William Hill Handicap Hurdle
Grade 3 Handicap, Newbury 15:35 £155,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 69y, Class 1
Tweet Saturday 8th February 2025

1 Joyeuse 9/2
2 Lump Sum 16/1
3 Navajo Indy 6/1
4 Favour And Fortune 17/2
17 ran NR: Givemefive Distances: 8l, 2½l, 1l
Time: 3m 56.90s (slow by 9.90s)

🏆 @WilliamHill Hurdle 🏆

🥇 Joyeuse
🥈 Lump Sum
🥉 Navajo Indy

Joyeuse takes victory under Nico De Boinville, give trainer Nicky Henderson his seventh victory in the race 🚀

Congratulation to all connections 🍾@NdeBoinville | @sevenbarrows pic.twitter.com/fKTYo2Shkl

— Newbury Racecourse (@NewburyRacing) February 8, 2025

Joyeuse put in a scintillating display at Newbury to land the race in fine style, ensuring the trophy remains in the hands of Nicky Henderson for another year.

The grey, from the same esteemed family as former Champion Hurdler Epatante, carries the famous green and gold silks of JP McManus. Last year’s winner Iberico Lord was back for more, but Nico de Boinville opted for Joyeuse, a decision that proved inspired as she relished both conditions and the gallop.

Sent off a well-backed 9-2 shot, she cruised through the race before quickening clear effortlessly on the soft ground. By the time she hit the line, she was eight lengths to the good over Lump Sum, confirming herself a mare of real promise.

Paddy Power reacted by cutting her to 8-1 for the County Hurdle at Cheltenham, but therein lies the catch—she’s not currently qualified for a Festival handicap.

“She was in the perfect position throughout, jumped beautifully, and it was all very straightforward,” reflected Henderson. “She’s bolted up really, and you have to say that the step back in trip and a bit of cut in the ground has really suited her.

“The issue is she needs another run to get into a handicap at Cheltenham, and I’m hardly going to run her again between now and then. It’s a dilemma, but a nice one to have.”

Victory gave Henderson a seventh success in the race, a statistic he clearly relishes.

“It’s a great race, a proper local race, and I’ve followed it for years,” he said. “It’s changed names a few times, but credit to William Hill for sponsoring—prize money like this is crucial.”

De Boinville was full of praise for his mount but bemused by the qualification rules.

“She went through the race really easily and did everything right,” he said. “But it’s madness she can’t go to Cheltenham. Bonkers, really. You can win a handicap like that here but can’t run at the Festival, where there’s less prize money. It makes no sense.”

For now, though, Joyeuse’s connections can enjoy a dominant performance—one that suggests she has bigger days ahead, even if Cheltenham might have to wait.

Newbury Handicap Hurdle (Handicap) (Grade 3)
£155,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 69y, Class 1
17 ran
Going: Soft, Good to Soft in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Joyeuse 6 10-7 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 9/2
2 8 Lump Sum 7 12-0 Sam Thomas Dylan Johnston 16/1
3 2½ Navajo Indy 6 10-12 Tom Symonds Gavin Sheehan 6/1
4 1 Favour And Fortune 7 11-10 Alan King Tom Cannon 17/2
5 1½ Beat The Bat 7 11-5 Harry Fry Bryan Carver 10/1
6 nk King William Rufus 8 10-6 Chris Gordon Charlie Maggs 20/1
7 3¼ Go Dante 9 11-0 Olly Murphy James Bowen 28/1
8 ½ Our Champ 7 11-6 Chris Gordon Rex Dingle 33/1
9 11 Williethebuilder 6 11-0 Dan Skelton Kielan Woods 50/1
10 2½ Mirabad 6 11-0 Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole Luke Scott 16/1
11 4 Aucunrisque 9 11-3 Chris Gordon Freddie Gingell 28/1
12 8 Iberico Lord 7 12-0 Nicky Henderson Freddie Gordon 14/1
13 2 Washington 9 11-3 Harry Derham Paul O'Brien 14/1
FELL Secret Squirrel 6 11-1 5ex Hughie Morrison Sean Bowen 100/30F
PU Fiercely Proud 6 11-7 Ben Pauling Ben Jones 11/1
PU Josh The Boss 6 11-1 Nigel Twiston-Davies Mr Jamie Neild 18/1
PU Minella Missile 7 11-8 Evan Williams Adam Wedge 25/1
NR 10 Givemefive 5 11-2 Harry Derham NON RUNNER

