinson Steve Charlton 10/1
1977 JOHN CHERRY 6-10-11 Milton Ritzenberg Tom Jones Steve Smith Eccles 11/8F
1976 Abandoned due to frost
1975 LANZAROTE 7-12-05 Lord Howard de Walden Fred Winter John Francome 4/9F
1974 GO BINGO 5-11-12 Guy Reed Sam Hall David Munro 9/4
1973 SOLONING 8-11-08 Mrs C Thornton Fred Winter Richard Pitman 9/2
1972 HIGHLAND ABBE 6-11-12 Mrs K Hankey Les Kennard Mr R Smith 11/1
1971 ST PATRICK’S BLUE 6-11-12 P Aunger David Tatlow Bill Smith 7/2F
1970 ROUGE AUTUMN 6-10-05 Bryan Jenks Fred Rimell Ken White 9/2F
1969 CANDID CAMERA 6-10-06 R F P Ross Ted Goddard Joe Guest 100/8
1968 Abandoned due to waterlogging
1967 Abandoned due to foot and mouth epidemic
1966 SIR EDWARD 6-10-09 R Heaton Ryan Price Josh Gifford 7/2F
1965 MINUTE GUN 8-10-04 Bill Shand Kydd Bill Shand Kydd Richard Pitman 100/8
