National Spirit Hurdle
The National Spirit Hurdle is a Grade 2 race over two miles and three furlongs at Fontwell Park.
It takes place in late February or early March and is named after the 1947 and 1948 Champion Hurdle winner.
Notable past winners include Comedy Of Errors (1976, 1977), Bird’s Nest (1979), Beech Road (1989), Baracouda (2001) and My Way de Solzen (2006).
Find out more about the National Spirit Hurdle:
Contents
- 1 Race Overview
- 2 National Spirit Hurdle 2023 Odds
- 3 National Spirit Hurdle Tips
- 4 National Spirit Hurdle Previous Winners
- 5 National Spirit Hurdle 2022 Result
- 6 Famous National Spirit Hurdle Winners
- 7 Key National Spirit Hurdle Trials
- 8 National Spirit Hurdle Betting Trends
- 9 National Spirit Hurdle – Top Trainers and Jockeys
- 10 Betting on the National Spirit Hurdle
- 11 National Spirit Hurdle Facts
- 12 Summary of the National Spirit Hurdle
- 13 Related February Horse Racing Posts
- 14 Resources
Race Overview
Horses must be four years old or older to compete in the Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race known as the National Spirit Hurdle in Great Britain.
There are 10 hurdles to clear throughout the race, which is raced at Fontwell Park over a distance of around 2 miles and 3 furlongs (2 miles, 3 furlongs, and 33 yards, or 3,852 metres).
The National Spirit Hurdle is going to be run on Sunday 26th February 2023. It is one of the main races for February Horse Racing in 2023.
National Spirit Hurdle 2023 Odds
The National Spirit Hurdle odds are listed below:
The odds for this race have not yet been released.
National Spirit Hurdle Tips
The National Spirit Hurdle tips are below:
2 points to win for TBC at odds of TBC
1 point each way for TBC at odds of TBC
Many National Spirit Hurdle horses will race in more races throughout the years. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.
If you are looking for more racing tips for events taking place at Fontwell Racecourse then check out our Fontwell Park racing tips page.
National Spirit Hurdle Previous Winners
Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1971 | Varma | 5 | David Mould | M Masson |
1972 | St Patrick's Blue | 7 | David Mould | D Tatlow |
1973 | Brantridge Farmer | 5 | Richard Rowell | Miss A Sinclair |
1974 | Brantridge Farmer | 6 | Terry Biddlecombe | Fulke Walwyn |
1975 | Bladon | 5 | R Kington | Fred Winter |
1976 | Comedy of Errors | 9 | John Burke | Fred Rimell |
1977 | Comedy of Errors | 10 | John Burke | Fred Rimell |
1978 | Kybo | 5 | Bob Champion | Josh Gifford |
1979 | Bird's Nest | 9 | Andy Turnell | Bob Turnell |
1980 | Snowtown Boy | 5 | John Francome | Fred Winter |
1981 | Random Leg | 6 | Bob Champion | Josh Gifford |
1982 | Mr Moonraker | 5 | P Carvill | Miss S Morris |
1984 | Cut A Dash | 5 | John Francome | Mrs N Smith |
1987 | Corporal Clinger | 8 | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe |
1988 | Vagador | 5 | Mark Perrett | Guy Harwood |
1989 | Beech Road | 7 | Richard Guest | Toby Balding |
1990 | Vagador | 7 | Mark Perrett | Guy Harwood |
1991 | Al Asoof | 6 | Mark Richards | Peter Hedger |
1992 | Honest Word | 7 | Peter Scudamore | Martin Pipe |
1993 | Flown | 6 | Richard Dunwoody | Nicky Henderson |
1994 | ||||
1999 | Lady Cricket | 5 | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe |
2000 | Male-Ana-Mou | 7 | Andrew Thornton | Jamie Poulton |
2001 | Baracouda | 6 | Thierry Doumen | François Doumen |
2002 | Rouble | 6 | Leighton Aspell | Josh Gifford |
2003 | Classified | 7 | Tony McCoy | Martin Pipe |
2004 | Starzaan | 5 | Timmy Murphy | Hughie Morrison |
2005 | Blue Canyon | 7 | Tony McCoy | François Doumen |
2006 | My Way de Solzen | 6 | Robert Thornton | Alan King |
2007 | United | 6 | Leighton Aspell | Lucy Wadham |
2008 | Lough Derg | 8 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe |
2009 | Lough Derg | 9 | Tom Scudamore | David Pipe |
2010 | Trenchant | 5 | Robert Thornton | Alan King |
2011 | Celestial Halo | 7 | Harry Skelton | Paul Nicholls |
2012 | Third Intention | 5 | Joe Tizzard | Colin Tizzard |
2013 | Prospect Wells | 8 | Daryl Jacob | Paul Nicholls |
2014 | Kayf Moss | 6 | Rhys Flint | John Flint |
2015 | Kilcooley | 6 | Noel Fehily | Charlie Longsdon |
2016 | Lil Rockerfeller | 5 | Trevor Whelan | Neil King |
2017 | Camping Ground | 7 | Joshua Moore | Gary Moore |
2018 | Old Guard | 7 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
2019 | Vision Des Flos | 6 | Tom Scudamore | Colin Tizzard |
2020 | William Henry | 10 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
2021 | Brewin'upastorm | 8 | Aidan Coleman | Olly Murphy |
2022 | Botox Has | 6 | Joshua Moore | Gary Moore |
2023 | Brewin'upastorm | 10 | Aidan Coleman | Olly Murphy |
National Spirit Hurdle 2022 Result
A cracking finish and brilliant ride!
