Kempton Mares' Hurdle
The Kempton Mares' Hurdle, run under the sponsored title of the Racing TV Mares' Hurdle, is a Listed National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to mares aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton over a distance of about 3 miles and 110 yards (4,929 metres), and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in November.
| Listed race | |
| Location | Kempton Park Kempton, England |
|---|---|
| Race type | Hurdle race |
| Sponsor | Racing TV |
| Website | Kempton Park |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 3m 110y (4,929m) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Right-handed |
| Qualification | Four-years-old and up fillies & mares |
| Weight | 10 st 12 lb |
| Purse | £20,000 (2020) 1st: £11,390 |
| 2021 | ||
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| My Sister Sarah | Dragon Bones | Midnightreflection |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ||
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| Bannixtown Glory | Getaway Totherock | Indefatigable |
| 2019 | ||
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| Papagana | Culture De Sivola | Fleur Irlandaise |
| 2018 | ||
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| Mia's Storm | If You Say Run | Culture De Sivola |
| 2017 | ||
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| La Bague Au Roi | Jer's Girl | Midnight Tour |
| 2016 | ||
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| Surtee Du Berlais | Rons Dream | Run Ructions Run |
| 2015 | ||
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| Morello Royale | Polly Peachum | Fairytale Theatre |
| 2014 | ||
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| Carole's Spirit | Clara Mc Cloud | L'unique |
| 2013 | ||
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| Highland Retreat | Weather Babe | Ma Filleule |
| 2012 | ||
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| Knockfierna | Miss Milborne | Alpine Breeze |
| 2011 | ||
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| Whoops A Daisy | Cloudy Spirit | Violin Davis |
| 2010-2007 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ||
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| Carole's Legacy | Banjaxed Girl | Santera |
| 2009 | ||
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| Whiteoak | Amber Brook | Wychwoods Legend |
| 2008 | ||
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| One Gulp | Amber Brook | Blaeberry |
| 2007 | ||
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| Refinement | Kruguyrova | Gaspara |
First run in 2007, the Kempton Mares' Hurdle was won by Refinement who was trained by Jonjo O'Neill and ridden by AP McCoy.[1] The race, originally called Friends of Nigel Clark Mares' Only Hurdle, was set up in memory of the course's steward Nigel Clark.[2] Since 2008 the race has had a number of sponsors including Starlight Children's Foundation, Ladbrokes and Coolmore Stud until 2012 when OLBG.com became the race sponsors and the race became known as the OLBG Mares' Hurdle.[3] Racing TV have sponsored the race since 2019.
The Kempton Mares' Hurdle was the second race of the OLBG Mares' Road to Cheltenham, a series set up to help improve the quality of mares in National Hunt Racing.[4]
Records
Most successful horse:
- no horse has won this race more than once
Leading jockey (2 wins):
- Barry Geraghty - Carole's Legacy (2010), Whoops A Daisy (2011)
- Leighton Aspell - Surtee Du Berlais (2016), Papagana (2019)
Leading trainer (2 wins):
- Nicky Henderson - Carole's Legacy (2010), Whoops A Daisy (2011)
- Oliver Sherwood - Surtee Du Berlais (2016), Papagana (2019)
- Donald McCain - Whiteoak (2009), Bannixtown Glory (2020)
Winners
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Refinement | 8 | Tony McCoy | Jonjo O'Neill |
| 2008 | One Gulp | 5 | Dominic Elsworth | Paul Webber |
| 2009 | Whiteoak | 6 | Jason Maguire | Donald McCain |
| 2010 | Carole's Legacy | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2011 | Whoops A Daisy | 5 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2012 | Knockfierna | 7 | Davy Russell | Charles Byrnes |
| 2013 | Highland Retreat | 6 | Noel Fehily | Harry Fry |
| 2014 | Carole's Spirit | 6 | Daryl Jacob | Robert Walford |
| 2015 | Morello Royale | 5 | Aidan Coleman | Colin Tizzard |
| 2016 | Surtee Du Berlais | 6 | Leighton Aspell | Oliver Sherwood |
| 2017 | La Bague Au Roi | 6 | Richard Johnson | Warren Greatrex |
| 2018 | Mia's Storm | 8 | Wayne Hutchinson | Alan King |
| 2019 | Papagana | 6 | Leighton Aspell | Oliver Sherwood |
| 2020 | Bannixtown Glory | 6 | David Bass | Donald McCain |
| 2021 | My Sister Sarah | 7 | Nico de Boinville | Willie Mullins |
References
- "Friends of Nigel Clark Mares Only Hurdle". Racing Post.
- "Horse Racing: Refinement at her gritty best for Listed win; KEMPTON" – via The Free Library.
- "TBA News – The TBA". The TBA.
- Racing Post