The Betfair Hurdle – Roll of Honour

YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY AGE/WEIGHT SP RAN

2024 IBERICO LORD Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 6 11-8 11/2 21
2023 AUCUNRISQUE Chris Gordon Nick Scholfield 7 11-4 9/1 16
2022 GLORY AND FORTUNE Tom Lacey Stan Sheppard 7 11-8 20/1 14
2021 SOARING GLORY Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr 6-10-07 17/2 23
2020 PIC D'ORHY Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 05-11-05 33/1 24
2019 AL DANCER Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 06-11-08 5/2F 14
2018 KALASHNIKOV Miss Amy Murphy Jack Quinlan 05-11-05 8/1C 24
2017 BALLYANDY Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 06-11-01 3/1F 16
2016 AGRAPART Nick Williams Lizzie Kelly 05-10-05 16/1 22
2015 VIOLET DANCER Gary Moore Joshua Moore 05-10-09 20/1 23
2014 SPLASH OF GINGE Nigel Twiston-Davies Ryan Hatch 06-10-03 33/1 20
2013 MY TENT OR YOURS Nicky Henderson A P McCoy 06-11-02 5/1F 21
2012 ZARKANDAR Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 05-11-01 11/4F 20
2011 RECESSION PROOF John Quinn Dougie Costello 05-10-08 12/1 15
2010 GET ME OUT OF HERE Jonjo O'Neill A P McCoy 06-10-06 6/1 23
2009 Abandoned - Snow
2008 WINGMAN Gary Moore Jamie Moore 06-10-00 14/1 24
2007 HEATHCOTE Gary Moore Jamie Moore 05-10-06 50/1 20
2006 Abandoned - Frost
2005 ESSEX Michael O'Brien IRE Barry Geraghty 05-11-06 4/1F 25
2004 GEOS Nicky Henderson Marcus Foley 09-10-09 16/1 25
2003 SPIRIT LEADER Jessica Harrington IRE Norman Williamson 07-10-00 14/1 27
2002 COPELAND Martin Pipe A P McCoy 07-11-07 13/2 16
2001 LANDING LIGHT Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-10-02 4/1F 20
2000 GEOS Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 05-11-03 15/2 17
1999 DECOUPAGE Charles Egerton Jimmy McCarthy 07-11-00 6/1 18
1998 SHARPICAL Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-11-01 10/1 14
1997 MAKE A STAND Martin Pipe Chris Maude 06-11-07 6/1 18
1996 SQUIRE SILK Andy Turnell Paul Carberry 07-10-12 13/2 18
1995 MYSILV Charles Egerton Jamie Osborne 05-10-08 9/4F 8
1994 LARGE ACTION Oliver Sherwood Jamie Osborne 06-10-08 9/2 11
1993 KING CREDO Steve Woodman Adrian Maguire 08-10-00 10/1 16
1992 RODEO STAR Nigel Tinkler Graham McCourt 06-10-10 15/2 15
1991 Abandoned - Frost
1990 DEEP SENSATION Josh Gifford Richard Rowe 05-11-03 7/1 17
1989 GREY SALUTE John Jenkins Richard Dunwoody 06-11-05 8/1 10
1988 JAMESMEAD David Elsworth Brendan Powell 07-10-00 11/1 19
1987 NEBLIN Toby Balding Stan Moore 08-10-00 10/1 21
1986 Abandoned – Snow
1985 Abandoned – Snow
1984 RA NOVA Nan Kennedy Paddy Farrell 05-10-06 16/1 26
1983 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1982 DONEGAL PRINCE Paul Kelleway John Francome 06-10-08 13/1 27
1981 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1980 BOOTLACES David Barons Paul Leach 06-10-09 20/1 21
1979 WITHIN THE LAW Peter Easterby Alan Brown 05-11-04 25/1 28
1978 Abandoned – Frost
1977 TRUE LAD Bill Swainson Tommy Stack 07-10-04 14/1 27
1976 IRISH FASHION Michael Cunningham IRE Ron Barry 05-10-04 16/1 29
1975 TAMMUZ Fulke Walwyn Bill Smith 07-10-13 18/1 28
1974 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1973 INDIANAPOLIS John Sutcliffe snr Jeff King 06-10-06 15/2 26
1972 GOOD REVIEW Jim Dreaper IRE Val O'Brien 06-10-09 8/1 26
1971 CALA MESQUIDA John Sutcliffe snr John Cook 07-10-09 33/1 23
1970 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1969 Abandoned - Frost
1968 PERSIAN WAR Colin Davies Jimmy Uttley 05-11-13 9/2F 33
1967 HILL HOUSE Ryan Price Josh Gifford 07-10-10 9/1 28
1966 LE VERMONTOIS Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-11-03 15/2 28
1965 ELAN John Sutcliffe jnr David Nicholson 06-10-07 9/2F 21
1964 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 06-10-02 10/1 24
1963 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-10-00 20/1 41