Botox Has & Josh Moore taking the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell 🌟pic.twitter.com/0KeYlBdin7
— FreeBets Racing 🏇 (@FreeBetsRacing) February 27, 2022
Famous National Spirit Hurdle Winners
The National Spirit Hurdle was originally regarded as a Champion Hurdle Trial, although these days it tends to attract horses engaged in the Stayers Hurdle. Comedy Of Errors won here as a nine and ten-year-old in 1976 and 1977 for Trainer Fred Rimell and jockey John Burke. His Champion Hurdle victories came in 1973 and 1975, finishing runner-up to Lanzarote in 1974.
Bird’s Nest won the National Spirit in 1979 for Bob and Andy Turnell. He never won the Champion Hurdle but was regularly pitted against the likes of Night Nurse, Sea Pigeon and Monksfield in the Gold Age of hurdling. He did win the Scottish Champion Hurdle twice and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park.
1989 winner Beech Road went on to win the Champion Hurdle in the same season for Toby Balding and Richard Guest. He was a 50-1 chance but ran on too strongly for Celtic Chief and Celtic Shot. 2001 winner Baracouda was trained in France by Thierry Doumen and won the Stayers Hurdle in 2002 and 2003. He also won the Long Walk Hurdle four times, the Ascot Hurdle twice and the Long Distance Hurdle twice.
My Way de Solzen (2006) is the only horse to win the National Spirit Hurdle and the Stayers Hurdle in the same season. The most recent dual winners of the race have been David Pipe’s Lough Derg (2008, 2009) and Olly Murphy’s Brewin’upastorm (2021, 2023).
Key National Spirit Hurdle Trials
There have been no obvious trial races for the National Spirit Hurdle in recent seasons. It may be worth noting that seven of the last twelve winners had at least one previous victory over two and a half miles.
Only three of the last ten winners ran at the Cheltenham Festival in the same season. Third Intention (2012) and Vision Des Flos (2019) both finished down the field in the Coral Cup and Lil Rockerfeller (2016) finished seventh in the Champion Hurdle. Three winners ran in the Aintree Hurdle at the Grand National meeting but all were unplaced. The subsequent form of recent winners has been poor with none of the last ten managing even a place during the remainder of the season.
National Spirit Hurdle Betting Trends
There have only been two winning favourites in the National Spirit Hurdle in the past twelve seasons; Third Intention (2012) 11-10 and Lil Rockerfeller (2016) 7-4. Eight of the twelve were in the first three in the betting in a race which typically attracts a small field. The biggest turnout for this event in the past twelve seasons was eight runners in 2016 and 2019.
There have been a few surprise results, the biggest being the 20-1 victory of Botox Has in 2022. Kayf Moss won at 16-1 in 2014 and Camping Ground was a 9-1 chance when winning in 2017. The winning age range has been from five to ten during the same period. An official rate of 148 or higher is usually required to win the National Spirit Hurdle. The highest rated winners in recent years were Old Guard (2018) and William Henry (2020), both rated 156.
National Spirit Hurdle – Top Trainers and Jockeys
No Trainer has really dominated this race but Paul Nicholls has won it three times, most recently with Old Guard in 2018. Gary Moore won it with Camping Ground and Botox Has while Olly Murphy trained Brewin’upastorm to win it in 2021 and 2023.
The recently retired Tom Scudamore rode the winner on three occasions; Lough Derg (2008, 2009) and Vision Des Flos (2019). That equals the tally of Tony McCoy, successful on Lady Cricket (1999), Classified (2003) and Blue Canyon (2005). Joshua Moore and Aidan Coleman have ridden two winners apiece.
Betting on the National Spirit Hurdle
The National Spirit Hurdle is one of the highlights of the season at Fontwell Park. The race may no longer attract the quality of horse that it once did but it still produces a competitive event. As a note of caution, the form has not been holding up in subsequent races.
National Spirit Hurdle Facts
- The National Spirit Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in the United Kingdom for four-year-old and above horses.
- It is run at Fontwell Park over a distance of about 2 miles and 3 furlongs, and during its running there are ten hurdles to be jumped.
- The race is scheduled to take place each year in February or March.
- The National Spirit Hurdle was first run in 2013.
Summary of the National Spirit Hurdle
Thank you for reading our National Spirit Hurdle page.
Here are all of February’s horse racing related posts:
- Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle
- Ascot Chase
- Betfair Hurdle
- Denman Chase
- Dovecote Novices' Hurdle
- Dublin Chase
- Dublin Racing Festival
- Dublin Racing Festival Day 1
- Dublin Racing Festival Day 2
- Game Spirit Chase
- Grand National Trial
- Heroes Handicap Hurdle
- Hever Sprint Stakes
- Horse Racing In February
- Irish Arkle Novice Chase
- Irish Champion Hurdle
- Irish Gold Cup
- Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle
- Kachy Stakes
- Kingmaker Novices' Chase
- Kingwell Hurdle
- Liffey Handicap Hurdle
- National Spirit Hurdle
- Pendil Novices' Chase
- Prestige Novices' Hurdle
- Rendlesham Hurdle
- Reynoldstown Novices' Chase
- Scilly Isles Novices' Chase
- Spring Juvenile Hurdle
- Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle
- Towton Novices' Chase
- Winter Derby
- Winter Derby Trial